Raiko Bowman grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. After several years traveling to New York City, Los Angeles and the southeast for training, she began to book both comedic and dramatic roles in film and television. A big break came from Gary Ross who directed the Lionsgate hit feature film, "The Hunger Games." Raiko played Peeta's Mom. She studied English and Comparative Literature minoring in East Asian studies at Columbia University in New York City.