Sara Bellini Luis was born in Havana, Cuba, to American parents of Italian and Spanish descent. Raised bilingually, she spoke and wrote both English and Spanish fluently from an early age. She studied in schools in the U.S., the Virgin Islands, and France before earning a bachelor's degree in French literature from St. Mary’s College at Notre Dame, spending her last semester in Rome. She later earned a master's degree in Spanish and Latin American literature from NYU in Madrid and completed doctoral coursework in Spanish and linguistics at Georgetown University.

Passionate about languages and culture, Sara loves traveling, cooking, reading, teenagers, spending time with friends, and taking long walks with her adorable dog, Bibiche. She loves her daughters too!