Background: I grew up in Villa Park Il, and attended Willowbrook High School where I graduated in 2001. I then attended Concordia St. Paul for two years and then transferred and graduated from Concordia Portland with a B.A. in Secondary Education Social Studies and a professional churchwork certificate. My first call was to Zion-Concord in the winter of 2006, where I met my wife, Allison, a fellow teacher on the staff. We have a daughter, Olivia, and an Australian Shepard/Border Collie named Mayday.

In my ministry, I have been blessed with the opportunity to teach and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and raised for the forgiveness of our sins to a small, diverse, suburban community in Bensenville Il at Zion-Concord Lutheran School since 2006. I currently serve as the 7th/8th-grade homeroom teacher and I also teach 3rd-8th-grade social studies, 3rd/4th-grade science,7th/8th-grade literature, and 5th-8th New Testament. As the 7th/8th-grade homeroom teacher, I serve as the Class Trip Coordinator, where I schedule, lead several fundraisers, and facilitate the 7th/8th-grade class trip, which rotates yearly between Washington DC and Springfield. I also serve as the athletic director, as well as the volleyball coach, assistant varsity basketball coach, and I am the bus driver for all away games. I am also the technology coordinators where my responsibilities are to be the Sycamore Site Super User/administrator, NWEA Map test coordinator/head proctor, and the student computer point person. At Zion Lutheran Church, I also serve as a member of the Board of Deacons, help lead an adult Bible study, play trombone in the brass ensemble, and am a member of the handbell choir. I lead a Pokémon afterschool club every few weeks for 1st-8th graders.

Teaching Philosophy: When I set out to become a teacher I didn’t even know about the educational ministry of the LCMS let alone Zion-Concord. Having grown up in a loving Christian household and attending an LCMS church without a school, it just never occurred to me. I attended public schools all my life. I was blessed enough that I did experience, through what I am sure was the work of the Holy Spirit, loving Christian teachers throughout my years in public school. These Christian teachers that helped me realize that while they taught me a lot, they never could proclaim the Good News of our Savior. Learning about Lutheran education at Concordia, I decided that educational ministry was something I would be truly interested in trying. Now over ten years later, I have seen just how this ministry is truly a great blessing and one where I believe the future of the church will be won or lost, and one I don’t want to ever leave. I believe the goal of the educational ministry is to help students transition into being adults while helping them foster a relationship with God and also help them realize God’s work in the world all around us