After spending most of her early years in the Boston, Massachusetts area, Charlene traveled south to Atlanta, Georgia, where she met her future husband, Don, an accomplished chef. Don's career took them to various cities across the country, from Florida to California, as they constantly searched for that perfect place to settle and raise a family.

While living in Chicago, an opportunity arose to relocate to the Reno/Tahoe area, where they had previously lived and where their son, Cody, was born. They realized how much they loved the quality of life in Northern Nevada and jumped at the chance to live again where they could enjoy a life of professional work while experiencing the beauty of the Sierra Mountains.