Carol is a Finch Lake resident and Carol and her husband Jim own Cass County farms that were long-time properties of the Churchill family. She earned an Associate degree from Southwestern Michigan College, and went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Arts Degree from Western Michigan University. She has had leadership roles at several colleges in Michigan including Southwestern Michigan College and Macomb Community College, and was most recently president of Mid Michigan Community College. She has been involved with a number of organizations including United Way and Hospice.