Linda Bradford was born deaf and attended the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles, California, at a young age. She was mainstreamed in public schools as a child. Active in sports, she attended California Polytechnic Institute, where she studied physical education and mathematics. She competed in the Deaflympics, winning gold medals in 1969 for track and 1973 for volleyball.

After graduating from college, Linda taught physical education at California State University at Northridge for five years. She returned to graduate school in New Mexico and studied for a doctorate in the computer field. At the time of her Edmund Lyon lecture, Bradford was Associate Systems Programmer and lead operator for Honeywell.