Marie Elaine Likins was born in Golden, Colorado on October 10, 1946. Her father, Corwin Likins, was a mining engineer and mill manager. Because of this, Marie grew up mostly in small towns in Utah and Nevada. She was a downwinder, and remembers watching mushroom clouds from atomic bomb testing near her home in Castleton, Nevada. Marie attended the University of Utah, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science (1968) and Master of Science (1973) in Medical Technology and PhD in Educational Psychology (1979). While an undergraduate, she met and married Bruce Kotter.

Marie joined Weber State College in 1972, as one of the first professors in the medical technology program, now clinical laboratory sciences. She advanced in her career to become tenured faculty, and expanded and served as the director of the medical technology program. In 1986, she became the first female vice president at a four year institution in Utah, and became the first Vice President of Student Services at Weber State College. During her tenure as VP she worked hard to get a student services building on campus, which was approved and completed by 1995. She retired in 1998.