Sue Almén-Whittaker graduated with a bachelor’s in Scandinavian Studies and an area emphasis in Japanese Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College. She received her master’s in Applied English Linguistics and a TESOL certificate from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She has a graduate certificate in Informatics – Information Science focusing on Instructional & Information Technology from the University of Iowa.

Her professional interests include teaching pronunciation, listening and note-taking skills, reading, and reflective learning. Her personal interests include spending time with her family, attending her children's sports, women's basketball, gaming, building things, travel, reading, and relaxing by a lake.