Ward attended the Community College of Allegheny County, the University of Pittsburgh and Middle Tennessee State University. Ward began serving as a county commissioner for Westmoreland County in 2007. She was a member of the Hempfield Township Board of Supervisors from 2001 to 2007. Ward was also a former southwest Pennsylvania coordinator for former Governor Mark Schweiker in 2002 and served as the southwest Pennsylvania field director for Bush-Cheney 2004. Ward also worked as an independent political consultant from 2005 to 2006.
