[4] She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in 1993, when she was commissioned into the Navy through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

[7][8] After graduating from law school, Peterlin clerked for Judge Jerry Edwin Smith, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, from 2000 to 2001.

[5][7][8][10] She helped draft the Authorization for the Use of Military Force in Afghanistan and the Patriot Act, as well as the legislation establishing the United States Department of Homeland Security.

[9][10] Prior to joining the Department of State, Peterlin was managing director at XLP Capital, a Boston-based technology consulting firm, a role she began in November 2015.

[5][7][9][10] Peterlin was initially chosen by President-elect Donald Trump's 2016 transition team to help Rex Tillerson during the Senate confirmation process.