Bedeian has more than 20 years of international experience under her belt. Her work has taken her to more than 50 countries spanning from South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. After receiving a bachelor's degree in linguistics from the University of Iowa, she has been working internationally on professional development and exchange programs, beginning with volunteering for the Peace Corps in Ukraine and eventually working in the field for IREX in the South Caucasus region. Bedeian has been with the University of Iowa since 2004, starting with the International Writing Program and then joining Iowa JPEC in June 2019. When at home, Bedeian can be found in her metal shop fulfilling orders from around the globe for her small-scale jewelry supply business. Bedeian lives in Davenport with her husband and daughter.