Originally from Port Chester, New York, Chiavaro graduated from Maria Regina High School.
[1] She then attended Northeastern University, lettering in basketball from 1973 to 1976 and also playing lacrosse.
Former Northeastern men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun once rated Chiavaro as one of the best shooters he had ever seen.
[2][3] In 1978 Chiavaro was drafted by the New York Stars of the short lived Women's Professional Basketball League.
[6] After leaving Army, Chiavaro became a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual in 2000.