While growing up, Becker Knecht focused on her education and joined various student groups such as the school yearbook. She was influenced by her family to pursue a similar path in the medical field as a pediatrician. While in high school, Becker Knecht took an advanced English course where she found a mentor, Elizabeth Vogt, who encouraged her current career path. Vogt provided a fostered Becker Knecht’s natural talent for writing while challenging her to pursue a career in English. She fondly reflected upon the novel, Elements of Style, that Vogt used to initiate a deep appreciation for the English language.