Adrien Sala was born in Thompson, Manitoba. He graduated from College Jeanne-Sauve in south Winnipeg and went on to study business at the I.H. Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2003. After graduating, he began his career working with youth, serving non-profit organizations in Winnipeg's West Broadway community, and would later go on to leadership roles with community programs serving underhoused and gang-involved youth in the West Broadway neighbourhood. During his time managing a community jobs program supporting underhoused youth, he returned to the University of Manitoba, where he completed a Master's of Science (MSc) degree focused on examining the ways homeless and underhoused youth were using information communication technologies to access the resources and supports they needed.

Sala later began working as a provincial civil servant with the Department of Housing and Community Development, where he worked in support of the delivery of social and affordable housing programming. In 2016, he took on a role within the financial services sector, eventually becoming the director of strategy and operations for Assiniboine Credit Union, one of the largest community-owned financial institutions in Manitoba. During this time, he studied project management at the University of Winnipeg. He became accredited as a Project Management Professional (PMP). Prior to running for office, Adrien also served as a board member with the John Howard Society of Manitoba, as well as with the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development.

Sala is also a songwriter who released two solo albums, High Water Everywhere (2006) and Diamond in the Mind (2009) on the Dollartone Records label. He often performed at Winnipeg's well known Times Changed High and Lonesome Club. Sala later recorded two albums with Winnipeg folk group Jackpine, Brand New Good Old Days (2009) and Cabbage (2010).^[3]