Born in Edina, Minnesota, to former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Carl Donald Peterson[REF] and mother Gretchen Elaine Palen Peterson,[REF] Burwell grew up in Edina, Minnesota with four brothers: Todd Douglas, Scott Jeffrey, Craig Donald, Mark Bradley; and one sister, Polly Suzanne [REF].
She graduated from Edina High School and was a junior of speech communication, political science and american studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield when she decided to participate in Miss USA [REF].