Born and raised in Kansas City, Mallouk graduated from the University of Kansas with three degrees; a BA in Economics, a BA in Psychology and a BA in Human Development. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he completed his Master in Business Administration at Pepperdine University just before his 24th birthday.Then Mallouk officially broke his parent's hearts by pursuing a career in writing. He completed the Professional Program in Screenwriting at the UCLA Graduate School of Theater, Film and Television. A crime drama he wrote while at UCLA was optioned and he's been writing ever since.