Rick Reese was born in 1942. He grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, and graduated from East High School. After service in the National Guard, he earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah in 1966. He then earned a graduate degree at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies in Denver, CO. Beginning in 1970, Reese taught political science at Carroll College in Helena, MT.

Mary Lee was born 1942 in Santa Fe, NM. She graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in 1964, and did post graduate work in library science while living in Denver. On return to Utah, she completed a degree in ornamental horticulture, then became the nursery manager at Cactus & Tropicals; she later became the buyer for the nursery.

The Reeses married in 1966 in Santa Fe. They had two children: Seth and Paige.

In 1980, Reese and Mary Lee were hired by Yellowstone National Park Superintendent John Townsley to run the Yellowstone Institute, a non-profit organization for providing environmental education in and about Yellowstone National Park that was founded in 1975. Its programs focused on Yellowstone's plants, animals, geology and history. Until 2010, Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley was the base camp for many of the institute's field programs. The Reeses ran the Institute as co-directors (he planned the courses and hired instructors and other staff; she managed registration, contacts, and follow ups with instructors) until 1984.

In 2016, the Yellowstone Intitute was combined with the Yellowstone Association to form Yellowstone Forever, and continues with Yellowstone-focused education for a variety of participants.