Born in Germany to parents who both served in the U.S. Army, Rick grew up on a series of military bases and in small towns across the US. He worked overseas for 18 years as a contractor with both the Defense Department and State Department before returning to New Mexico with his wife, Claudia Risner (a Navy veteran). Rick earned his BA at UNM – Go Lobos – and MBA while living in the Netherlands. He is an Executive Board member and volunteer with the East Mountain Food Pantry, a volunteer with Volunteers for Immigrants in Detention – Albuquerque, and a novelist. He serves as a Caucus Vice Chair for CD1 and Deputy Treasurer because he wants to continue recent efforts to build and invigorate the Caucus to help veterans and their families.