Annette Starling joined the Buck Harless Student Athlete Program in June 2005 after working for several months in Marshall University's Career Services department.

A resident of West Virginia, she attended Marshall University before leaving to join the United States Air Force as an Administrative Specialist in Okinawa, Japan for two and a half years. During this time was presented with a medal for outstanding job performance and selected to attend PACAF Leadership Academy. She currently lives in Mason County where her family still resides.