Dr. Chinn completed her middle and high school years in Prince William County and returned after receiving her B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville , Virginia, to become a teacher in the county. She later received post graduate degrees in guidance and school administration from the University of Virginia and George Mason University, and received a Ph.D from Virginia Tech in May 2007.

During her career in Prince William County, she has been a teacher at Graham Park and Fred Lynn Middle Schools, a guidance counselor at Fred Lynn, a guidance director at Parkside, Saunders, and Beville Middle Schools, and presently an assistant principal here at Godwin Middle School .