R. T. Rodriguez (Dr. Ray), researcher, has dedicated his life to helping people in crisis while continuing to maintain a successful career as a broadcast systems analyst and systems engineer while remaining a lifelong student. Ray was born and raised in Texas to a loving family. His father, a farmer, a lifelong student himself, and a Korean War combat veteran, instilled in him a love for children and the importance of a caring environment. His father witnessed the suffering of young men enduring trauma born out of their warfare experience. During the Vietnam War, Ray himself noticed a phenomenon that has driven him to seek answers to this day: Why do two seemingly equal veterans return from war with one leading a hope-filled life and the other suffering with lifelong trauma?

While attending Texas Tech University, Ray was convinced to join the US Marine Corp. While there he learned about and found a knack for writing computer code. This career path allowed him to become a business entrepreneur with extensive experience in encoding and encryption systems engineering. His job has allowed him to work and live in multiple countries. Ray and his wife, Cheryl, have been married since 1980, have raised four children of their own and now have six grandchildren. While raising their children, they volunteered as directors of the children and youth departments at their local church. At the same time, Ray finished up his undergraduate degree in preparation for law school and possibly entering a career in politics. After he received his juris doctorate degree, he changed course from politics to becoming a crisis counselor. He has since earned a master's degree in military history. This combined with his background as a military brat and service in the Marine Corps has allowed him insights as to why some veterans succeed after service and others struggle with demons in their sleep.