[6] Leona Marlin-Romeo was born on 3 July 1973 on Sint Maarten to Marius Romeo and Marilyn Thomas.

As a child, Marlin-Romeo attended the Methodist Agogic Center (MAC) in Sint Maarten.

She graduated from Adelphi University in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in French.

She continued her education at the University of Amsterdam where she graduated with a master's degree in International Relations.

In 2005, Marlin-Romeo returned to Sint Maarten, and began working as the Head of the Civil Registry Department.