Putzova immigrated to the United States from Slovakia in 1998 and moved to Flagstaff in 2001. She became a U.S. citizen during her Flagstaff residence, and she gained experience in community service, specifically in the areas of zoning, climate change, clean energy and social justice while on the board of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future. She served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2016, and was an early supporter for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. Throughout her career in Flagstaff, she has supported democratic values including increasing wages, honoring tribal nations and indigenous people, combating climate change, and expanding access to affordable housing.