Before joining Per Scholas, TJ worked as a Help Desk Support Assistant for Naamvtech Inc, a company that specializes in networking and tech installation for medium-sized supermarkets. He attended Per Scholas in 2016 to attain his Network+ certification. TJ also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wisconsin University in International Studies. During college, TJ was involved in many activities including canvassing for the 2012 democratic presidential campaign, and founding an organization that brought awareness about human rights violations in Sri Lanka.