Fr Josef grew up in California and was received into the Orthodox Church while a student at UCDavis. He was ordained to the holy diaconate in December of 2022 and then to the holy priesthood in July of 2024, both by the hand of His Eminence Archbishop +BENJAMIN.

Fr Josef holds a ThM from the School of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2020), and is set to graduate from St Vladimir’s Seminary with an MA in Theology in May of 2025.

He and Presbytera Euphrosini were joined in holy matrimony in 2014, and spent five very formative years in Thessaloniki, Greece before moving back to the States.

Pres. Effy is a graphic designer and a student of iconography. Fr Josef is a student of Byzantine chant. They both enjoy reading, walking, physical exercise, language learning, intercultural interaction, and urbanism.