2018 40 Under 40 Yearbook: Jodi Oehlke Cuccurese, 39

Then: Founder, Backpacker Church LLC
Now: Pastor, James River Church Inc.

A lot has happened for world-traveler Jodi Oehlke Cuccurese in the last 365 days since she was honored with Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award.

After marrying a Naples, Italy native, Cuccurese is almost completely fluent in Italian.

She is growing her national Read Through the Bible Challenge — a six-month or year long task to complete and discuss the book online with readers across the states.

And after accepting a pastoral position at James River Church Inc. in November, she’s put on pause her own organization, Backpacker Church LLC, which led humanitarian trips to Italy and Israel, on pause. Instead, she’s helping arrange the Designed for Life Women’s and Stronger Men’s conferences, which attract over 18,000 people to the Springfield area.

“As much as I am for the global, my heart is also for the local,” she says.