Dustin was born and raised in New Athens, IL, graduating from New Athens High School as salutatorian after being active in baseball, basketball, National Honor Society, Concert, Pep, and Jazz Bands, and High School and Community Theater.

He then attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Mathematics and Office Systems Management. At Southeast, Dustin was active in Hall Council, Student Government, and the Residence Hall Association; he also worked several jobs on campus, including Community Advisor, Lead Building Manager of the University Center, and Student Ambassador. Dustin was named to the National Residence Hall Honorary and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1999.

Dustin then attended Western Illinois University in Macomb, pursuing a Master's degree in College Student Personnel. Dustin was active in the Western Illinois Student Personnel Association and served on the editorial board of the Journal of College Student Personnel.  He served as Assistant Complex Director in Thompson Hall for two years and completed an internship at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.  He was inducted in to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society in 2000, and graduated with his Master of Science degree in 2001.

After graduating, Dustin worked in student housing for nearly 10 years, serving as a Residence Hall Director at the University of Illinois for 6 years, then as the Assistant Director of Residence Life at Southeast Missouri State University for over two years. Prior to joining the University of Illinois Extension, he worked at Pizza Hut in Cape Girardeau and Beardstown as a delivery driver and shift manager.

Dustin is married to his wife Amy and has three children, Kevin, Abby, and Charlie. He resides in Virginia, where his wife works as a Day Care Teacher at the Virginia Community Day Care Center.  Dustin sits on the Virginia CUSD #64 School Board, the Cass County Fair Board, and serves as a firefighter and department secretary for the Virginia Volunteer Fire Department.