Joel Hungate is just your average, everyday Indiana-native who answered the call to uncommon adventure.

Ever since, he’s become an accomplished mountaineer, survivalist, outdoorsman, and adventurer with a handful of harrowing stories – such as a daring mountain rescue and first-ascent in the High Altai Mountains of Western Mongolia, or as an alpha adventurer on the first season of Netflix’s “Outlast”—and his mission is to let the world know that a lifestyle of adventure, the kind that all our hearts long for, is not only attainable, but can be found in the most unexpected places…often closer than you think.

Born in Indianapolis and raised in rural East Central Indiana, Joel is a biomedical engineer from Purdue University, holder of an Executive MBA and honored as a Randall Tobias Leadership Fellow. He has been blessed to be a successful businessman and entrepreneur, healthcare innovator, and leader of large organizations where he has been able to use his talents to better the lives of others.

Since losing his mother to mental illness, and inspired by her legacy of ministry and love in the community, Joel has become a passionate mental health advocate and speaker exploring the ideas of faith as a foundation that transcends even the most tragic circumstances, overcoming the stigma of mental illness, and advocating for a better vision of health, well-being, and connection in our increasingly digital world.

His mother’s legacy of “faith in action” lives on in the Lisa Muegge Feast of Plenty — an annual Thanksgiving ministry she started in 2005 that provides hot meals and critical supplies to those in need all across East Central Indiana. In 2022, this outreach has grown to feed and provide hope to over 4300 individuals, and Joel is blessed to serve in the steering committee and front-line delivery of this ministry each year. He is also proud to serve on the board of the local Boys and Girls Club and be able to contribute to resource development as a committee member for the Hancock Health Foundation’s campaign to address gaps in care for mental illness and addiction. Joel has been honored to serve as co-chair of the American Diabetes Association “State of Diabetes” 2022 for the Heartland Region, speak at numerous conferences as a thought leader on the future of healthcare, engage in public policy, give back as a mentor to college students, serve as a housing corporation board member for Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Purdue, and contribute to numerous steering committees and grass-roots efforts supporting trails, tourism, and access to the “infrastructure of well-being” in his community and state.

Joel believes that adventure is for everyone — not just wild people on Netflix. By inspiring “adventure readiness” — the skills, confidence, community, know-how, gear, logistics, connections, and insights to make uncommon adventure a more common way of life—we can change lives, inspire purpose, and make a better world. He hopes his story can empower you to earn your own harrowing tales – because the next chapter in this adventure is up to you.