STAFF
STAFF
Chris”topher” grew up in the jungles of Southern California where his love of tacos, Disney, and pop culture gave him all the information he needed to succeed. Topher gave his life to Christ and a year later was attending Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. He moved to New Orleans to work as an associate pastor and outreach director where he met his wife, Leanne. Over the years, Topher and Leanne’s journey took them to Southern CA, New Orleans, Nashville. and finally to RVA. Topher enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, Isabella, hiking, movies, maple syrup, cooking, maple candy, comics, reading, slurpees, maple cookies, and history.
Rachel grew up in Cary, NC North Carolina but eventually moved to Knoxville, TN to study Bible & Media Communications at Johnson University. After graduating, Rachel moved to Richmond for an internship, working at Area 10 helping with creative projects. It was there she fell in love: with the church, the city of Richmond, and - yes - also a boy. After getting married and moving away for a while to pursue her degree in Graphic Design, she returned to RVA and serves on staff full-time at Area 10. She was officially ordained into ministry in November 2021. She now lives on the Southside with her husband, Zach, and their only child - a ginger tabby cat named Benedict. They enjoy long walks around the city, playing board games in local coffee shops, and watching the latest episode of Critical Role or Doctor Who.
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TJ grew up in Hooksett, NH until his family moved to Ocala, FL before beginning high school. During that time he met his wife Alle, gave his life to Christ, and then joined the Marines after graduation. He served in the Marines for 8 1/2 years until he felt God calling him into full-time ministry. He then left the Marines and attended Johnson University in TN, where he graduated in May of 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Preaching & Church Leadership. Later that month, he joined the A10 staff, and now leads A10 Kids & A10 Students.
Aly grew up in Suffolk, VA and attended VCU after graduating from high school. She met her husband, Chris, in Richmond and then moved to Lynchburg, VA where she finished her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Liberty University. Aly is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Teaching from Liberty University. She grew up in a ministry family and has carried that legacy forward, having worked in children's ministry in Danville and in Lynchburg, before moving back to Richmond in 2019 to serve at Area 10. She loves spending time with Chris and their children, Charlie, Izzy, and Cici, reading, and traveling anywhere with a warm beach!
Dave has been roaming the streets of Richmond since he was five years old and loves the city. He and his wife, Jessica, both graduated from VCU with music degrees and currently live in Richmond’s Northside with their three kids. As a multi-instrumentalist, he has played around town in various venues and many churches. Dave loves teaching anything he knows, which mostly revolves around music and sound engineering. He brings his expertise in those areas into service by leading the tech team at Area 10. If you need his attention, offer ice cream, or start a conversation about cars, BMX riding, or anything with a groove or a beat.
Originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Chris Birkl moved to Richmond in 2007 and joined the Area 10 worship band when the church launched in 2008. He also managed a coffee shop/playground called Cartwheels & Coffee (previously owned by Area 10) for several years, where he met his wife, Aly. They got married and moved to Lynchburg for a job opportunity but were thrilled to be able to return to Richmond in 2019 when Aly came on board as our Children’s Director. He continued to serve on our worship team as a dedicated volunteer, and we were thrilled to have him join us as a part-time staff member this year. Chris enjoys making up parody songs, hanging out with his kids, and helping friends with projects. Chris and Aly have three young children, Charlie, Izzy, and Cici.
Adrianna grew up in Annapolis, MD and originally moved away to NYC to pursue fashion design, but eventually settled down in Richmond, Virginia where she opened Morsels Bakery. She and her husband John live in Bellevue and have four kids, Kylie, Liam, Fox, and Louna. They have been a part of Area 10 since the early days, serving in the worship band for the past 10+ years. Ready to start her next chapter, Adri is excited to join the Area 10 staff to put her energy behind serving the church and the city of Richmond. Adrianna loves Harry Potter, swing dancing, playing bass guitar, as well as baking and eating sweets (followed by a good workout to counteract all that sugar).
Chris Barras grew up in Florida before attending Cincinnati Christian University but has been a Virginian since 2000. He and his wife, Abby, have three teenage boys, so life is full of basketball, music and teenage drama! The Barras family planted Area 10 Faith Community in 2008 with a dream of being the best church for the city of Richmond. Chris enjoys preaching and church leadership, as well as teaching about change, transformation and leadership in the business world. When he’s not working, Chris spends time with his family and enjoys watching NFL football (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Manchester United. He also likes to read a lot, exercise, and ride bikes.
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