As a little girl growing up in Baltimore City, McKinzie enjoyed doodling, creating characters, and making her own storybooks out of folded printer paper and bus ticket stubs.
In 2003 she graduated from Towson University with a BA in Illustration. At Towson she discovered the process of linoleum block printing, which has since become her medium of choice, although she also works in pen and ink, watercolor, acrylic, oils, and colored pencils. Her illustrations reveal her sense of humor and love of detail and storytelling.