Ernest was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, before earning his BA in History from Defiance College, Ohio, and a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Denver. Starting his career in healthcare in Washington DC, he worked as Chief of Staff at National eHealth Collaborative. Ernest became a mentor at the DC Dream Center in 2009 and has served as Executive Director since 2012. As Executive Director he has overseen, developed, and helped lead the construction of the Dream Center building, the expansion of its programs and focus, as well as its role and function in the community.

In his spare time Ernest loves to read and play golf. He and his wife Rachel have been married for 15+ years and have three children: Dylan, Makenzie and Kai.