Mrs. Touve grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelors degree in Geology. Served four years on active duty as an Army Engineer Officer then transferred to the National Guard as a Military Intelligence Officer. 

After leaving active duty she went to work for the Defense Mapping Agency, which has now become the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency(NGA).  While employed with the Defense Mapping Agency she earned a Masters of Science degree in Geodetic Science and Geographic Information Systems from the Ohio State University.  She retired from the the National Guard in 2007 and had 20 Federal goverment service.