pakman was born in buenos aires, argentina and immigrated to the united states with his family in 1989, when he was five years old. he grew up in northampton, massachusetts, and graduated from northampton high school. pakman says that he received "a relatively secular jewish upbringing, but i've always been highly involved with my jewish background, socially and culturally; i'm part of a local jewish group and i attend their events. it's just generally how i identify." pakman attended the university of massachusetts amherst in amherst, massachusetts, where he majored in economics and communications. he earned an mba degree from bentley university in waltham, massachusetts. pakman worked several jobs as a high school and university student, and he has described his employment at now-defunct electronics retailer circuit city.