Dr. Tortora grew up on the East Coast in the New York area. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Williams College in Williamstown, MA then earned her medical degree from Wake Forest School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Tortora completed her residency with United Health Service Family Practice Program at Northern New York State.

Dr. Tortora is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

She came to Homer to practice at Homer Medical Clinic in 1994. Her personal interests are many. She loves to hike, bike, and play the viola, ski, and kayak. She shares her life with retired Homer Medical Center physician Dr. Randy Wiest and their son, Danny.