My hope for everyone that I work with, and everyone that I interact with for that matter, is that they would feel seen by me. That they would genuinely experience that I am understanding at least part of what they are going through and that I am willing to walk with them in their thoughts, feelings and life circumstances. I have needed that kind of care at many points in my own journey and I try to give care in a similar way to how I received it.

My journey to my current role as the Executive Director of The Open Table has some interesting stories and it is marked with milestones of my attempts to learn how to better help others. I began my professional career as a family law attorney. I chose family law because it felt like the area of law that could offer the most tangible help to families. In certain cases, I found that to be true, but generally I did not feel like I was positioned or trained to support or improve the health and well-being of the clients I worked with.

So I moved on and became a Marriage and Family Therapist. In the mental health field, I was trained and positioned to be much more of a help to many more people as they pursued mental health and well-being. I saw that I was able to make a positive impact for many of the clients I worked with. However, I found the therapeutic process to be insufficient, though helpful, for many people. I believe that for many people therapy can be a valuable element of their healing and growth but that for many people, more is needed. The Open Table was started through my exploration and belief that something more than therapy could be developed and offered to those that want it.

With maybe a bit of irony, I also deeply value and enjoy being part of the training process for new therapists and supporting practicing therapists in maintaining their own health and well-being. I have taught multiple classes in three of the local marriage and family therapy graduate programs and offer consultation and professional care to practicing therapists. I also offer similar care to pastors, ministry leaders and business leaders. I believe I have received excellent training and support throughout my career, and I believe in the value and impact that kind of training and support can have for others that are in positions focused on caregiving or leadership.

Outside of work, I’m grateful to share my journey with my wife, Leah, who is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at The Open Table. Together, we are committed to creating spaces of support, healing, and connection for our family and our community.

Being part of The Open Table allows me to bring many of my experiences and passions together in service of a mission I deeply believe in. Every day, I’m inspired by the resilience of the people I work with, that we serve, and the opportunity to be part of God’s work to bring healing, growth, belonging, and hope to His people.