[4] Kaplan was born to an Iranian Jewish family in Tabriz, Iran,[5] and raised in Tehran, where her father was a carpet dealer.

[7][8] Arriving as an unaccompanied child refugee[6] in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Anna was sent to live with a foster family in Chicago, Illinois, until her parents were able to legally enter the United States.

[10] Kaplan started her political career as a member of the North Hempstead Town Board in 2011, and served until her election to the state senate.

She had previously served as a trustee of the Great Neck Public Library and was also a member of the North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals.

[7] On January 11, 2016, Kaplan announced that she would run for the seat in the United States House of Representatives for New York's 3rd congressional district being vacated by retiring congressman Steve Israel.