A native of Chicago, he earned a dual bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Political Science from Saint Xavier University, an M.A. in Inner City Education Studies from Northeastern Illinois University and a M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership, Educational Studies from the University of Illinois-Chicago. In 2010, he successfully completed the pursuit of his Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies specializing in the history of education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.