Mandi graduated from the University of Sydney in 1998 with a First Class Bachelor of Veterinary Science. Her interest in research begun as a veterinary student during which time she spent two summers in the U.S.A in the laboratories of Professor Douglas Antczak (Cornell University) and Dr. Craig Altier (North Carolina State University) working on projects in the fields of equine genomics and reproduction. Following graduation, she worked as a veterinarian in equine specialist practice in Scone, Australia and Newmarket, United Kingdom furthering her interest in equine  reproduction and neonatology.

In 2001, Mandi started a PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR Website), Australian National University, whilst continuing work part-time as an equine veterinarian. In 2005, she was the recipient of the 2006 Frank Fenner Medal and Dewar Milne Prize in Immunology awarded by the JCSMR for her PhD work. In 2005, Mandi returned to Cornell as a Post-doctoral research associate in the laboratory of Professor Douglas Antczak working on differentiation of placental trophoblast cells and regulation of immunity during pregnancy in the horse. Mandi joined the Royal Veterinary College as a Lecturer in the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences in 2007. Her research interests combined her clinical training in reproduction and neonatology with her scientific background in the field of placental function and immunology. After 15 years at the RVC Mandi took up the role of professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor in Equine Medicine at the Baker Institute Cornell University, and she is now the Director of the Baker Institute for Animal Health.