Zach deMoya

Zach deMoya was born and raised in the great state of South Carolina. Before pursuing academia, he spent time in public education, community banking, and working with non-profits with a primary interest in community development.

Zach completed his undergraduate degree in education from the University of South Carolina and his M.TS and Th.M at Duke Divinity School. His work at SMU explores the role of practical reasoning as central to Christian ethical formation in contested truth societies and argues for the necessity of ethical formation for the success of grassroots democratic and community organizing movements. While working on his dissertation, Zach also serves as the executive director of a Dallas-based non-profit called Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space, a place-based organization that seeks to empower and develop a traditionally underserved area of the city by equipping community leaders, teachers, and members with space and resources to serve their own neighborhoods using their talents and passions in a collaborative setting.

In his free time, Zach enjoys running, playing trivia, obsessing over sports, exploring all that Dallas has to offer, and spending time with his wife Lauren and baby Jack.

Dissertation Advisor: Dr. D. Steve Long