Brenda Blancher lived in the Hamilton area as a youth and went to Hamilton schools, including grade 13 at Southmount S.S. She went to McMaster, wrote for the Silhouette and wanted to be a journalist. She volunteered at Gibson School to teach reading and in 1985 became an English teacher, getting her first job at Waterdown District High School. In 1986 she moved to Ancaster High where she later became Head of Guidance. In 2001 she became a vice-principal, later serving as an education officer for the Ministry of Education and then a principal. By 2007 she was superintendent of program at the Grand and Erie Board and by 2015 was its director of education.