Joe is originally from the rural Midwest where he grew up on a small farm and dude ranch, where he learned to love the outdoors. Joe has worked extensively in outdoor education with adolescents in the Southwestern U.S. He has been a backpacking and equestrian trail guide in the wilderness regions of New Mexico, learning about the unique ethnobotany and archaeology of this area. Joe has also led a variety of community-based projects with youth in this region, focusing on environmentalism and supporting the American Indian Movement, especially on the Pueblos of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Language & Culture from the University of Kansas, minoring in Psychology. In recent years Joe has traveled widely taking residency at various Zen and Tibetan Buddhist centers to study East Asian meditation practices and traditions.

Joe moved to Utah and began working with Elements in the Fall of 2019.