In 2002–03, Ackerman played rhythm guitar with As I Lay Dying at a number of live performances, including a full U.S. tour after his graduation from San Marcos High School.

He did not appear on any of As I Lay Dying's studio recordings from that period, although he provided some backing vocals for their 2007 album An Ocean Between Us.

[5] In 2005, he started the band Chapter 14 with Joel Piper of Confide, Noah Slifka of In Fear and Faith, and Michael Catalano of Destroy the Runner and Chiodos.

Ackerman was working on the third Destroy the Runner album set to be released in 2010, but the band has since broken up as stated on their MySpace page and Chad has done several interviews about the breakup shortly after.

The project was a long-distance collaboration between Ackerman, kmotiv (Programming, Synth, and Keyboards) and Sean Sallings (Guitars, Bass, & Percussion); the band self-released three singles in 2011–2012.