At age 40, he is the Benjamin of the Class of 2026. Aaron was born in Amesbury, the younger of the two sons of Peter and Patricia (Arakelian MacLeod) Giard. His older brother, Conor, lives in New Kent, Va. He and his wife, Diana (Beck) Giard, are parishioners at Sacred Hearts, Haverhill, and are the proud parents of five: Ethan, Abigail, Elijah, Isaiah, and Therese, each sibling separated by two years. He attended local schools, Helen R. Donaghue Elementary, Merrimac; and Pentucket Middle School and Pentucket High School, both in West Newbury. He has two degrees from Loyola University Chicago: a bachelor of arts granted in 2009 and a master of arts in 2014. He was a teacher of theology of Austin Prep, Reading, then, from 2016, on the staff of L'Arche Boston North in Haverhill, and director of lifelong faith formation at Immaculate Conception and Holy Redeemer parishes, which serve Newburyport, Merrimac, Newbury, and West Newbury. While preparing for ordination, he has also been in hospital chaplain internship at Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence, and serving in liturgical and formation ministries at Holy Redeemer and Immaculate Conception.