Don has been SSPC's Senior Pastor and Head of Staff since January, 2016. Don grew up in Wilmington, Delaware and, after graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in English literature, began a 20-year career in sales and marketing, primarily in the media field. Having earned an MBA with honors from Columbia Business School, he brings to the ministry extensive business experience managing direct marketing at American Express and helping launch several Internet ventures. 

A lifelong Presbyterian, Don has served the church as an Elder, Deacon, Stewardship chair, Youth Director and Mission Team leader. Shortly after experiencing the devastating events of 9/11 firsthand, he had another spiritually transformative experience leading a mission team to work with Bolivian orphans and street children. There, he heard God’s unmistakable call to ministry. 

He enrolled at Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and received awards in Biblical Studies and Church History. He was called to serve Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church as Associate Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism, before being called to serve as Senior Pastor at SSPC. 

Don has been married to his wife and best friend, Beth, for over 30 years. They are blessed with two grown daughters, Emma and Jane. As a family, they enjoy tennis, hiking and jazz, and share a passion for British crime mysteries. Don has read every spy novel published by John Le Carre and the Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin. His other passion is soccer, especially Manchester United, who he is confident will win the English Premier League title again soon. 



Don is an optimist in the Reformed tradition who sees God at work in all spheres of our existence, even – and especially – in hard times. “God’s grace, love and mercy know no bounds. What a blessing that is! Our faithful response is to be Christ’s hands and feet by sharing God’s love with all, especially those whom Jesus called the least and the lost. It also means caring for this magnificent, beautiful world God created for our enjoyment and nourishment.”

Don believes that, now more than ever, we in Christ’s church must reflect God’s grace by seeking unity with him and one another. “Being faithful in these times means taking the radical step of refusing to accept false divisions of the body of Christ based on differences in ideology, theology and politics. Claiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior means loving God and our neighbor the way Jesus did – without exception. Wherever there is prejudice and pain, alienation and suffering, Jesus calls you and me to do something to mend those lives and re-establish those relationships. It’s not easy, but God calls us to be persistent, trusting that in God, all things are indeed possible. This is what it means to be an Easter people.”