Sullivan grew up in the California Bay Area before finding his new home in Texas. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Puget Sound, majoring in Politics and Government with a minor in Asian Studies. He served as a representative on the student senate and traveled abroad on the Pacific Rim program, conducting on-the-ground research across eleven countries studying the rise of authoritarian capitalism. 

At Texas A&M School of Law, Sullivan focused on courtroom advocacy. He placed second in the Aggie Intermural Moot Court Competition and represented A&M in the ABOTA Best in Texas Voir Dire Competition—a first-of-its-kind advocacy simulation focused on the under-taught skills of jury selection. He continued to hone his courtroom skills between semesters, clerking on both sides of the aisle in criminal litigation.

Sullivan also enjoys writing and performing country and rock music with small bands at humble venues across Texas, leaving just enough time to pass on these skills as a guitar instructor.