[2] Brauer grew up on Long Island, New York, and attended East Hampton High School, graduating in 2012.
[2][3][5] There, she began teaching at Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, and working as a sailor to deliver boats on the Atlantic Coast.
[3][4][6] She finished 2nd in the 2023–2024 Global Solo Challenge on March 7, 2024, sailing a Class40 boat named First Light, making her the first woman from the United States to sail single-handed around the world nonstop and unassisted, and also setting a new around-the-world speed record for the class.
During the 130 days on her boat, she injured a rib, suffered dehydration, and gave herself IV fluids.
[1][5] She was able to connect to the Internet via Starlink satellites, and established an influential social media presence, introducing a new audience to the sport.