Bonnie Bauerfeld was raised in Branford, Connecticut. She attended Boston University, in Massachusetts, and received a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing. From 1980 to 1996, Bonnie lived and practiced nursing in Maine in a variety of capacities including inpatient hospital Charge Nurse in Medical/Surgical, Labor and Delivery, and Rehabilitation, and as a Clinical Instructor/Hospital Educator. Outpatient experience included District Manager of the Bar Harbor Division of Community Health Services, School Nurse, Industrial Health, and Terminal Care nursing. She was a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Instructor, and certified in ACLS, Neonatal Resuscitation, and Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring.

She returned to her native Connecticut and her family, and earned a Master's of Health Science degree from Quinnipiac University where she graduated with honors, and the Director's award in 1999. Bonnie initially practiced in a private OB/GYN group practice in Waterbury. For the last 5 years, she has been practicing Gastroenterology, specializing in hepatology and general gastroenterology. She has participated in clinical trials, written protocol, and serves on the Connecticut Chapter of the American Liver Foundation's Medial Advisory Committee. Bonnie is a member of the American Gastroenterology Association, American Association of Physician Assistants, and is an Adjunct Professor for Quinnipiac University in their Physician Assistant Program.