Dr. Ecks has spent over 28 years in the local public school system. He began as a high school social studies teacher and has held various administrative roles at both the school and district levels. Dr. Ecks earned his Bachelor's degree in History from UCCS in 1996, a Master's degree in School Administration in 2004, and holds a Doctorate in Research, Foundations, and Policy from UCCS.  His research areas of interest include student attendance, policy analysis, and intervention program evaluations. Currently, he serves as the Director of Data Science for Colorado Springs School District 11, where he leads the analysis of programs and policies that drive district-wide innovation. Since 2019, Dr. Ecks has also been a lecturer at UCCS, teaching courses on educational research methodologies. In his leisure time, he enjoys golfing, traveling, and scuba diving with family and friends.