A native of Mamou, Louisiana, Gwen grew up and was educated in Baton Rouge. She attended St. Gerard Majella Elementary School, Redemptorist High School and graduated from Istrouma High School.

She holds the Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge and began her career as a reporter for the former Baton Rouge afternoon newspaper, The State-Times, upon graduation from LSU.

Gwen left Baton Rouge, following her marriage, and lived in Frankfurt, Germany, when her husband was serving in the military there. From Germany, her husband was sent to Vietnam, and Gwen returned to Baton Rouge during his tour of duty to work at the Greater Baton Rouge Safety Council as the Assistant Director. Her husband's next assignment was at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

Upon her husband's discharge from the military, the family settled in Houston, Texas, where Gwen worked as Woman's Editor for a weekly newspaper in the Greater Houston Metropolitan Area. Following that, she worked as Community Coordinator for the Fort Bend Independent School District in Stafford, Texas, and then returned to Baton Rouge upon her divorce.

Following a decade as the spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Health and Human Resources and then the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Gwen spent another decade doing management consulting, public relations, and media training.

In 1999, Gwen became a Realtor and in 2004 she obtained her broker's license and opened her own firm, Bach Stewart Real Estate. She is an Accredited Buyer's Representative, a Seller's Representative Specialist and is a graduate of the Realtor Institute, holding the GRI designation.