How long have you worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
We’ve been attending almost 10 years. My wife, Chelsea, started coming before me. I had a full-time job while I also worked on my PhD on weekends and nights. That meant I attended only occasionally that first year.

What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
We love the people here. We also love the church. It’s simultaneously grounded in its faith and open minded—it holds the two in a humble manner. There are a range of view points in the community but we’re all grounded in the Book of Common Prayer and scripture.

Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was raised an evangelical. I went to Wheaton College in Chicago where I met Chelsea.

How did you find the Episcopal church?
During college Chelsea and I started attending an Anglican church. When we moved to Phoenix we attended Trinity Cathedral. We were there for two years.

We found Saint Philip’s after moving to Tucson—and now ten years have already passed.

What makes you feel like you belong to this community?
Our involvement. Our kids are engaged in Sunday School, have been part of the choir, have helped prepare Wednesday Mosaic dinners, and enjoy ushering and serving as acolytes.

Chelsea and I were part of the start-up effort that created the Parents’ Formation group and have served in several capacities over the years. We’ve found Saint Philip’s to be a wonderful place to connect with other parents and families who are now our friends.

How are you involved in the parish currently?
Right now I serve as President of Preservation & Endowment (P&E). Chelsea is on the Children, Youth, and Family Commission and recently joined the Altar Guild. While Chelsea and I no longer lead the Parents’ Formation group, we still participate.

What inspired you to accept P&E’s invitation?
Jane Prescott-Smith is a remarkable leader, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside her.

I also think our facility is exceptional and we’re extremely fortunate to have it.

At the same time, we have to create sustainable long-term solutions for taking care of it. Otherwise, what’s beautiful now will become a burden to future parishioners.

What does P&E do exactly?
It manages a corpus of a little over $5 million, and a portion of the proceeds earned every year are given to the church to care for the historic portions of the campus.

Our goal is to grow the corpus so we can eventually have the proceeds cover ongoing maintenance for the entire campus. To do that, we need the corpus to grow to somewhere in the range of $10-12 million.

What do you do professionally?
I’m a hydrogeologist with a specialty in ground water. My firm has worked on pretty much every water resource issue in the state of Arizona, a lot of Nevada and California, as well as South America. We work with everyone from industry and governments to NGO’s and tribes.

What do you like about the work?
Water is a critical resource that needs to be managed well for the benefit of people and the environment. I find it meaningful and fulfilling to work in an applied context.

I also appreciate how many different sectors I get to work with because water is important to everyone. The job is rooted in a lot of science and math, but it’s also very creative because there is a lot of problem solving and working with different people.

How do you replenish yourself?
I love the outdoors. Prior to having kids, rock climbing was my favorite activity. Now I bike commute the eight miles to work every day. That’s my exercise and free time. It really helps me clear my head.

What’s something you’re proud of?
I’m proud of my four kids. I am really proud of the kind and creative people they are becoming.

What’s something you’re passionate about?
The paradigm shift to sustainability in all things—water and climate, as well as economics.

In recent history, humanity has dramatically increased its standard of living. But we’re reaching a tipping point where our wellness as a society isn’t capped by resource extraction.

Instead, it’s capped by how we live and use existing resources so they are available to future generations, as well. I enjoy thinking about how this all this plays out and how we can better steward our resources.

What’s something you find challenging?
Right now, my biggest challenge is balancing my time so I can give what is needed to the people in my life, while also being present to my other responsibilities.

I feel like I’m chronically behind but don’t know how to change that. I lean into the serenity prayer and try to do the best I can. And if I drop a ball, the world will still move forward.

What’s something you know now that your younger self didn’t?
I used to be more black and white in my view of right and wrong—and truth. The world was simpler to my younger mind than it is now.

I recognize much more nuance now. That makes me more patient, open-minded, and a better learner.

Can you expound on that?
When I saw the world as really simple, i.e., black and white, I didn’t have the same thirst to learn. But the more I live, the more I realize how much I don’t know. I think that’s a good place to be. I’d rather be a learner than know it all.

What’s one of your core values?
I want what’s best for each person I encounter. I believe having each other’s best interests in mind is the foundation for a functioning society.

I also try to see the best in other people and give them grace.

What’s one of your guiding principles?
Look for the win-win-win.

I already mentioned that I bike commute but that wasn’t always the case. That started after one of our two cars broke.

Instead of replacing the car, I purchased a big haul bike so I could get the kids to school. I noticed almost immediately that I was healthier (my blood pressure went down), I felt happier (as were the kids), and we saved money. A win-win-win.

What’s something you’re grateful for?
This morning in particular, the cool, crisp air. The longer I live in the desert, the more I consider the cold a luxury.

I’m also grateful for my family and all the blessings I have generally.

What’s one of your super powers?
I think I’m a pretty good combination of being even-keeled and intense.

My intensity propels me to accomplish things and being even-keeled helps me navigate challenges.

What’s something about you that friends have said they really appreciate?
My calm demeanor comes up frequently.

What might people be surprised to learn about you?
That I’ve been a vegetarian since I was eight years old.

What prompted that?
My dad is an avid fisherman and as a young boy he and I would fish on Lake Michigan on summer weekends.

One day I caught a salmon and had a moment of real connection with it. I told my dad he couldn’t filet the fish. He said, “We’re going to eat it.” I then told him I was a vegetarian.

What’s a fun fact about you?
I had dreadlocks briefly in college. I cut them before I graduated and started to work.