Ilene was born near the other end of I-35 in Oklahoma City, OK, and in 1992 graduated from Rice University in Houston, Texas, with her bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences. She returned home to attend medical school at the University of Oklahoma and joined the health sciences center in Tulsa for her pediatric residency. Ilene spent two years learning pediatric critical care medicine in Memphis, Tennessee, but she missed the continuity of care found in outpatient pediatrics. Since 2002, she has lived and practiced in Minnesota. Before joining Wayzata Children's Clinic, she worked in Minnesota's community health centers for eight years, giving her a deep appreciation for the social and environmental determinants of health and a deep admiration for the everyday work of parenting, especially in the first 3-5 years of life.

Ilene is board-certified in pediatrics, and her interests include trauma-informed care, neurodiversity, and early childhood development. She lives in St Louis Park with her husband Patrick and their twins Mia and Jacob and spends most of her free time reading, cooking, and visiting local food markets on her travels.