Monaghan was born in Winthrop, Iowa to Sharon, who runs a day care center out of the family's home, and Bob Monaghan, who worked in a factory and was also a part time farmer. She has two brothers, Bob and John. After graduating from high school, she went to Chicago to study journalism. Between studying, she did some modeling in the United States and around the world with stints in Europe (Milan) and Asia (Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong.)
