Erik holds a Bachelor of Arts in English/Mass Communication and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead. After grad school, he began working as an adjunct instructor at a small private college in Minnesota, where he eventually served as academic coordinator, online learning coordinator, associate dean of education, and campus administrator, before the closing of the campus in 2017. Erik moved to Las Vegas in 2018 and spent several years working as owner/operator of a trivia company before getting the itch in early 2023 to return to working in higher education, which led to an academic advising position at UNLV’s Academic Success Center. Erik is a self-described “martial arts nerd” who enjoys playing trivia, watching and researching MMA, kickboxing, and spending time with his wife, his two stepchildren, his dog, and his cat.