Mark Yaconelli is an author, retreat leader, spiritual director, storycatcher, husband, and father. He is the founder and executive director of The Hearth, a nonprofit that utilizes personal storytelling to heal, connect, enrich, and mobilize communities for good. Mark is a co-founder of The Center for Engaged Compassion which seeks to cultivate compassion for peace and reconciliation.
Interviews and profiles of Mark’s work have appeared in numerous outlets including the Wall Street Journal, BBC Radio and ABC World News Tonight. Mark is the author of five books including The Gift of Hard Things: Finding Grace in Unexpected Places, Wonder, Fear, and Longing, Downtime, Growing Souls, and Contemplative Youth Ministry. Mark holds a Master of Arts degree from the Graduate Theological Union and a Graduate Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife, Jill, and three children, Noah, Joseph, and Gracie.
