Joel was born and raised in Naperville, Illinois. He is an unpaid marketer for all things Chicago, especially the Cubs, Malnotti’s pizza, and Portillo’s beef-and-cheddar!

In his role as Executive Pastor, Joel oversees the pastoral staff for and pastors the DC Campus. He also provides leadership to missions and outreach initiatives, and serves on the weekend teaching team. Joel founded and now serves as President of the board of the DC Dream Center, a community center committed to inspiring and equipping youth and adults to reach their God-given potential.

Joel and his wife, Nina, are authors of Praying Circles Around Your Marriage. They live on Capitol Hill with their three kids: Eloise, Ezekiel, and Lorenza.