Rabbi Schwartzman received her Masters of Hebrew Letters and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2007. Prior to her rabbinical studies, in 2001, she earned her B.A in English from the University of Virginia. She also studied Hebrew at Ben Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Before joining Temple Beth Zion, Rabbi Schwartzman served student pulpits in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Parkersburg, West Virginia, and Marion, Indiana.

Rabbi Schwartzman was born in Biloxi, Mississippi. As a "military brat," she lived in many places growing up, including Colorado, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC, and overseas in Germany and Greece. She is the daughter of Rabbi Joel Schwartzman, who served for many years as an Air Force Chaplain and currently serves a congregation in Denver, Colorado, and the granddaughter of Rabbi Dr. Sylvan Schwartzman who was Professor of Education and Practical Rabbinics at Hebrew Union College.