Born and raised in Waipahu, Earl graduated from Waipahu High School in 1981. He then graduated from The University of Hawai`i in 1986, with a degree in Secondary English. After briefly teaching at Mililani High School, Earl served as an English teacher/missionary for 3 years in Japan. He then returned to Hawai`i and earned his Master's Degree in ESL (English as a Second Language) in 1993. Earl continued teaching and training teachers until 2001 when he joined the New Hope Mililani staff.

     Earl and his wife, Gayle, have been married since 1990. They have two children, Clarke and Kanoelani.