After growing up in Michigan and Florida, Dirk Kuiper attended the University of Central Florida and received degrees in both film and theatre. During his education, he worked a variety of jobs and served in the Naval Reserve. After graduation, he worked as a director and scriptwriter of educational videos before pursuing a career in education. He has taught and directed in high school since 1991. He has also written a number of plays for his students, two of which have been published by Eldridge. He is married and has a son.