Dr. Dukes graduated from Richland High School in North Richland Hills, Texas in 1996, and from TCU in 2000. He began his teaching career at Birdville High School where he taught 10th grade World History and English. During this time, he also earned his M.Ed. in Education Administration. Dr. Dukes and his wife, Beth, moved to Washington, DC, in 2004. He worked as the Honors/AP Program coordinator and then principal of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf from 2004-2009. In 2010, he and his family moved to his wife's hometown of Abilene, Texas and Dr. Dukes worked two years as an assistant principal at Abilene High School. In May 2012, he graduated with his Ed. D. degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Dr. and Mrs. Dukes have two children--Mollie (3) and Ben (1).