Austin was born and raised on a cattle ranch in McPherson County, South Dakota, and is now the fifth-generation of his family to care for that land. After graduating from Eureka Public High School in 2004, Austin went on to study broadcast journalism at South Dakota State University. During this time, Austin spent the summers working on the family ranch and also spent three summers working as a deckhand on a charter fishing boat out of Kodiak, Alaska.

After graduation, Austin went on to work at KELOLand News, first as a video journalist in Rapid City and later as a morning show reporter in Sioux Falls. During this time, he traveled across the state meeting a wide variety of people from all walks of life while learning about issues affecting every corner of South Dakota.

Austin then made the decision to attend law school at the University of South Dakota, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 2016. During law school, Austin interned with the South Dakota Attorney General's Office in Sioux Falls. After law school, Austin and his family moved home to Eureka where he opened a private law practice and served as the McPherson County Deputy State's Attorney. Austin has been the McPherson County State's Attorney since 2020.

Austin was born and raised in South Dakota and is now raising his own children in the same community he grew up. Having been raised on a cattle ranch, Austin has a connection to the land and an appreciation for agriculture. These are things he carries with him today. He knows the issues important to South Dakota and the values our citizens hold dear.