Born in New York City as the son of a psychiatrist and an English teacher. Joel became an athlete, an artist and a filmmaker. He graduated with a BFA from the University of Michigan's School of Art & Design and spent time at Columbia University studying theater and sociology. After working in Internet marketing in San Francisco, Joel moved to Los Angeles and now works in a variety of documentary and scripted film genres. Joel's two brothers, Noah and Keven, also live in Los Angeles and work in the entertainment industry. His sister, Mary Alice Ackerman, works in cardiothoracic transplantation surgery in Chicago. Besides the United States, Joel believes Africa is the greatest country he has ever seen. It is the last frontier on earth with endless economic growth and human development opportunities. His mother, Jane Arnold, has been there numerous times on healthcare missions to help the people of Botswana and Rwanda. She resides there today. Joel is also a big advocate for veterans rights and stands behind the brave men and women of the United States Armed Services. His favorite book is the powerfully descriptive story of Outlaw Platoon, written by Captain Sean Parnell. It is a detailed account of the U.S. Army's legendary 10th Mountain Division's heroic stand in the mountains of Afghanistan.