Heather Zempel is the Discipleship Pastor at National Community Church in Washington, DC where she oversees small groups, directs leadership development training, and serves on the weekend teaching team. Heather followed a circuitous route into full-time ministry. Having obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in biological engineering from Louisiana State University, she worked as an environmental engineer and as a policy consultant on energy and environment in the United States Senate before coming on staff at National Community Church. Heather is the author of Sacred Roads, Community is Messy, and Amazed and Confused.  Heather and her husband, Ryan, have one child and live on Capital Hill.