A through-and-through Hawkeye, Tristan is an alumnus of the University of Iowa. They received their Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies with a Certificate in Critical Cultural Competence in May 2019. Tristan is also currently working towards their Master of Public Affairs degree from Indiana University, focusing on educational and social policy, education program implementation, and postsecondary education access program assessment.

Tristan has a broad range of experience working previously with the Tippie College of Business as a data & admin coordinator and in non-profits such as the Arc of Central Iowa. They enjoy spending their time reading, supporting their fraternity chapter as a staff advisor, finding their next coffee spot, and exploring different cities and communities.