[1][2] A Brooklyn native, Powell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Wheaton College.
[3] Later, she graduated with a Master of Science in public policy management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Powell spent time teaching English in rural Malaysia after receiving the Fulbright Scholarship.
[4] On July 19, 2023, then-incumbent Representative Sara Innamorato announced her resignation from the State House following her victory in the primary for Allegheny County Executive in May 2023.
[5] Later that month, the Allegheny County Democratic Committee selected Powell from a group of five candidates to be their nominee in the September special election to replace Innamorato.