Dorothy Burwash was born in Whitehorse, Yukon Territories. After attending schools in Canada and Britain she received her B.A. from Oxford University, her M.A. from Mount Holyoke College, and her PH.D. from Bryn Mawr College. She entered the Department of External Affairs in 1943 and served in Canadian embassies in Oslo, Paris and London. Since September 1966 she has been Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C.