 A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, he earned a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and a Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2001.He is a recipient of the prestigious "David H. C. Read Preaching Award", named for Presbyterian clergyman and author David H. C. Read of New York City's Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church.His wife, Kate Foster Connors, whom he met while both were student interns for U.S. Representative David Price, is also an ordained minister and serves as youth director at Brown Memorial.