Dr. Russman was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended undergraduate school at Lake Forest College in Illinois where she received a BA in Biology and French Literature. In her senior year of college, she completed an internship at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where she worked with cranes in their conservation and breeding program.

Dr. Russman continued her education earning her MS degree (crane conservation and breeding) at the University of Illinois. She went on to work at the International Crane Foundation for 3 years as Curator of birds. It was there she discovered that working and gaining knowledge in Veterinary Medicine would be of paramount importance in caring for the cranes.