Joel Penton is a nonprofit entrepreneur with a 15-year career focused on impacting students. A former Ohio State University football player, he received the Danny Wuerffel trophy for outstanding community service. Joel founded Stand For Truth and Relevant Speakers Network, reaching over 3,000 schools and 2 million students. He is a renowned public speaker and author of three books. Joel Penton lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Bethany, and their five children, where they all enjoy telling stories at the dinner table, watching sci-fi movies, and playing full-contact monkey in the middle.

Steve Clifton joined LifeWise Academy in 2019, bringing 23 years of corporate leadership experience. He holds an MBA from Franklin University and a Masters in Christian Leadership from Liberty University. Steve has dedicated 17 years on church staff part-time at LifePoint Church in Lewis Center, Ohio. He and his wife, Angie, have three daughters with whom he shares his passion for golf.

Derek Stemen has dedicated his career to serving communities through various nonprofit roles. Derek’s journey began as a pastor and continued as the Director of Admissions at Bluffton University. Over the past decade, Derek’s influence grew through significant leadership positions, including Executive Director of the American Red Cross of West Central Ohio—where he earned a post in the prestigious LEAD cohort—and President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Lima. Derek lives out his ongoing commitment to community and education by coaching soccer teams and serving on his church board in Lima, Ohio, where he resides with his wife, Abby, and their three children.

Sara Spath has been serving students through Bible education for over a decade as one of the early members of the board for the released time program in Van Wert, Ohio. Sara brings a military background to the executive team with a degree in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy. Sara and her husband, Bob, have five children. They enjoy games of all kinds—especially pickleball.

Jeff Peterson oversees payroll, HR, insurance, transportation, facilities and finance to help LifeWise programs overcome “barriers to entry.” With 25 years in corporate retail leading analytics, real estate and procurement teams, Jeff also served on leadership boards at his church and its Christian school. A graduate of Bob Jones University and The Ohio State University with degrees in mathematics and education, Jeff has been married to Jane—a LifeWise teacher—for 29 years. He enjoys hiking and jetskiing with their three children.

Nate Lundquist has been involved with LifeWise from the start, officially joining in 2021. An accomplished artist and filmmaker, he spent over a decade directing documentaries, music videos and commercials—earning an Emmy and a Dove Award for his work in directing and visual effects. Nate and his wife, Whitney, have been married for 15 years and have three children. Their years living in Jerusalem continue to fuel their passion for teaching and sharing the Bible.

Emily Warner brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to LifeWise. Originally on a path to becoming a petroleum engineer, Emily’s career took unexpected turns that led her to impactful roles with students at Bluffton University and as an Investment Banker at JPMorgan Chase. Emily and her husband, Grant, are parents to four children. They share a love for sports, and Emily, a former college basketball player, can even solve a Rubik’s cube.

Jesse Vohwinkel recently joined LifeWise with 19 years of experience in various sales and sales management roles, Jesse has spent the last five years honing his expertise in leading teams within the software industry. Jesse is passionate about fostering growth and expanding LifeWise’s reach. He and his wife, Ashleigh, have one daughter. In his free time, Jesse enjoys exploring the vibrant food scene in Columbus and cheering for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Bucks.