Dan is the founding pastor of Northwest and has lived in the DC area since 2004. In the mid-90s, he worked for several years as a transportation research engineer for the federal government. He grew up in the mountains of North Carolina before migrating to DC. His undergraduate work was at UNC-Charlotte and he received his seminary training from Anderson University and Wesley Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree with a concentration in urban ministry. His wife Kristie is an ESOL and Special Needs teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools. Together they are parents to Lauren (2008), Jackson (2014), and Phoebe (2015). They live in nearby Takoma Park, MD, with their dog and two cats.

Dan is an author and founder of a non-profit called “Dying to Restart” that has helped dozens of churches in the US and Canada find a fresh start after years of steep decline. He is the Vice-Chair of the Justice and Equity Task Force of the Church of God. He also enjoys playing a range of musical instruments and annoying his kids with a very loud banjo.