Born in Mexico City, Mexico, from a Mexican father and a Cuban mother. His family left Mexico for Texas when he was 10 years old. Finally, they settled in Los Angeles, where he met his associate, Alex Kurtzman.
Attended Spring Woods High School in Houston, Texas with professor and economist Glen Whitman. He would subsequently name a character for him in Transformers (2007), and hire him as a writer and executive story editor for Fringe (2008).
(July 26, 2007) Was named #35 in The Hollywood Reporter's "Latino Power 50".