Wanita "D. Woods" Woodgette was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 6, 1983. Developing a love for performing at an early age, and went on to attend Tri-Cities High School, a visual and performing arts magnet school in East Point, Georgia; she later attained formal dance training from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and acting instruction at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned a B.F.A. in musical theatre.