Zachary Durand is a south Florida native, an aide to the mayor of Fort Lauderdale, a volunteer for local democratic organizations, and an amateur astronomer.

His interest in the phenomenon has been lifelong but was significantly elevated in 2017 when the New York Times broke the story of the Pentagon's secret UFO program. He has spoken at a variety of institutions, including NYU and Pace University, and strives to lead by example as a face for a younger generation of public servants.