Dennis was born in the Philippines but moved to Southern California with his family during his childhood. While at the University of San Francisco (USF) he studied history and earned a master’s degree in political sociology from the London School of Economics. Prior to entering the Society, he worked in non-profit organizations including Mission Hiring Hall, an organization helping people find jobs in the San Francisco area. An Eastern Orthodox Catholic, Dennis first encountered the Jesuits growing up in the Philippines and discovered Ignatian spirituality at USF. He completed his First Studies at Fordham University in New York and completed his Regency working at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, California. He is now studying theology at Jesuit School of theology of Santa Clara in Berkeley, California.