Noa Graham (she/they), born in Syracuse, New York, land of the Haudenosaunee people, and given the name Nancy Graham, is one of five children of John W. and Phyllis A. Naugle Graham. They studied English literature at Muhlenberg College, where they earned their bachelor of arts, and attended New York University for a master's degree in cinema studies. Before and during their study of acting, primarily at the Michael Chekhov School in Hudson, NY, they raised two homeschooled children, worked at various organizations related to film, media, and sustainability, taught creative writing online and in person, and freelanced as a copyeditor.