Rev. Joe Cobb believes that our greatest calling as human beings is to love one another by honoring and celebrating what makes us unique and by discovering what we can create together. This calling both inspires and informs his devotion to public service in the Roanoke city, region and around the world.

Joe Cobb is a member of the City Council for the City of Roanoke (elected on May 1, 2018), and served as Vice Mayor from July 1, 2018 – December 31, 2020. He also works as Chaplain at Hermitage Roanoke, a senior living community in Northwest Roanoke.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Joe has been a resident of Roanoke, Virginia, since 2001 where he lives with his husband, James, and their two children, Ginny and JJ. Ginny is in the eighth grade and JJ is in the 6th grade, both attending James Madison Middle School. Their family also includes daughter, Emma (Connor, Harper Jane and Will) and son, Taylor.

An ordained clergy with the Metropolitan Community Churches, Joe most recently served as Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of the Blue Ridge from 2009-2017. He also served as Director of Marketing and PR for the Roanoke Symphony and as Executive Director for Family Promise of Greater Roanoke.

Joe is a leader and advocate for social justice and brings strong public relations, development, fundraising, and collaborative experience in building community collaborations and partnerships.

Joe is Chair of the Council of Community Services Board of Directors, Chair of the City of Roanoke Gun Violence Prevention Commission, Chair of the City of Roanoke Audit Committee President of the GRTC (Greater Roanoke Transit Company) Board, Vice Chair of the City Council Personnel Committee, member of the City Council’s Legislative Committee, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Equality Virginia, the Roanoke Valley Sisters Cities, and the Clean Valley Council.

He has a Master of Divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas, USA, and a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, USA. Joe served as a United Methodist clergy from 1985-2001 in Texas, England and Kansas. He is currently working toward a Doctor of Ministry degree with Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

Rev. Joe is co-author of Our Family Outing: A Memoir of Coming Out and Coming Through, written with his former spouse, Rev. Leigh Anne Taylor. The book is a unique, two voice narrative of a gay man and straight woman and their journey through marriage, children, coming out, divorce, healing, reconciliation, and creating a new way of being family.