Desiree was born in San Jose, California. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Physiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Washington in Seattle. She attended California Western School of Law in San Diego.

Desiree is a licensed attorney admitted to the State Bar of California and the United States District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of California.. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the San Diego County Bar Association, and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.