I grew up in Sturgis, South Dakota, and attended Sturgis Brown High. After completion of high school, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After serving in the Marine Corps, I attended college at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems. Currently, I am now a student at American Military University/American Public University System studying for my Masters in Cybersecurity.