Ricky was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. He attended the University of Nevada, Reno with an Undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters degree in Social Work. Ricky worked in the Multicultural Center on campus for 7 years, and has served as the FSL Director for 5 years.

Val was born and raised in California and came to Reno to attend the University of Nevada. She triple majored in college, completing degrees in Communication Studies, Sociology, and Psychology. She started as an Academic Advisor at the University and has served as the FSL Coordinator for 3 years.