Ariel was born and raised in San Angelo, Texas, where she attended Angelo State University. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She worked in human resources for five years before enrolling in St. Mary’s University School of Law. While in law school, Ariel was a staff writer for St. Mary’s Law Journal. She graduated magna cum laude with her Doctor of Jurisprudence and was an inductee to The John M. Harlan Society. After law school, Ariel practiced property owners’ association law before transitioning into personal injury law in 2023. Ariel is admitted to practice in Texas state courts, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.