He completed his initial nursing education at Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC. He has worked as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, and Labor & Delivery at Wayne Memorial Hospital from 2001 until 2016. He also served as a flight nurse/paramedic for five years with EastCare of Vidant Medical Center. He is married to Erin Kitchin and the father of five sons and three daughters. In his free time, he enjoys gardening and traveling.