Born and raised in New York City, Rich has been a resident of Arizona since 1974. He is an entomologist (M.S. in entomology from the University of Arizona, 1985) and author. His most recent book is Finding Butterflies in Arizona, published in 2007, with Hank Brodkin as co-author. Most of his entomological research of late has been on odonata and his current project is A Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Arizona and Sonora, to be co-authored with Sandy Upson and Doug Danforth.