Anita was born in 1978 in Texas. She trained in public health and has lived in California, India, and Italy. She is currently working at Stanford University as the center manager of Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CCSRE). Outside of work, she raises funds for the Indo American Sevak Foundation and donates to the Jeevan Jyoti Ashram, an orphanage located in Orissa, India, which she visits every two years. She is also involved with Empower Tanzania, an organization that works in partnership with Tanzanians to develop sustainable models to enhance the quality of life and resilience of rural areas through health improvements, education and economic empowerment.