Biography
Dust Kunkel is the Director of Ministry Leadership for the Northwest District, LCMS. For the last twelve years he has served on an executive team that helps over 800 ministry professionals and their teams do their best work in the four states of the Pacific Northwest. As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC-International Coach Federation) and certified debriefer for Harrison Assessments, he coaches executive and non-profit leaders to rise to the challenge, learn joyfully, do what they love, and pass it on. Previously, he directed campus ministry at Concordia University, Portland; managed outdoor programs and retreats at Lutherhaven Ministries in Idaho; and — as a commissioned minister — directed youth and family ministry across the Pacific Northwest. With this background, he loves to teach integrated leadership and coaching culture. His great joy is coaching leaders to develop sustainable lifestyles and healthy teams. When he’s not coaching, he’s writing fiction, poetry, and songs, and following Ghanian soccer (he grew up in Ghana) and PNW sports. He’s often found outdoors fly-fishing and exploring with Janette — his best friend and wife of 26 years — and their two college-age daughters, Lily and Zoe.
Degrees Earned
- PCC, International Coaching Federation
- MSc. Experiential and Outdoor Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland
- DCE, Commissioned Minister (Director, Christian Education), Concordia University, Oregon
- BA, Language Arts-Secondary Ed., Concordia University, Oregon