Born in Montana, Derek graduated from high school in Billings before heading to New Hampshire for college. Playing a bit of "college checkers," he also attended schools in Tennessee and Washington before graduating with a degree in English. After college, he moved to Denver where, after a brief stint in retail management, he became a compensation professional within Human Resources Departments of several large corporations. He designed wage and incentive plans for a wide range of employees and officers. Before retiring to Taos in 2005, Derek last worked at Centura Health as a Compensation Analyst and Director, designing pay packages for a wide range of hospital employees across the state of Colorado.

Derek lives with his wife Lisa in Ranchos de Taos where they work on their old adobe house and its surrounding landscape. When not planting trees or hefting rocks around the yard, Derek and their dogs can be found hiking or snowshoeing the many trails and canyons around the Taos area. Derek also takes time every year to visit his daughter and three grandchildren in Idaho, as well as relatives in the Northwest, Arizona and Texas.

Having worked in the health care industry and recognizing the enormous need for quality care—particularly in a town the size of Taos—Derek joined the Foundation because he wants to give back to the community in an area he understands.