Reece was born and raised on the banks of the Whanganui River in New Zealand.  He attended Massey University in Palmerston North (NZ), gaining a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in 1995, before completing a Doctorate in Freshwater Ecology (PhD) in 2000.  After university, Reece went on to work in both the public and private sector in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada, before volunteering at the Seymour River Hatchery in 2017 and joining the Society as a staff member in May 2018.