Chuck Gianakos was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised on the beaches of the New Jersey shore in Point Pleasant, New Jersey since age seven.  Throughout his youth and young adulthood, Chuck has had a passion for music, working with teenagers and people from all faiths and cultures, and a deep curiosity and spirituality for all nature and humankind!  He has a wonderful sense of humor and is comfortable in any participant or officiant role.  His friends say he's a joy to be around and has a "knack" for working with couples to ease the stress that can arise with planning a memorable day such as the ceremony where you join together with your friend!  He always claims, "Being a wedding officiant and minister is never a job, but a joy and a passion!"

Ordained a Universal Life Monastery Interfaith Minister, Chuck is also a seventeen-year career veteran youth and young adult minister and spiritual educator.  He has worked nearly two decades for a main line protestant Christian denomination, and specializes in youth and young adult spirituality and emerging worship.  He is also the founder of Project Reflection Spirit Group which will be presented to the general public in the fall of 2010.

Chuck holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science and History from Drew University and certificates in Youth Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary.  He is an experienced speaker and trainer for nationwide youth events and is also a trained Remo HealthRythms facilitator.  Chuck is also a Certified Spiritual Director through Oasis Ministries For Spiritual Development.  He has a great reputation for helping many individuals find and understand their spiritual journey.

 As a legally Ordained Minister of the Universal Life Church Monastery, Reverend Chuck is recognized by the State of New Jersey as a legal Wedding Officiant.  Chuck's knowledge of wedding and civil union ceremony preparation & performance, interfaith spirituality and teaching comes from his near two-decades of professional church work as a youth & young adult pastor, Christian educator, and worship leader and his skills obtained by his
Spiritual Director training.

Chuck also serves as Executive Director of PassionWorks, Inc., a holistic non-profit emergency humanitarian need organization (www.passionworksusa.org) that serves the local Ocean County, New Jersey hunger and homeless community.

Chuck and his wife, Vicky, live in Brick, New Jersey with their beautiful cat Mary.
They have been married for 23 years.