James  is a natural leader, teacher, and mentor. He’s a U.S. Marine who retired after 23 years of service, earning the rank of Major plus a Bachelor of Business Administration and an MBA. He followed that up with his current day job: teaching high school algebra and geometry at St. John’s Classical Academy in Fleming Island, Florida.

After a short-term mission trip 14 years ago, James wanted to do more than make what he saw as a short-term impact. He began looking for ways to generate real, lasting change. His goal was to truly equip people, not create dependencies among them. Then he met Steve.

Steve’s approach to international missions instantly resonated with James. It kept Christian theology sound while elevating local priorities and using local resources. And it got results that multiplied themselves. James has since partnered with Steve on missions for many years across five continents.

James has traveled to 56 countries, experiencing many of them from atop a surfboard or a snowboard. He and his wife of 37 years, Cathy, have a daughter who followed her dad into teaching high school. The couple also has a Labradoodle named Mija, who loves long play days at the dog park.