Eric grew up in Salt Lake City, falling in love with Utah's mountains, rivers, and deserts at a young age. As a teenager, he volunteered for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, gaining experience in public land surveys, cataloguing organizational records, and grassroots organizing. Eric has a degree in Environmental Studies and Geography and is credited with founding Students for Water Conservation at the University of Utah. He has worked for GCI since 2006, taking the role of executive director in 2015.