Dr Howell was raised in Washington State. She gained her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts, then moved to Fairbanks, Alaska with her husband and worked as a veterinary technician for a number of years before returning to get her veterinary degree from Washington State University in 1997.

After graduation, she worked in a number of small animal practices in Washington as well as the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. There she developed an interest in holistic medicine and began her journey.

Dr Howell was employed by the Standard Process Company to support veterinarians by giving lectures in the field as well as answering technical questions. She was certified in Acupuncture and Chinese Veterinary Food Therapy by Chi University in 2017.

In 2017, she also opened her own holistic practice in White Fish Bay, Wisconsin. Thrive Holistic Veterinary Care provides complementary veterinary care with a focus on Nutrition Response Testing, functional nutrition, TCVM food therapy, and acupuncture.