She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1998 with a degree in Communication Studies. After college, she served as a youth outreach worker at an inner-city ELCA congregation in Chicago through Lutheran Volunteer Corps. Following two years in Chicago, she returned to Minnesota to attend Luther Seminary, pursuing a Master of Divinity degree with an emphasis on Youth and Family Ministry. During her first two years of seminary, Ivy worked part-time as Junior High Youth Director at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Maple Grove, Minnesota, where she attempted to keep track of over 400 junior high youth. She spent her internship year serving as Vicar at Luther Place Memorial Church in Washington, DC, which was only blocks away from the White House. While at Luther Place, she witnessed the powerful relationships between church and the needs of the community as she served as Bible Study leader and volunteer with the N Street Village, a continuum of care facility for women who are homeless or formerly homeless.

Upon graduation from Luther Seminary in 2004, Ivy received her first call as Associate Pastor here at Bethlehem. Ivy spends much of her time working with the youth and their families here at Bethlehem.