Prior to her time at Samford, Lillie served as her high school’s National Honor Society President, Service Prefect, and the student writer of her high school’s weekly column in the local newspaper. Lillie is also an alumnus of the Tennessee Governor’s School for Humanities. Additionally, she participated in Tennessee All East and All State choir, played violin and cello in her school’s strings ensemble, and taught violin lessons at a nonprofit arts school. Lillie was also named a Scholar Athlete all four years of high school, lettering in both basketball and golf. Beyond this, Lillie was heavily involved in her church, where she served as a teacher in preschool and elementary aged children’s ministry and as a musician in the worship band.