Michael Bontrager was born and raised in Nashville, TN. He received his Bachelors of Arts in English and History from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Belmont University. He taught English II Honors for seven years in Nashville.

Mr. Bontrager moved to Tyler in the spring of 2024 with his wife Emily, who attended Brook Hill. They have two adopted daughters that are three and a half months apart. He enjoys hanging with his family and animals. They have a dog, two cats, and chickens. He loves being outside, hiking, and camping.