Madonna was born and raised in McKeesport, Pennsylvania and received her undergraduate degrees in nursing and psychology from Duquesne University, her MBA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, her MHA from the University of Pittsburgh and her MSN from the University of Missouri. Ms. Ferris practiced as a nurse in the areas of labor and delivery, psychiatry and outpatient surgery before going to graduate school. She worked in various positions in health care research and management until she pursued her training as a nurse practitioner. She was on the faculty of the department of Health Administration at the University of Missouri, where she taught management to clinicians who were new to positions of authority. Ms. Ferris is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is a member of the Missouri Coalition for Nurses in Advance Practice, Missouri Nurses Association and American Nurses Association. Madonna’s special areas of interest include sexual dysfunction and holistic and complementary medicine. Madonna’s husband is a Professor of Finance at the University of Missouri and an officer in the United States Naval Reserve. They have two children. Her outside interests include foreign travel as well as singing.