Ruben grew up on Madison’s east side and is a graduate of Madison East High School and UW–Madison, where he studied philosophy. He co-founded The Wilder Deitz School for Creative Music with Wilder in 2020 and continues to wear many hats around the school, from teaching lessons to helping shape the community behind the scenes.

Outside the studio, Ruben works as a licensed special education teacher in Sun Prairie, where he leads a credit recovery program supporting students with disabilities. Whether in the classroom or the studio, he loves helping people grow in confidence, creativity, and connection through music. He enjoys helping to tend to the big tree the school has become and watching it grow branch by branch.