An accomplished author, video writer, and producer, Petrick has won national and regional awards for her work, including the silver medal at the New York Film Video Festival, the Associated Press Managing Editors Award for writing, and two Matrix awards. Petrick received her bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her master of arts degree in interdisciplinary studies at the University of Texas in Dallas. She lives in McKinney, Texas, with her husband, Tom.