Kaarina Parker was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has a BA (with Honours) from the University of Melbourne in history and feminist film theory and a Master of Creative Writing from Auckland University of Technology. She has a particular love for the extraordinary, largely uncredited, women of the late Roman Republic. Kaarina also has an established career as a fashion model, and is a voice for diversity in the fashion industry in Australia and New Zealand.

She is the author of Fulvia, published in 2025.