Sivinski was in the process of photographing the front of the former Schoenfeld's building at South 15th Street and Pacific Avenue for a presentation when the accident occurred. According to Tacoma police, Sivinski apparently did not hear the truck's beeping back-up alarm. The driver was not cited in the accident.

Sivinski owned Artifacts Architectural Consulting in Tacoma with her husband and did conservation work on buildings throughout Tacoma and the state. She also worked with local architecture firms as a consultant on renovation projects. One of her most recent collaborations was the Bone Dry Shoe Co. building at South 21st Street and Pacific Avenue. Prior to starting her business, Sivinski served as the city's historic preservation officer. During her tenure, she oversaw the placement of local properties on the local and national registers of historic places and helped expand the city's historic residential district to include the North Slope neighborhood.