Joel was born in Saskatchewan and raised in Alberta with a deep love for the Rockies and the prairies. He currently lives in New York City conducting cancer research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. His previous roles as the President of the University of Alberta Students’ Union, Research Assistant at Boston Medical Center, and Data Analyst at World Relief, a humanitarian organization, have shaped his interests in healthcare and leadership. He holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Boston University, specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and a BSc in Biology with a minor in Christian Theology from the University of Alberta.