You can call Kevin Hartke Pastor, Director, or Vice Mayor, since his days include at once ministry, municipal policymaking, and leading a social-service initiative, among many other roles. Outdoorsman makes sense, too, since Kevin clearly values adventure almost as much as he does faith and service. On his rare days off, you likely will find him on a hiking trail somewhere in Arizona.
Helping people is the simple motivation for his multi-faceted career. Pastor Hartke began his ministry at the Trinity Christian Fellowship in Chandler in 1985 and has been the senior pastor since 1992. His service there is magnified by directing For Our City Chandler, a faith initiative bringing faith communities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and governments together to solve community issues and improve quality of life. For example, services to Chandler residents who are experiencing homelessness have been expanded significantly—and cost effectively—through For Our City.
Kevin won election to the Chandler City Council in 2010 and again in 2014. Now as Vice Mayor, he is also a metro-Phoenix leader through the Maricopa Association of Governments and the Valley Metro Regional Public Transportation Authority Board. In addition, he recently represented Chandler on a trip to Washington, D.C. for the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. At the state level, Governor Brewer appointed Kevin to the Arizona Council on Faith and Community Partnerships in 2010.
No matter what the title of the moment is, however, Kevin Hartke’s leadership and affinity for working with all kinds of people come through. He is as happy reading to fifth and sixth graders or sharing a weekly meal with homeless residents as he is helping to create a new type of municipal water policy or supporting others’ election bids. Perhaps because of his many titles, Kevin sees new opportunities for service to his community and the state around every corner.