Dr. Whitco was born at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, New York and raised on Great South Bay, Long Island, New York. The youngest of three siblings, Dr. Whitco's father was a dedicated New York City Firefighter and her mother was a devoted secretary to the principal at Nassau B.O.C.E.S in Carle Place, New York. Placed into gifted classes in third grade, Dr. Whitco was an avid swimmer, tennis player and softball player and graduated high school with honors before attending college.

Dr. Whitco graduated with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Law from SUNY Binghamton, in 1996. As an academic merit student-abroad, she studied at Regent's University, London, UK, and was an appointed parliamentary intern for Kenneth Livingstone in 1994. Dr. Whitco was a summer intern for Justice Joan Marie Durante in the Supreme Court of New York, Queens County, and researched and drafted opinions in tort law before beginning graduate law studies at St. John's University in New York.