Inquisitive Intellect & Secret Sentimentalist

Ben Rhodes

Born and raised in Southern California, I spent four years in Scotland studying theology, and returned to work for the Christian Institute on Disability at Joni and Friends, where I met Katie. After many years as the Director of Academic Engagement, teaching and helping institutions of higher education around the world train leaders in disability theology and ministry, I changed careers during COVID. I now serve older adults and people with disabilities as Division Manager of Aging & Disability Services at the Ventura County Human Services Agency.

Ben is notoriously silent about himself, so I (Katie) had to elaborate on a few of his many fine qualities and quirks. When Ben was little, his career aspiration was to land a job that would pay him to read books ALL DAY LONG. He has partially succeeded and spends the remainder of his (unpaid) time reading newspapers, journals, magazines, blogs, cereal boxes, and recipes in order to cook for me. Ben makes two eggs for breakfast every morning and devotes 6.26 feet of bookshelf space to Karl Barth. Science fiction takes up considerably more space. He is one of the smartest and secretly nicest people I have ever met but inexplicably also owned "The Mummy" on DVD. This lapse has since been remedied, and now we live snazzily ever after.