Rob Breen received his B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo in history and art. He studied graduate youth and young adult ministry and religious education at St. Bernard’s Institute in Rochester, NY, and graduate theology at the University of San Francisco. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Environmental Policy and Public Administration at Northern Arizona University.  He is also a member of the Secular Franciscan Order.

Rob spent his first seven years of environmental education and youth work in outdoor summer camps in upstate New York, as a supervisor for the New York State Youth Conservation Corps, and in urban and rural youth ministry. He then moved west for to work for other nonprofit and government youth agencies in youth work, environmental education and conservation. In urban and rural Arizona, he worked in administration, program development and evaluation, curriculum development for environmental education, grant writing, community and strategic planning, organizational development, and public policy.  He worked on the executive staff of the Arizona Conservation Corps, and then served as director of the Northern Arizona Conservation Corps. He created the Northland Youth Conservation Corps and created the region's first Rural Youth & Environment Conference. He also created a county youth services division, focusing on rural youth development through natural resources conservation work and environmental education. 

In 1999, Rob founded Anam Duan to engage in research, education and policy work related to environmental sustainability. Under Anam Duan, he created and managed the White Mountain Youth Corps program in Show Low, Arizona. He relocated the administrative offices to Syracuse, New York, where he established the Franciscan Ecology Center, the Franciscan Earth Corps, and the Franciscan Earth Club.  He researches, develops curriculum, runs ecospirituality retreats, and mobilizes youth and young adults in environmental justice and ecological restoration. He also teaches environmental policy and public policy at Siena College in Loudonville, New York.