Caitlyn Oliver Brown spent summers exploring the Sierra Nevada mountains and developed a love for nature when she was young. In high school, she volunteered at the Oakland Zoo as a teen docent, introducing her to science communication. After attending a Wildlife Conservation Network Expo, she developed an interest in research.

Oliver Brown graduated from San José State University (SJSU) with a B.S. in Biology, with a concentration in ecology and evolution. During her undergraduate career, Oliver Brown volunteered in the Biology Department's Bird and Mammal Museum, which sparked her interest in museum collections. She worked on an undergraduate research project using Clark's Nutcracker specimens, where she compared morphological measurements across populations. After graduating from SJSU, Oliver Brown worked three field seasons as a research technician. She worked on mule deer, Greater Sage-Grouse, and California Spotted Owls. While she enjoyed working in the field, Oliver Brown longed to return to museum work.

After a two-year break, Oliver Brown began a master's program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). She worked with Dr. Kevin Winker, the curator of birds at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Oliver Brown's thesis examined gene flow, divergence, and local adaptation in Beringian birds. While at UAF, she worked as a Curatorial Assistant, collecting and preparing bird specimens. After earning her M.S. in 2024, Oliver Brown started a Ph.D. at The University of New Mexico, studying biology under the advisement of Mike Andersen at the Museum of Southwestern Biology. She also still collaborates with her Master's advisor, Dr. Kevin Winker.