He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Economics and Petroleum Engineering, from Stanford University. He has worked at George Mason University for seven years as president of both the Institute for Humane Studies and Mercatus Center. He also became a Senior Reservoir Engineer for Shell Oil Company’s California subsidiaries and is the president and CEO of Reason Foundation in Los Angeles, California.

Nott has written on privatization for the Institute of Economic Affairs and was the executive producer of documentary America’s Longest War. He has published some articles on Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Daily News, among others.