Capt. Hutchins is a native of West Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and was commissioned through the ROTC program. She earned a Master of Science degree in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego in 2005.

Her sea assignments include division officer tours in USS Wadsworth (FFG 9) and USS Decatur (DDG 73); department head tours in USS Pinckney (DDG 91) and Destroyer Squadron 23; and as both commanding officer and executive officer of USS Dewey (DDG 105).

Hutchins served ashore as a training liaison officer at Afloat Training Group Pacific; liaison to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Financial Management and Comptroller (OASN(FM&C)/FMBE); cost of war analyst in the Joint Staff Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate (J-8/PBAD); Director of Current Operations on the staff of Commander, U.S. Third Fleet; and commanding officer of Naval Leadership and Ethics Command San Diego.

She reported as chief of staff for Carrier Strike Group ONE in February 2021.