Staff
Scott Ryan, Lead Pastor
Scott was born in Rochester, NY and moved with his family, at a young age, to Dayton, where he attended elementary school through college undergrad. He graduated from Dayton Christian High School and began undergrad at Wright State University and then finished at Cedarville University with a B.A. in Theater (one of his loves!). During these formative years, Scott sensed a call on his life for full-time Christian ministry, both an inward desire to shepherd God’s people and an external call from godly men and women who encouraged him to pursue vocational ministry.
Scott received a Master of Divinity from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY, where he grew not only in his theological and ministry comprehension but also met the love of his life, a fellow seminary student, Chrisina! Chrisina studied biblical languages in her undergrad and also graduated from Southern with her M.Div. Scott has pastored churches in South Florida and Oklahoma City and became the Lead Pastor of Washington Heights Baptist Church in 2025, beginning his 17th year of full-time ministry. Chrisina has served alongside Scott to serve the church in many areas, such as music, women’s, and children’s ministry. They both studied counseling and desire to help others navigate the ups and downs of life. In addition, international ministry has been a passion of Scott and Chrisina’s, as they served in overseas’ missions and university campus ministry to international students.
The Ryans have three kids: Elijah, Sadriana, and Karis.
Scott desires to see the local church embodying the biblical instruction to live as the eternal family of God, loving and building each other up in the love of Christ.
Books: Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves; Christian Beliefs by Wayne Grudem; The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller; Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund; Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney; 9Marks series; Dangerous Calling by Paul Tripp; Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Podcasts: The Briefing; The World and Everything in It; Thinking in Public; Pastors Talk; The Church Answers Podcast; White Horse Inn; THE Podcast: Ohio State Football News.
Hobbies: Sports, Hiking, Board/Card games with family, Theater, Museums, Ohio State football
Restaurants – I’ll try anything!
Justin Hoppe, Executive Pastor
Justin married his high school sweetheart, Grace in 2004. They have 5 children: Cade, Caroline, Charlotte, Levi, and Wesley. Justin grew up with Washington Heights as his home church. After several years in retail management in food service, God used a desire to serve Christ and his Church to lead the Hoppes to join the staff at WHBC in full time ministry in 2012 as the Student Ministries Pastor. In 2015 Justin transitioned to the Pastor of Outreach and Discipleship.
Justin is involved in a range of ministries here at WHBC including supporting our Missionaries and Missions Program by serving on the GO Team (Missions Committee). Justin and Grace have led eight cross-cultural short-term trips (domestic and international) with teens and adults. They have also worked with many couples in pre-marital and marital counseling over the years.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Training: Baptist Bible College (B.S. Integrated studies M.A. organizational leadership); The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Doctor of Educational Ministry)
Books: Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien; The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman; On Being a Pastor by Prime and Begg; The Call by Os Guinness; Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Favorite Restaurants: Chipotle, Starbucks, Chop House, Mr. P’s Bistro (Southport, NC)
Hobbies/Interests/Passions: Time with Grace and the kids, hunting, hiking, canoeing, Michigan Wolverines football, Detroit Tigers baseball
Podcasts: The Briefing with Dr. Albert Mohler; The Missions Podcast – ABWE; Amazon to the Himalayas with Dr. Paul Akin; Revisionists History – Malcolm Gladwell; The Way I Heard It – Mike RoweJustin Hoppe, Outreach & Discipleship
Grant Winslow, Pastor of Student & Family Ministries
Grant Winslow was born and raised in Toledo, OH. He graduated from the University of Toledo in 2014 with a degree in Adolescent/Young Adult Education. God grabbed his heart for ministering to college students during his time there. Before coming to WHBC, he served with Cru (Campus Crusade) at UT for 6 years, and then interned with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Toledo with their School of Church Ministry beginning in the Fall of 2020. At EBC, he developed and saw God grow a ministry to college students and young adults. The internship was paired with a grad school at Cedarville with a Master’s of Ministry Degree.
Grant and his wife, Lydia, were married the summer of 2021. Lydia is a 2nd grade teacher at Middletown Christian. Together they love to play board games, drink coffee, read, enjoy God’s creation in parks, and being a house divided when it comes to OSU and UM. They are passionate about helping teenagers and students come to know Christ and to make Him known.
Books: Star Wars, Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Delighting in the Trinity, The Vine Project, The Deep Things of God, 9Marks books
Restaurants: Chick-fil-A, Cane’s, Wawa, basically any coffee shop, Culver’s
Music: Sovereign Grace, Hawk Nelson (the old HN), CityALight, Twenty One Pilots
Podcasts: ForTheGospel, 9Marks Pastors Talk, Youth Pastor Theologian, The Office Ladies, The Happy Rant
Alia Edem, JAM City Director
Alia Edem graduated from Cedarville University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Bible minor in 2003. She spent 6 years teaching first grade and kindergarten in a public school. She also worked a year for Dayton Christian homeschool.
She and her high school sweetheart, Jason, were married at Washington Heights in 2002. They live in Beavercreek with their three children Xander, Lily, and Grace. They also have an overly friendly Golden Retriever, Max, an adopted stray kitty, Turbo,
and a goldfish, Goldie, that their youngest won at the school’s spring carnival. She loves her family and one of her greatest
joys is doing life with them.
Alia has been involved in many of Washington Heights children’s ministries throughout the years including working with the youth group, teaching kindergarten Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, various roles in Awana, as well as, Upward basketball and soccer. She began her official role as JAM City Director in June of 2017.
Hobbies/Interests/Passion: spending time and doing activities with her kids, tagging along on her husband’s business trips when she can, and going to see plays and musicals.
Favorite Verse: Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
Dave Hornback, Associate Pastor
Dave joined the Leadership Team at Washington Heights after a 38-year career as an engineer. He completed his undergrad and graduate work at the University of Louisville. Dave loves to teach God’s Word and has actively done so since 1982. Dave married his sweetheart DaVonna in 1987. They have two married sons (Nathan/Taylor and Caleb/Nicole) and five grandchildren. Dave is also a nationally certified Pro Pickleball Coach. He and DaVonna use sports, especially pickleball, as a venue to deliver God’s message of salvation to the community.
Interests: Family-time, Pickleball, mountain-biking, fitness training, movies, and vacationing
Favorite foods: Chipotle, Mexican in general, pizza, and ice-cream
Special Bible Verses:
- And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12.3
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3.5-6