Ben joined Village in the late 1990s because of a multigenerational, multicultural life group that welcomed and walked alongside him as he sought to follow Jesus in everyday life shortly after finishing college. He stayed because of the dedication to missions to the forgotten – both at home and abroad – combined with strong Bible teaching and dynamic worship. Ben’s deep interest in cross-cultural relations began at summer picnics with his dad’s colleagues — college research professors from around the globe living in a small Oregon town.
Ben and his wife, Libby, spent seven years in India supporting nationals in achieving their dreams for dignity and holistic health. After returning in 2011, he worked on the Nike Foundation’s Girl Effect team to support executives in strategic planning and donor relations across five global offices. He then worked with visionSynergy, a faith-based nonprofit strengthening networks and partnerships in critical areas of world mission, to increase major gifts from foundations and high net-worth individuals. Other jobs were in the high-tech sector and included technical writing as well as media relations for Microsoft scientists. His career path has been non-traditional but purposeful: at the core is thought-partnership with visionary leaders to communicate clearly, take practical next steps, and achieve compelling goals.
He joined Village staff in 2020 as Senior Director of Operations and previously served on the Village Council. He holds a B.A. from George Fox University in Communication Arts and an M.A. from Western Seminary in Intercultural Studies. He enjoys playing with his four children – all aged within 5 years of each other – and sailing or fly-fishing with his limited spare time.