Tam was born at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her family moved to a suburb of Houston, Texas when she was a young girl, but Tam spent all of her summers with extended family in the small town of Lumberton, Mississippi. Those summers helped foster a rich appreciation for improvised entertainment - and gave birth to a dream; Tam wanted to be an actress from a very early age.After graduating from high school, Tam moved to College Station, Texas where she put her dreams of an acting career on hold while she obtained an undergraduate degree and then a doctorate in the field of educational psychology. She participated in local theater throughout the years and received professional training at various sites, but her focus was on raising a family and setting up a private practice.With her youngest son set to leave for college in 2010, Tam faced an empty nest, and a realization: It had been 30 years since she had placed her childhood dreams "on hold." So, a little bit late in life, Tam decided to pursue her passion for acting. She's been training and working steadily both in front of and behind the camera ever since.