Duane was born in Spearfish, South Dakota and grew up attending church with his parents and older brother. His father was raised Presbyterian, but his mother was raised Roman Catholic. She left the Catholic church to marry his father, became Presbyterian, and raised their sons in the faith. His family moved often, in pursuit of his father’s career, and he experienced many different Christian churches in numerous cities across five different states including South Dakota, Washington, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Iowa. However, he has always felt the Presbyterian church is his home.

It was in college at the University of Washington, and by the leading of a beloved friend, when Duane’s faith became his own and his hope was securely set on Jesus Christ. In college, he served as a small group leader with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. As he neared graduation, Duane received God’s call to ministry. After college Duane served churches in the inner city of Seattle working with children, youth, and adult ministries through the Seattle Urban Intentional Community Program, a ministry of University Presbyterian Church in partnership with the Seattle International Christian Fellowship. As a part of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, he worked with World Relief as first contact for refugees from the war-torn countries of Somalia, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.

Duane joined University Presbyterian Church and served for over nine years as a youth sponsor with the high school ministry. There he led small groups, Bible studies, helped lead large group worship teams, gatherings and gave talks. He also led youth retreats, one youth trip to the inner city of San Francisco, and seven youth construction trips to Tijuana, Mexico.

Through all this, Duane’s calling to pastoral ministry grew. With lots of excitement and a little trepidation, Duane applied and was accepted to Fuller Theological Seminary. He attended one year with Fuller before transferring to the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS) where he met his wife Kristina (Kris). While at UDTS, Duane interned as the assistant to the Pastor to Students. In his senior year Duane served as Youth Director with GracePoint church in Dubuque, Iowa.

Since graduation, Duane served in a pastoral role with the United Methodist Church in Peterson, Iowa, and pastor with the United Church of Christ in Schleswig, Iowa. In 2022, Duane was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament with the PC(USA) to serve the yoked congregations of the First Presbyterian Church of Castlewood and the Bemis-Holland Presbyterian churches of South Dakota, where he remained until November 2025.With the South Dakota Presbytery, Duane served as the Vice Moderator, serving the Administration and Coordination Committee, and as a contributing teacher with the CRE program. He has also served as the Vice Moderator of the Camping and Faith Formation Commission for the South Dakota Presbytery with Rimrock Camp and Retreat Center for the last three years.

Duane and his wife Kris have three children, Kezia (17), Tommy (16), and Toby (9). Kris has also served many congregations as a licensed local pastor with the United Methodist Church in Iowa, as a supply pastor, and a Christian Education Director. Duane enjoys the outdoors, swimming, photography, playing his guitar, playing golf, and being a husband and father. He enjoys old cars, woodworking, restoring old things to new life, traveling, learning about people and history, and teaching and inspiring others.

He will officially begin his ministry with us on September 1, 2026.