Kattlyn Wolf was born and raised in Laramie, Wyoming. She was involved in 4-H for nine years and served as a state FFA officer in 1997-1998. She received her bachelor of science in animal science in 2000 and her B.S. in vocational agriculture in 2002 from the University of Wyoming. She was a member of the collegiate Meat Judging Team, Sigma Alpha, Alpha Tau Alpha, Block and Bridle, Collegiate FFA and was one of two College of Agriculture Senators in the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming. 

During college she remained active in 4-H and FFA activities, coaching 4-H teams, assisting with state FFA conventions and was a counselor at the Wyoming FFA camp for five years. She received her honorary state FFA degree from Wyoming in 2005. 

Kattlyn taught vocational agriculture for three years in Laramie, Wyoming. While at Laramie, Wolf won the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year local award and the “Teachers Turn the Key” award. She left Laramie in 2005 to attend graduate school at the University of Arizona, where she received her master of science in agricultural education in 2006. In 2008, Wolf received her Ph.D. in agricultural and extension education from the Ohio State University.