Joseph (Joe) Perez is the Chief Mission & Ministry Officer for Baptist Health System in San Antonio since October 11, 2021.  Joe began his ministry as the Pastoral Coordinator for the Sandi Jo Funk Hospice of the Valley Baptist Health System, Harlingen, in September 1992.  After five years in Hospice, he became Pastoral Coordinator of Outpatient Services, and then became the Director of the Pastoral Services Department in the summer of 1999, promoted to Vice President September 2004. Joe was raised in Kentucky and received his Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, in May 1989.  He completed eight units of Clinical Pastoral Education training, which concluded with his placement as second year resident chaplain at Hermann Hospital in Houston.  He has been a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) since 1998. He has served in various leadership roles with the APC, concluding in the role of President between 11/1/2019-10/31/20.