Ben grew up in Hobart, Indiana after being adopted at the age of eleven. He attended Manchester University and earned a degree in political science. At Manchester Ben developed deep relationships with people from across the globe and began studying the effects of globalization which led him to pursue a career in public service.

 

After his undergrad degree, Ben moved to Indianapolis and accepted a position as an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow with the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office of Education Innovation. Ben then spent several years working in the field of community outreach while earning his Master of Public Affairs from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. After working for both Christel House Academy and Southeast Community Services, Ben entered seminary at Christian Theological Seminary and began serving as the Faith Formation Coordinator for First Mennonite Church.

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During his graduate career, Ben travelled to the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Colombia to learn about conflict resolution and social justice. Ben earned his Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in 2019, and currently serves as an Associate for Resource Consulting at the Indianapolis Center for Congregations.

 

In addition to helping strengthen Indiana congregations, Ben is actively involved in the community in several ways. He is a member of Growing Edge Consulting and regularly leads racial equity training for large and small organizations. He is also the cofounder of the Hear Me Project which is a community program designed to foster healing dialogue with powerful questions.

 

In addition to these initiatives, Ben also empowers and inspires others to be radically self-aware through the art of storytelling on the Invisible Truths Podcast.  

Ben believes every person can tap into their inherent power and wisdom once they understand their story, and he works arduously to equip others with the resources necessary to access and understand their personal narratives.