MEET THE H2O Wright State TEAM

The staff team of H2O Church is made up of men and women who love, care and pray for the students and community at Wright State University. Our team is made up of Staff, Interns, and Key Volunteers who serve to see God's heart unveiled here at H2O Wright State.


Because our church is 85% students, we raise our support to be missionaries on this college campus. If you would like to become a prayer partner and/or  join as a financial support partner,  or if you have any questions and would like to talk, please feel free to reach out to us!


We love leading a collegiate church together and believe that college students have incredible potential as we see them launched into shaping tomorrow in spheres of influence like business, government, education, medical, and entertainment! Future families shaping the world! That is why we take it as a great privilege to serve and lead this community.

  • Joshua & Kari Ortega

    Campus Missionaries | Lead pastor

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? We are church Plant Missionaries at Wright State University (WSU), who are dedicating our lives and family to the spiritual awakening of this generation! Through leadership and discipleship we are Engaging Wright State with the love of Christ, Informing people of the Gospel of Christ, and Inspiring the church community to be in close relationship with Jesus and change the world as they follow Him. We love taking students all over the world to inspire people to join in God's eternal, redemptive mission of making disciples and seeing the Kingdom of God expand into every tribe, tongue, people, and nation!


    What do you enjoy doing with your free time? Kari and I love adventure; so going on mission trips, hiking, and most of all the adventure of following God with our two boys! We love movies and hanging out with people, bon fires, BBQ, live music, and relaxing outside especially when it is nice and warm!


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  • Darryl Phillips

    DIRECTOR | pastor

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? We are currently church plant missionaries at Wright State University, and I love being used by God to lead, teach, and disciple student leaders, staff, and pastors to encounter God, be on mission with God, and love others the way God loves them.


    H2O Wright State is also co-planting and joining with H2O Bowling Green to start a new H2O church plant at Ohio University! I am honored to serve at both campuses and be apart of my 6th college church plant!


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  • Matt pardi

    Elder | Pastor

    Why H2O staff? My favorite part about being on staff with H2O is the opportunity to work with tomorrow's leaders who are passionate about serving Christ. That never gets old!


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  • Caleb & courtney JONES

    CAMPUS Missionaries | Campus OUTREACH Lead | FIT

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? I first got involved with H2O my freshman year at Bowling Green State University. It was during my time there and being involved with H2O that I believe God changed my life forever. Being in H2O I got to hear the truth of the Gospel and got to learn what it means to follow Jesus. College was a critical moment of finding identity in my life and I know it is that way for many others as well. Knowing how God changed my life in college, I want to see that happen for others. I want to  do that by sharing the truth of the Gospel with students here at Wright State and by teaching them what it means to follow Jesus. That is why I joined this team.

    What do you enjoy doing with your free time? The thing I enjoy most is being able to spend time with family and friends and simply just be in community. I also love sports, I play a lot of golf and basketball, although, football is definitely my favorite sport. I love movies, music and video games! I am also a huge Marvel fan. I am passionate about photography and love getting to spend some of my free days capturing photos of people and God’s creation!


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  • Ryan & Natalie Bradley

    CAMPUS Missionaries | Worship Director | ACCOUNTANT

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? Through H2O Church and the relationships that I built there I realized that Wright State was the mission field that God was calling me to. H2O Church is such an amazing family of believers that genuinely care about people and reaching Wright State campus with the love of Christ. They are not another Christian club but have a true desire to live out the design for the church that Jesus gives us in the Bible, and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that!


    What do you enjoy doing with your free time? My favorite thing to do in my free time is hang out with my friends and family! I also like play sports, specifically basketball, watching movies, going hiking, drawing, and listening to music. I have a passion for music and play both the drums and the ukulele whenever I get the chance. I also enjoy discovering new music and creating playlists for people so that other people.


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  • Aaron & Lina Kaufman

    CAMPUS Missionaries | The Landing Director | Connections team lead 

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? Growing up as a pastor's son, I experienced Christianity as my parents' faith. When I looked for colleges, I felt God tug my heart toward Wright State, which is 150 miles away from home. I wasn't sure why, but I followed His calling to a public university and later transferred to the Moody Bible Institute online. During college, I made my parents' faith my own, and H2O Church challenged, equipped, and inspired me to love God with simple obedience. I see God's vision to awaken our souls, unveil our eyes, and soften our hearts toward Him and one another. My part in that is learning HIStory (His story), His theology, and His heart--and sharing that with others.


    What do you enjoy doing with your free time? I love spending time in community, from playing all sorts of video, card, and board games, to movie nights, to simply getting work done together. My wife, Lina, and I love watching shows and movies, playing all kinds of games, and enjoying the time God gives us together. I'm a Star Wars fan; I love finding, listening to, and sharing music and podcasts; and I've always got one book I'm slowly reading through.


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  • Julia forbes

    CAMPUS MISSIONARy intern

    Why did you join the H2O Wright State team? I joined H2O Wright State in the fall of my freshman year looking for a community to be with. I love that the community is one big family, filled with brothers and sisters I never knew I needed. I saw the impact that the team was making on our church and our community and wanted to be able to do the same thing. College has been a time for me to figure out who I am and grow deeper in my walk with God.


    What do you enjoy doing with your free time? I love to hang out with my friends from H2O and watch movies or grab a meal together! I am also a big music lover, so I enjoy rolling down the windows in my car and listening to music. If I have the time to do so, I also like to go to parks and either sit on the ground with my Bible or go for a hike!


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