Born and raised in Palo Alto, Kent graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Political Science. After college, he joined the Army and spent one year in Nha Trang, Vietnam, as an Intelligence officer and battalion adjutant. After the service, he worked for a large bank and eventually spent five years in Asia (Taipei and Tokyo) in International Banking. After this stint, he worked in the real estate industry. Kent and his wife reside in San Diego.