Meet our Leaders and Staff

Below is a listing of our officers and staff. Please use the contact page to reach them with any questions.

Elders

Rev. Kevin Hass – Lead Pastor

Undergrad at The University of Richmond
Seminary at Reformed Theological Seminary, DC
Happily Married to Liz for twenty-one years
Father of two Incredible Daughters(Sydney, Savannah)
IVCF Campus Staff at William & Mary, Christopher Newport University 1998-2006
Member of IVCF National Evangelism Taskforce
Member of IVCF National Chapter Planting Taskforce
Founding Pastor of By Grace Community Church 2006-present
Co-Founder of The Gospel Coalition’s Hampton Roads Chapter
President of the York Square Condominium Association 2017-present

Dale Emerson

Dale is a Ruling Elder and is originally from Yorktown, VA. He runs a masonry contracting business and has been in the trade for over twenty years. He is married to Shirley and they have three children: Abigail, Jonathan, and Rebekah.  He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and is a San Francisco Giants fan.

 

 

 

Matt Houseman

Originally hailing from the Midwest, Matt spent time travelling around the US while in the Air Force and then settled here in Virginia.  After his time in the military, Matt completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and started his career in the Business Intelligence field.  These days he works with Data and Information Systems for a large distribution company headquartered here on the peninsula.  Matt has been married to his wife, Kerri, for almost 20 years and they have six children ranging from late teens to single digits. 

 

 

 Brent Vallee

Brent is a ruling elder. A native of Massachusetts, he moved to Virginia in 2008. He is a licensed professional counselor offering biblically sound counseling at his local practice. He is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando Florida with a Masters in Counseling. He is married to Wendy and they have a son and daughter who were adopted. He enjoys reading, cooking, and exploring new places when he has free time.

 

 

Deacons

Mark Emborski

Mark is a father of three boys and husband to Katie. He has worked at Newport News Shipbuilding since 2011, and is a 2020 graduate of The Apprentice School. He is a lover of outdoor adventures, especially ones that involve his family. Mark leads a Kingdom Group, coordinates By Grace’s service at Peninsula Rescue Mission, and is frequently found with a cup of coffee in his hand. 

 

 

Conor Harvey

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Lane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nathanael (Nate) Mathews

Originally from Bremerton, WA, the USAF assigned Nate to Langley AFB in 2011. Besides a stint in Centreville, VA, he’s been in the area and a part of By Grace since then. God has blessed him with a wife and four children. He enjoys strong singing, hearty food, words of all kinds, and finding Christ at the center of it all.

 

 

 

Matt Winant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staff

Jeremy Haywood – Director of Worship Music and Media

Originally from Norfolk, VA, Jeremy has served in a wide variety of roles in the spheres of musical worship and technology since the early days of By Grace. He has a BM in Music Education from Christopher Newport University and an MA in Worship from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He enjoys spending time with his wife Jacci and three children, cooking and grilling, expanding his knowledge/skillset for DIY projects around the house and watching a wide variety of sports and motorsports.