Derek Bates

Born and raised in VA, I graduated from James Madison University. After brief but formative stints in Ukraine and Colorado, I moved to St. Louis where I graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary.

Having met my wife, Luda, in St. Louis, we briefly considered mission work abroad, and  that somehow brought us to RUF (it's a great story). The young Bates moved to Pittsburgh in 2008 where I served as RUF Campus Minister at the University of Pittsburgh (2008-2021).

In 2022 I transitioned into the role of Area Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes region, overseeing RUF ministries in DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Luda and I have four great kids (Caleb, Abiel, Elisea, and Symon), and continue to reside in the vastly underappreciated city of Pittsburgh.