Elizabeth is a first generation American of Italian descent. Her parents were both born in Italy but came to the United States to find a better life. Elizabeth is the eldest of four girls. Her Father worked for a milk company and her Mother raised the children until Elizabeth's Father died suddenly, leaving her mother with four small children at the age of 31. Elizabeth's Mother went to work at a factory so she could raise her children and fulfill a promise she made to her dying husband to keep the children in Catholic schools.

In her primary school years, Elizabeth was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. She was also cheerleader in her junior high years. In high school, at Saint Rose Academy, a college preparatory school for girls, Elizabeth was an honors student. Elizabeth also had a passion for sports and revived the school's women's basketball program as the program manager. She lettered in basketball.

In 1975, Elizabeth became the first person in her family to go to college when she entered the University of California at Davis. She graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor's Degree in History and Political Science/Public Service. She served as a Student Senator, as Founder and President of the Students for a Better ASUCD (SBA) and continued her love of sport in intramural volleyball.

At the age of nineteen, Elizabeth was accepted to the University of Southern California Law Center. She graduated in 1980 with a Juris Doctorate (JD). It was a proud day for the La Macchia family when Elizabeth was sworn in as an attorney in California and in U.S. District Court.

After practicing on her own for a year, Elizabeth decided to work for the Federal Government. After being offered a position with the UFCW, she went to work for a Labor Union where she worked on negotiating the Collective Bargaining Agreement, processed grievances, and represented workers at arbitration and before the National Labor Relations Board, the EEOC and the California Department of Fair employment and Housing. After leaving that position, Elizabeth went back to work with the Federal Government. One of Elizabeth's responsibilities was to teach new employees the laws required to perform their jobs.

In 1992, Elizabeth decided to take the Nevada Bar Exam because she had learned of the many opportunities available in Nevada. Elizabeth passed the bar and was sworn in as a Nevada Lawyer in December of 1992 in Reno. In 1995, Elizabeth finally received the opportunity that would change her life and bring her to Nevada. Elizabeth became a Law Clerk in the Eighth Judicial District and spent nine years assisting judges with administering their calendars and writing legal opinion letters and Supreme Court petitions on behalf of the Eighth Judicial District. Since November 2004, Elizabeth has practiced civil and family law at her own firm, the Halverson Law Firm.

Elizabeth loves the Las Vegas Valley and sees it as a place of opportunity for all of its citizens. Elizabeth and her husband, Ed, live in the Southeast section of Las Vegas with their cats and dogs. Elizabeth is a member of both the Nevada and California Bar Associations and is active in her church. She enjoys her family, (she still calls her Mom everyday), music, movies, watching sports, and reading fiction and non-fiction books.