Speakers at the 2026 Annual Forum

Political Representatives

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President Stuart Adams

Ambassador Amr Aljowaily

Ambassador Amr Aljowaily is an international civil servant, diplomat, academic and writer with over 35 years of professional experience. He currently holds the post of Director of the Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate within the African Union Commission. As an Egyptian diplomat, he rose the level of Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Relations and International Security, and served in Belgrade, New York, Geneva, and Washington, D.C. Furthermore, he held leading positions in multilateral organs, and was a member of the Egyptian delegation to high level meetings of the UN and its specialized agencies, the African Union, and the League of Arab States. He holds three master’s degrees from the American University in Cairo (AUC), the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the University of Malta.
H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Maamari

H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Maamari

His Excellency, Dr. Ibrahim Bin Saleh Al-Naimi

His Excellency, Dr. Ibrahim Bin Saleh Al-Naimi is currently the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar. Prior to his appointment as the Undersecretary by the Emir of Qatar, His Highness, Sheikh Tamimi Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Professor Ibrahim Al-Naimi was the founder and President of the Community College of Qatar from 2008 to May 2018. Under his leadership, the college developed more than 17 associate and bachelor degree programs and grew to become the fastest growing higher education institution in the State of Qatar. Prior to establishing and presiding over the Community College of Qatar, Professor Al-Naimi played a key role in the educational reforms in Qatar. Under the “Education for a New Era” initiative, he led in the development of a number of well-known international K-12 schools including Michael E. DeBakey for Health Professions-Qatar, Sherborne School-Qatar and the International School of London-Qatar. Professor Al-Naimi also led the in the design and development of Stenden University in Qatar and served as the acting President for the university during its inaugural stages. Professor Al-Naimi is well known around the country for his outstanding leadership in academic affairs and for his strong commitment to student success as well as program and community development. In 1994, Professor Al-Naimi was the first Qatari to be appointed as the President of Qatar University. Under his leadership and guidance, the university saw significant growth in student enrollment, faculty, staff and academic programs. Prior to that Dr. Ibrahim held several leadership and academic positions locally including Dean of College of Science and Professor of Organometallic Chemistry at Qatar University as well as founder and President of Qatar Scientific Club since its inception in 1987
Melissa Garff Ballard

Melissa Garff Ballard was elected to the USA Utah House of Representatives in 2018, where she has focused on education, workforce development, helping individuals re-enter society after incarceration, and strengthening laws to fight against sex and human trafficking. She and her husband, Craig Ballard, have raised 6 children and now have 7 grandchildren. They served as Mission Leaders in the Oregon Portland Mission 2014-2017 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She received a BA ‘92 and Masters Degree in Piano Performance University of Utah ’94, performed in NYC Carnegie Hall 2023 and 2025, and recorded an album with Centaur Records receiving critics’ choice awards in 2020.
David Beasley

David Beasley is a distinguished leader, humanitarian, and former Governor of South Carolina (1995 to 1999), from which he received the JFK Profiles in Courage Award for his stance on the Confederate Flag. He most recently served as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) from March 2017 to April 2023, having been nominated by two U.S. presidential administrations from different parties and appointed by the UN Secretary-General. Under Beasley's leadership, WFP became the largest humanitarian organization in the world, assisting over 160 million people in 2022 alone and raising over $55 billion to combat global hunger. In 2020, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of WFP for its efforts to provide food assistance in conflict areas and prevent food from being used as a weapon of war. He saw firsthand the power of using food to bring peace.
Margaret Busse

Margaret Busse

Margaret Woolley Busse was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox in January 2021 to serve as Commissioner of Utah’s Department of Commerce. She holds an MBA from Harvard University and degrees in public policy and economics from Brigham Young University, bringing extensive experience in public service, social impact, and strategy consulting. Ms. Busse is focused on restoring trust in technology as a driver of Utah’s economy. Under her leadership, the Department of Commerce has advanced legislation and litigation to hold social media platforms accountable for harms to minors, including actions against TikTok, Meta, and Snap. She has also led Utah’s innovative approach to artificial intelligence, including the creation of the Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, passage of landmark legislation establishing guardrails and innovation pathways for mental health chatbots, data portability and interoperability on social media platforms, and transparency requirements for AI deepfakes. Finally, under Governor Cox’s direction, Ms. Busse initiated and now co-chairs Utah’s Prohuman AI Initiative, working to infuse “prohuman” values throughout the state’s efforts on AI across six pillars: workforce development, regulatory policy, learning & education, academic research, industry innovation, and state government deployment. Ms. Busse has been named a Most Influential Woman by Utah Business Magazine, received the Cyber Pioneer Award from the Utah Bar Association, was featured on the AI Women Power List, was a Utah Women in Tech award finalist, and received RevRoad’s Championing Women in Business award. As Utah’s chief business regulator, she has reduced fees, streamlined licensing, expanded the behavioral health workforce, and created pathways for foreign-credentialed professionals. A Utah native, she and her husband have five children.
Spencer J. Cox

Spencer J. Cox

Gov. Spencer J. Cox is a husband, father, farmer, recovering attorney, and Utah’s 18th governor. He also served as the 2023-2024 chairman of the National Governors Association, opens in a new tab, opens in a new tab.
Gov. Cox has a long track record of public service, serving as a city councilmember, mayor, county commissioner and state legislator before being appointed as Utah’s lieutenant governor in 2013. He was sworn in as governor on Jan. 4, 2021.
During his first term in office, Gov. Cox cut $1.1 billion in taxes, implemented landmark changes in water law, water conservation and infrastructure planning, locked in record funding for education and teachers, enacted universal school choice and secured funds for affordable housing. A long-time advocate for suicide prevention and mental health resources, he’s become a national voice on protecting youth from the harms of social media. He also signed early education and workforce program funding, launched the One Utah Health Collaborative, and expanded opportunities for women, diverse communities and those living in rural parts of the state.
Hazel Dixon

Ms. Hazel Maureen Danetta Dixon is the Senior Desk Officer responsible for the Civil Society Division within the Citizens and Diaspora Organizations Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission. She has over 20 years of professional experience spanning government, international organizations, NGOs and the private sector, with expertise in programme development and management, policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and reporting, human resources, administration, logistics and procurement. Prior to joining the African Union Commission, Hazel worked with international organizations including Action Against Hunger (ACF), the Mano River Union Peace Forum and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), where she contributed to civil society engagement, refugee and internally displaced persons programmes, and school feeding initiatives. She has extensive experience in policy development, political risk assessment, project coordination, partnership building, training and mentoring, and advising senior government officials and executives on diverse policy and development issues.
Dr. Djim Ousmane Dramé

Dr. Djim Ousmane Dramé is a Senegalese scholar, researcher, and specialist in Islamic education and Arab-Islamic culture. He holds a doctorate in Arab-Islamic languages and civilizations from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and studied Arabic at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He has served as a researcher and Head of the Laboratory of Islamology at the Fundamental Institute of Black Africa (IFAN-Cheikh Anta Diop) at Cheikh Anta Diop University, where his research focuses on Islamic education, traditional Qur'anic schools (daaras), Arabic literature, and Islamic scholarship in Senegal and The Gambia. He has authored several works and academic articles on Arab-Islamic education and religious life in Senegal. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Dramé has been active in promoting interfaith dialogue and previously served as Director of Religious Affairs and the Integration of Arabic-Language Graduates. In December 2025, he was appointed Senegal’s Delegate General for Religious Affairs, with responsibilities that include contributing to religious affairs and strengthening interfaith dialogue.
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Ambassador Jamieson Greer

Kevin Hyland OBE

Following 30 years in policing, including leading London’s Human Trafficking Unit, in 2014 Kevin Hyland OBE was appointed the UK’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. He authored and led inclusion of Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 to eradicate human trafficking within the United Nations 15-year strategic priorities. In 2018 Mr Hyland was elected Ireland’s representative to the Council of Europe Independent Group of Experts for Trafficking. He was instrumental in establishing and remains chief advisor to the Santa Marta Group, a high-level partnership between law enforcement agencies, faith groups and civil society launched by Pope Francis at the Vatican. He was the instigator for Bakhita House, a London based residential project for women and children who have experienced human trafficking and is on the board of homeless charity The Passage, exploited women’s support charity Rahab and Sophie Hayes Foundation who provide employability training for trafficked women. In recognition of his policing and human trafficking efforts in 2015 he was appointed OBE. In 2018 he was co-recipient of the ‘Path to peace Award’ in New York. In 2019 he was awarded the UN Women UK ‘HeForShe’ Leadership Award and in 2020 the UN Women for Peace Association Advocacy Award. He chairs the Leadership Group of the Institute of Human Rights and Business and the Island of Ireland Human Trafficking Project and provided strategic leadership to the OSCE victim support guidance. He is a visiting professor to St. Mary’s University, London. He has advised legislators in several countries in drafting new laws and provided training and lectured on human rights and policing in Europe, Australia, Central Asia, SE Asia, the USA, Pakistan, India, across the Middle East and South America.
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Ambassador Abderrahim Kadmiri served as Deputy Executive Secretary of CEN-SAD from 2019 to April 2026 and has served as Acting Executive Secretary since April 2026, overseeing the relaunch of the institution’s activities following the reopening of its headquarters in Tripoli. His Excellency has held ambassadorial assignments in Saint Lucia and several Caribbean States, as well as Iraq. Ambassador Kadmiri holds a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Paris.
His Excellency Ambassador Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah

His Excellency Ambassador Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah is the ambassador of The Republic of the Gambia to the Swiss confederation and is a permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva, the World Trade Organization, and other international organizations at Geneva, Switzerland. Kah served as chairman of the Africa Group of Ambassadors in Geneva and is currently the vice president representing Africa for the United Nations Human Rights Council; vice chairman for UNCTAD’s Commission on Science and Technology Development’s 25th session, and a member of the advisory board of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Bureau dvisory Body (June 2021-July 2023). Kah is also one of two ambassadors designated as Friends of the Chair of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly and serves as one of the vice chairs of the General Assembly of WIPO. Prior to his appointment in Geneva, Kah was the founding chairman of Zenith Bank as well as a board member for the Malabo Montpelier Panel, the African Agriculture Technology Foundation, the Africa-Europe Foundation, and ReEnergy Africa. Kah has held teaching and leadership positions in the United States, Africa, the Middle East (Gulf countries) and Eastern Europe (Caucuses). He was appointed an honorary fellow of the Judge Business School and the Digital Innovation Centre at the University of Cambridge (2016-2017). He completed his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA. He also holds a master’s degree in financial engineering from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and a postgraduate diploma in strategy and innovation from the Said Business School, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Muzaffar Kamilov

Muzaffar Kamilov serves as Adviser to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Religious and Educational Affairs, a senior position within the Presidential Administration. He has held prominent leadership roles spanning the Presidency, government, higher education, and religious affairs, including Presidential Adviser for cooperation with public and religious organizations, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs, and Rector of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan. An experienced scholar and public administrator, Kamilov has played an important role in Uzbekistan’s approach to religious affairs, interfaith engagement, education, and relations between government and civil society, including the country’s expanding international dialogue in these areas.
Esben Larson

Esben Larson

Esben Lunde Larsen, Senior One Health Specialist, The Pandemic Fund, The World Bank Dr. Esben Lunde Larsen is a senior one health specialist aiming at changing policy regulation, increase government engagement, drive innovation and cultivate awareness on AMR and One Health. He is engaged within thought leadership on One Health and AMR related issues and focuses on supporting low- and middle-income countries strengthening capacity for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Esben Lunde Larsen is a former Member of the Danish Parliament, a former Minister for Science and Higher Education, and a former Minister for Environment, Agriculture and Food in the Danish Government, where he has been heavily engaged in the agenda on AMR and One Health both in the Kingdom of Denmark and the European Union. He holds a PhD from the University of Copenhagen, and he is an ordained Lutheran pastor.
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President Michael O. Leavitt

Ramin Mammadov

Ramin Mammadov

Lamia Mekhemar

Lamia Mekhemar is retired Egyptian Ambassador and diplomat whose career has spanned diplomacy, international relations, academia and public service. From 2003 to 2007, she served as Chef de Cabinet to Egypt's First Lady. In 2008 to 2012, she served as Egypt's Ambassador to the Holy See, where she developed a particular interest in dialogue between religions and cultures. In 2015 she was appointed as Consul General of Egypt in Los Angeles. There, she worked to bring people of different faiths together, bridging their differences, and maximizing common grounds, while helping the Egyptian diaspora build a sense of community. An LLM graduate of NYU, she served on the Advisory Council of the USC Gould School of Law Center for Transnational Law and Business. In 2018, she was the commencement speaker for the USC Gould School of Law for the post graduates. She remains passionate about culture, creativity, women's advancement and building bridges between people and societies.
Steve Messeh

Steve Messeh

Steve Messeh Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement Steve Messeh is the Director of the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement where he leads the overall mission of the Office as well as providing critical leadership and support to USDA leadership. As a dynamic executive and leader with over a decade of experience driving strategic growth, Steve most recently founded and led a DC-based purpose driven organization whose mission was to identify and meet the greatest needs in the D.C. area, including food security, mentoring for at-risk youth and social entrepreneurship. Within that role, Steve also established and managed multiple pediatric mobile health clinics internationally providing access to healthcare for thousands of children abroad.
Hon. Scott Morrison AC

Hon. Scott Morrison AC was Australia’s 30th Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. He led Australia through the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering one of the strongest public health and economic outcomes in the OECD. He was the architect of the AUKUS defence partnership and a founding member of the Quad leader’s dialogue. He also concluded major agreements with the UK, Japan, India and ASEAN. He previously served in Cabinet as Treasurer, Minister for Social Services and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, where he was also a member of the National Security Committee. He was a member of the Australian Parliament from 2007-2024. Mr Morrison is Vice Chairman of American Global Strategies and serves on several international strategic advisory boards across defence, space, infrastructure and finance sectors. In 2024, Mr Morrison’s Christian memoir, Plans for Your Good, was published by Harper Collins.
Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed.

Prof. Dr. H. Abdul Mu’ti, M.Ed.

Prof. Abdul Mu’ti serves as Indonesia’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, leading the implementation of the Pendidikan Bermutu untuk Semua (Quality Education for All) agenda under President Prabowo Subianto. His leadership is anchored in a holistic approach to education reform that prioritizes three interconnected pillars: physical infrastructure through school revitalization and digital transformation; pedagogical infrastructure by enhancing teacher qualifications, competencies, and welfare alongside the adoption of Deep Learning as a mindful, meaningful, and joyful educational approach; and cultural infrastructure through character education and the cultivation of the Seven Habits of Great Indonesian Children. These initiatives are reinforced by a robust legal and regulatory framework to ensure sustainability and good governance. A professor at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and Secretary-General of Muhammadiyah—one of Indonesia’s largest and most influential Islamic civil society organizations—Prof. Mu’ti brings a unique blend of academic excellence, educational expertise, and interfaith engagement to his ministerial role. His lifelong commitment to inclusive, values-based education reflects his conviction that every child, regardless of background or geography, deserves access to quality learning opportunities that nurture both intellect and character. At the IF20 Forum, Prof. Mu’ti looks forward to sharing Indonesia’s experience in building an education system that is not only academically rigorous but also culturally grounded and spiritually enriching—contributing to global conversations on the role of education in fostering peace, mutual understanding, and sustainable development across diverse faith communities.
Darren Parry

I am the former chairman of the Shoshone Nation. I am an author in college professor and teach environmental humanities at Utah State University. I received a bachelors degree in education from.Weber State University and received an honorary doctorate from Utah, State, University in 2024. I lecture all over the country and internationally as well..
Dr. Sylvia Mmamohapi Pheto

Dr. Sylvia Mmamohapi Pheto is an accomplished leader, academic, and governance practitioner with over two decades of experience in public service, cultural rights advocacy, and strategic leadership. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Studies, International Relations, and Communications. Her career spans senior leadership roles in government, traditional leadership structures, religious structures and Chapter 9 Institutions, where she has consistently championed human rights, cultural preservation, gender equality, and ethical governance. As a Commissioner and former Deputy Chairperson of the CRL Rights Commission, she has provided strategic oversight, chaired key committees, and represented South Africa in national and international forums on cultural, religious and linguistic rights. Dr. Pheto’s expertise includes policy development, conflict resolution, stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization. She has successfully led initiatives that integrate traditional leadership into democratic systems, empower women in governance and strengthen interfaith and intercultural dialogues. Her earlier public service roles in media relations, parliamentary affairs, and safety and liaison further demonstrate her versatility and ability to navigate complex political and social landscapes.
Rev. Lord Russell Rook

Rev. Lord Russell Rook

Lord Rook has served as a Labour life peer in the House of Lords since January 2025. Before his appointment, he worked as an advisor on faith and civil society to the Leaders of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer MP and Ed Miliband MP. He is also Executive Chair of the Good Faith Partnership, which he co-founded in 2017 to create cross-sector solutions to social challenges. Previously, he served various charities, social enterprises, and The Salvation Army. In recognition of his long-standing contribution to social action, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours. He is also an ordained priest in the Church of England.
Dr Sam Rushworth

Dr Sam Rushworth is Member of Parliament for Bishop Auckland in North-East England. He sits on the House of Commons’ 11-member International Development Committee, overseeing UK aid spending. He was appointed by former Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, as a Labour Party Faith Ambassador. Sam has BA (Hons) Economics & Social Studies and MA International Development degrees from the University of Manchester and a Research Masters and PhD in Education and International Development from the University of East Anglia. Immediately prior to entering parliament, Sam worked for Durham University managing its Strategic Research Fund, but most of his career has been as an educator and consultant advising NGOs, the UN, and governments in research and programme design at the intersection of education, youth, and peacebuilding in conflict-affected regions of Africa. Sam and his wife, Siobhain, have five children. They are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Ms. Anne Simmons-Benton

Ms. Anne Simmons-Benton is an international leader and attorney with more than 30 years of experience. She has worked in over 32 countries, managing and leading complex international priorities for the US – focusing on trade, economic growth, innovation and the role of women. Anne is the Chair of the US W20 for 2026 and has served as Co-Head of Delegation for five years. She is the Chair of the Board of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area and the Deputy Chair of the Society for International Development. Anne earned her BS in foreign service from Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service and her JD from Antioch School of Law (DC). She holds a Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP) Certificate from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. She is married to Jonathan S. Benton, a career foreign service officer. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Tashibekov Talantbek Nurlanovich

Talantbek Nurlanovich Tashibekov is a Kyrgyz legal and political figure with extensive experience in international law, intergovernmental cooperation, and religious affairs. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in International Relations and International Law from the International University of Kyrgyzstan, completed a JICA program in Japan, and received advanced training in Islamic jurisprudence in Jordan. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Islamic theology and philosophy. Tashibekov began his career as a lawyer with the State Committee for the Management of State Property and later held leadership roles in intergovernmental commissions and international legal affairs. In January 2026, he was appointed **Chairman of the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations of the Kyrgyz Republic**, where he oversees religious and interethnic affairs. He speaks Kyrgyz, Russian, English, and Arabic.
Michel Veuthey

Swiss citizen, born in Geneva. Studied law in Geneva and Munich (Germany). Doctorate in international humanitarian law in Geneva. Worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from 1967 to 2000, during the preparatory work and sessions of the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law, then as Head of the International Organizations Division, General Delegate for Europe and North America, Regional Delegate for Southern Africa, Assistant to the President of the ICRC, Dr. Cornelio Sommaruga. Author of a book and articles on international humanitarian law and diplomacy. Academic Director, IDHA, Fordham University (2000-2003). Vice-President of the SanRemo International Institute of Humanitarian Law (2007-2019) (www.iihl.org). Currently, Ambassador of the Order of Malta to monitor and combat trafficking in persons. Deputy Permanent Observer of the Order of Malta to the United Nations in Geneva, President of the Foundation Board of the “Collège Universitaire Henry-Dunant”.
Hon Omar Ahmed Waiss

Born in 1978 in Ali-Sabieh, Republic of Djibouti, Hon. Omar Ahmed Wais is a Djiboutian politician with extensive experience in public administration, education, local governance, and parliamentary affairs. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from the University of Djibouti and a DEUG in History-Geography from the University of Franche-Comté, France. He began his professional career as a History-Geography teacher and later held various responsibilities in the education sector. From 2012 to 2022, he served as President of the Ali-Sabieh Regional Council, contributing to local governance and regional development. From 2022 to 2023, he served as Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti. Since 2023, Hon. Omar Ahmed Wais has served as Second Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Djibouti. In this capacity, he is actively involved in parliamentary affairs and inter-parliamentary cooperation at both regional and international levels. Committed to public service and collective action, he has a strong interest in education, reading, philosophy, social development, and community engagement. He is also an active member of the Amicale des Livres Ouverts (ALO), an association dedicated to promoting reading in Djibouti.

Executives

Dr.Vinya Ariyaratne

Dr.Vinya Ariyaratne is the President of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka. Sarvodaya is Sri Lanka’s largest non-governmental grass roots development organization. Dr. Ariyaratne is a public health specialist. He has extensive experience in community health, development, disaster management and peace building. Dr.Ariyaratne obtained Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Degree from the De La Salle University in the Philippines, and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree from the Johns Hopkins University U.S.A., Master of Science M.Sc. and Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Community Medicine from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He serves as the Co-chair of the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) - Health Cluster. Dr. Ariyaratne also works very closely with other CSOs both nationally and in the South Asian Region in matters related to development, governance, peace building, interfaith action and reconciliation. As a CSO leader, Dr. Ariyaratne has closely engaged with multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and bilateral development agencies.
Fred Axelgard

Dr Fred Axelgard is Director of Special Projects for the IF20, and Member of the Board of Praeveni Global, a non-profit dedicated to the prevention of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Mohamed Bahr

Mohamed Bahr serves as head of strategic planning at the Muslim Council of Elders, where he leads the organization's strategic direction and oversees the development and implementation of its key interfaith initiatives. Since joining in 2022, he has been central to shaping the council's programmatic priorities and strengthening its institutional partnerships across the public, private, and civil society sectors. Following the signing of the Document of Human Fraternity, he was instrumental in developing the strategy and implementing key projects aligned with its vision for global peace and coexistence. In addition, Mr. Bahr serves as curator of the Faith Pavilion at the UN climate conferences (COPs), where he brings together faith leaders and environmental advocates to advance faith-based contributions to climate action and sustainable development.
Luisa Banchoff

Luisa Banchoff is a Program Associate at the World Faiths Development Dialogue. She coordinates a project on strategic religious engagement focused on education and social protection in Ghana. Luisa has researched and written on a range of topics related to faith-linked development; areas of focus include the role of Catholic Sisters in global peacebuilding and faith in development in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2020, she has authored policy briefs for the G20 Interfaith Forum. Luisa holds a B.A. in Religion from Princeton University and a M.Sc. in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Riley Barton

Riley Anderson is a Program Officer for the ACWAY Executive Committee and has been with ACWAY since 2021. She grew up in Utah, USA, and currently resides in upstate New York with her significant other and their dog, Kiko.Riley began her interfaith journey in 2018 while interning for a religious studies professor at Utah Valley University. What began as a semester-long internship evolved into a leadership role on the UVU Interfaith Council, where she served for one year as the Service Projects Representative. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester, with a focus on conflict resolution and international relations. Following graduation, Riley worked at the New York State Assembly, where she helped secure funding for the Buffalo Family Justice Center, investigated and supported accountability efforts related to wrongdoing at the Buffalo VA Hospital, and contributed to legislation supporting housing improvement loan programs designed to enhance housing quality and overall quality of life, as well as further legal protections for survivors of domestic violence. Riley currently works at the Buffalo Museum of Science, where she focuses on guest-facing interactions that are accessible, accurate, and engaging, ensuring science education experiences better meet the needs of the local community. She has spoken at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C. and the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, and attended both the annual ACWAY Forum and the Interfaith G20 Summit in Italy in 2021.
Todd Becker

Todd Becker brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the orthopedic device industry to Clubfoot Solutions. As Executive Director, he is committed to expanding access to effective, affordable clubfoot treatment worldwide through the Iowa Brace, an innovative solution designed for durability, comfort, and value. Before joining Clubfoot Solutions, Todd led Zimmer Biomet’s Iowa division, overseeing sales, marketing, finance, distribution, and operations. He managed a team of 25 and helped grow annual sales to more than $30 million while achieving consistent double-digit growth. Earlier in his career, he served as Regional Manager for Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices in Chicago. Todd earned his undergraduate degree from St. Ambrose University and is passionate about helping children around the world achieve successful clubfoot correction through sustainable, high-quality care.
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Elder Adrian Bettridge

Debra Boudreaux

Debra Boudreaux is Chief International Affairs Officer of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. With more than three decades of experience in humanitarian service, healthcare, disaster response, and international partnership development, she strengthens collaboration among faith communities, governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society. Her global engagement focuses on humanitarian action, community resilience, climate adaptation, interfaith cooperation, and empowering women and young leaders. She has contributed to international dialogues involving the United Nations, G20 Interfaith Forum, World Bank, and other global platforms, bringing grassroots humanitarian experience into policy and partnership discussions. Guided by Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s principles of gratitude, respect, and love, Debra advocates for compassion-centered approaches that connect local action with global cooperation and build resilient, inclusive communities.
Fraser Bullock

Fraser Bullock

Fraser Bullock serves as President and Executive Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Previously, he led the bid to bring the Games back to Utah for 2034. Fraser has been active in the Olympic movement for 27 years, previously serving as COO and CFO for the successful Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics. Since 2002, he has served as a volunteer for the International Olympic Committee, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and many Olympic hosts, including Torino, Vancouver, Sochi, and Rio. Fraser's business career included service at Bain and Company, Bain Capital, and as a founder of Sorenson Capital, a Utah-based private equity firm. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Masters in Business Administration. Fraser resides in Alpine, Utah with his wife Jennifer. They are parents of 5 children and 12 grandchildren.
Affan Cheema

Affan Cheema is Director of International Programmes at Islamic Relief Worldwide and a humanitarian leader with nearly 30 years of experience in crisis response, development and organisational leadership. He has overseen major international operations, advised boards and governments, and is recognised for advancing quality, accountability and impact across the humanitarian sector. A graduate of the University of Bristol and SOAS, University of London, Affan is also co-editor of Islam and International Development: Insights for Working with Muslim Communities. Having worked and travelled extensively across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, he brings a rare combination of strategic vision, operational credibility and cross-cultural insight to discussions on the future of humanitarian and development action.
Steven Dobb

As a Manager of Emergency Response for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Steven Dobb supports Church Areas (regions) in responding to humanitarian needs through service. He works with areas to support technology resources in emergency planning, managing volunteers, and coordinating community cleanup efforts. Steven has extensive experience, built over the last 11 years, in developing and reviewing project proposals, strengthening communities by building bridges through service, and bringing organizations together through true collaboration.
Martin Egbert

Martin Egbert received an undergraduate and MBA from Brigham Young University. He and his wife Allyson are members of Advisory Councils of the Marriott School of Management, the International Center (ICLRS) for Law and Religion Studies at the J. Rueben Clark Law School and the PLC at Brigham Young University. They are also members of the Board of the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada. Martin is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Ponseti International Association for the Treatment of Congenital Clubfoot, University of Iowa Health Care. The Ponseti minimally invasive method of treatment has an over 95% success rate. Since 1999, the Ponseti method of treatment has become the mainstream initial method of treatment for children born with congenital clubfoot in the U.S. and throughout the world. Martin and Allyson are the parents of six children. They have lived in Utah, Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas.
Ms. Allyson Egbert

Allyson Egbert earned her BA in Political Science from BYU while serving as ASBYU Vice President. She worked for Senator Orrin Hatch in Washington, DC and Senator James Moss on the State Legislative level. She co-founded Allymar, a development and investment company, serving the global needs of many who are marginalized, including those born crippled with Clubfoot. Currently Allyson is on the Executive Committee of the International Advisory Council (IAC) for the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS / BYU), board member on the national committee for Religious Freedom Alliances Coalition (RFAC), member of the National Council of Religious Freedom (NCRF), member of the Marriott School National Advisory Committee (NAC), and served as chair of the 2025 women’s conference for the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC). On a community level she serves on the board of the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada (IFCSN). She and her husband Martin are blessed with six wonderful children and two inspiring grandchildren.
Rania Elessawi

Rania Elessawi, Social Behavior Change for PHC Specialist at UNICEF Global Health Practice MNCAH, has 20+ years applying a rights-based approach in development and humanitarian settings. She focuses on SBC in health systems, advocacy, and capacity development. Has worked in Egypt, Afghanistan, Liberia, India, Yemen, Sierra Leone. Specializes in country technical assistance, programme design, systems strengthening, policy change, community engagement, strategic partnerships and evidence generation for decision making.
Doug Fountain

Doug Fountain

Doug Fountain is Executive Director of Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH), where he works at the intersection of faith, health systems, and global development. CCIH is a global network that accelerates the impact of faith-based health by raising visibility, strengthening quality, and fostering fellowship among members in 90 low- and middle-income countries. Drawing on four decades of experience in research, consulting, and organizational leadership, Doug strengthens leadership across faith communities by connecting leaders, sharing effective practices, and helping faith-based health systems become stronger and more sustainable. He co-founded the Christian Health Asset Mapping Consortium and the Christian Journal for Global Health and has served on executive leadership teams at Uganda Christian University and Medical Teams International. His work spans health systems, leadership, governance, financing, digital transformation, and partnerships. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon and a master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Parker is a volunteer with IF20 working directly with our executive director on special projects, including serving as Vice Chair of our Impact Measurement task force. Outside of IF20, Parker has worked for Capital One for four years and currently works as a manager on the company's Software strategy team, helping to map the future of data security and Capital One's role in it. Parker is originally from Idaho and attended Brigham Young University where he obtained both a bachelor's and master's degree in accounting.
Dr. Santhosh George

Dr. Santhosh George innovated 10 different impactful national and global programs in his pursuit to offer solutions for different problems the world is facing today. Be it hunger, malnutrition, growing unhealthy lifestyle, environmental issues, education for children with disabilities, he has very simple programs that address such global issues. Many of his initiatives are now world's largest programs that have impacted millions of vulnerable children and their families. You can learn more from www.cure.org.in / www.weplant.in / www.healthashram.org / www.childreninindia.org / www.clubfootindia.com Santhosh has a Ph.D. in humanities from Madurai Kamaraj University in Tamil Nadu, India and he continues to inspire humanity to either find a way to transform our world or to join his movement and experience joy by making a lasting impact on this world. He believes that we all have the right to do good; and we all can leave a better world before we leave this world. He can be contacted at [email protected]
Elissa McConkie Gifford

Elissa Gifford serves as the Global Director of Humanitarian Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she leads global teams focusing on emergency response, development, and self-reliance initiatives across diverse communities. Raised by parents who modeled compassion and service, Elissa has dedicated her career to humanitarian work. Starting with supporting refugee resettlement, expanding to building self-reliance globally, her journey reflects a lifelong commitment to helping others. Her work spans continents, engaging with local leaders, NGOs, and government entities to deliver aid and capacity-building programs that reflect the Church’s commitment to global well-being. Elissa brings a unique perspective, drawing on her experience in navigating complex logistical environments and fostering sustainable impact through collaborative models.
Katie Boller Gosewisch

Katie Boller Gosewisch is the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT), where she began leading the organization's mission against trafficking and exploitation in May 2022. With a career spanning over 20 years in the nonprofit sector, Katie is deeply committed to serving vulnerable populations, emphasizing advocacy, community engagement, and access to resources. Her experience, including executive leadership roles at Living at Home Network and WeCab, showcases her dedication to impactful service. Katie holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in both history and theology, underlining her work's foundation in faith and principles of justice and dignity. At AEHT, she uses her expertise to further education, advocacy, and survivor support, striving for a world eradicated of human trafficking.
Dr. Ravan Hasanov

Ravan Hasanov graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Law at Baku State University and later specialized in law at the University of Potsdam in Germany, completing studies in criminal law, criminal procedure, and criminology. He earned his PhD in penal enforcement law at the Institute of Law and Human Rights of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. His book Organized Crime in Germany and Azerbaijan was published in Germany, and he is the author of numerous academic articles on law, multiculturalism, peace, and tolerance. Hasanov has contributed significantly to the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre (BIMC), serving as editor and coordinator for works such as Azerbaijani Multiculturalism: Treasury of Ethnic Diversity, Ethno-Cultural Heritage of Caucasian Albania, and The Onomastics of the Truth. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the International Multiculturalism Journal. His career in public service includes roles as senior specialist and counselor at the State Advisory Service of the President of Azerbaijan on International, Multicultural, and Religious Affairs (2016–2017). In February 2019, by order of President Ilham Aliyev, he was appointed Executive Director of BIMC. Hasanov has organized numerous intercultural and interfaith dialogue platforms, as well as youth and educational programs, and has been recognized with multiple awards for his contributions to law, multiculturalism, and international dialogue.
Matius Ho

Matius Ho is executive director and a founder of Leimena Institute, a non- profit organization focused on helping Christians effectively engage in social, political, and economic issues in Jakarta, Indonesia. He leads the development of the Cross-Cultural Religious Literacy program which, since 2021, has trained thousands of teachers in Indonesia on competencies to strengthen a peaceful multireligious and multicultural society. Under his leadership, Leimena Institute has built partnerships and collaborations with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, as well as many leading religious and educational institutions.
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Robert Hokanson

David Huntsman

David H. Huntsman is President and CEO of the Huntsman Family Foundation, where he helps advance the family’s longstanding commitment to philanthropy, including support for the Huntsman Cancer Institute and Huntsman Mental Health Institute. Through the Foundation, he champions initiatives that address mental health, education, homelessness, domestic violence, and other community needs. A dedicated civic and community leader, David has served on the boards of Utah State University, the University of Utah, and numerous local and national organizations. He has also held leadership roles within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and previously served as an officer of Huntsman Corporation. David is actively involved in Utah’s 2034 Olympic and Paralympic movement, helping raise awareness of mental health resources for athletes and their families. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys hiking and running in the Wasatch Mountains. He and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of eight children and grandparents to a growing family.
Liliya Khasanova

Liliya Khasanova is a director of A Common Word Among Youth (ACWAY), a global youth movement building conviviality across religious, cultural, and generational lines. Over ten years with ACWAY, she has held several volunteer leadership roles within the organization, growing a shared international community of more than 450 young peacebuilders across 85 countries who turn dialogue into action in their own communities. She has organised nine global youth forums in eight different countries and led the drafting of the Interfaith Development Goals (IDGs), a framework now used to embed intercultural and interfaith practice into youth, government, and organisational work. Liliya also leads the IF20 Youth Working Group, advocating for meaningful youth inclusion in interfaith dialogue at the global policy level. She was selected as a Women in International Security (WIIS) Next-Generation Fellow in 2021 and is currently a post-doctoral scholar in technology and international affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Martin Luther King III

Martin Luther King III

With hate crimes rising, movements against social injustices sprouting, and an electorate that is deeply divided, perhaps at no other time in recent history has our world needed the clear thinking and solutions-oriented voice of civil rights advocate and global humanitarian Martin Luther King III.

From speaking to thousands at the 60th Anniversary of March On Washington in August 2023 to his dozens of arrests during peaceful protests, Mr. King is shepherding the healing of our nation and the world. He is connecting the important lessons of the past with the critical needs of our future and motivating a new generation of authentic leaders, while empowering others to use their voices to bring about change as well.

As the oldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III is a thought leader on the world stage, a peace maker, and a negotiator on some of today’s most critical national and international platforms for social change. Amplifying the work of his father, Mr. King and his wife Mrs. Arndrea Waters King have devoted their lives to promoting global human rights and eradicating racism, violence, and poverty, earning a reputation as a respected international statesman and one of the world’s most passionate advocates for the poor and oppressed.

Mr. King speaks on a variety of topics such as the importance of continuing the struggle for civil rights and taking a stand against adversity, emphasizing the importance of individual action in making his father’s dream a reality and challenging us all to do better.

Mr. and Mrs. King recently announced the Realize the Dream Initiative, with the ambitious goal of collecting 100 million service hours by Dr. King’s 100th birthday, on January 15, 2029. Through strategic partnerships and relationships with civil rights leaders and prominent activists, Martin and Arndrea are committed to realizing the dream and empowering the next generation of activists like their daughter Yolanda Renee to create The Beloved Community.

Mr. King regularly appears on CNN, MSNBC, NBC News, and ABC News. His writings have been published in The Washington Post, The New York Times, on CNN.com, and other major news outlets.

Mr. King is the host of the award-winning podcast, "My Legacy" and the co-author of three books with his wife Arndrea. He is also a Professor of Practice at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
Audrey E. Kitagawa

Audrey E. Kitagawa, JD, is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, and the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations. She is the Chair of the Anti-Racism Initiative, and Gender Equality Working Group, Vice Chair of the Communications Team, a member of the Advisory Council and the Operations Team of the G20 Interfaith Forum. She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, a member of the Advisory Council of Global Security Institute, and Facta Est Lux Human Rights Institute. She has been listed in Who's Who Of American Law, Who's Who Of American Women, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In The World, and Prominent People of Hawaii.
Elizabeta Kitanovic

Dr. Elizabeta Kitanovic is the CEO and founder of the Facta est Lux – Human Rights (FEL-HRI) Institute, based in Belgium since 2025. She has over twenty years of professional experience in human rights advocacy, research, and education. The establishment of FEL-HRI is grounded in a holistic understanding of the protection of the inherent human dignity of all persons. She has been teaching at the Orthodox Institute Apostle Paul in Brussels course on Ecumenism and Christian Confession since 2013. From 2020 to 2026, Dr Kitanovic served as Professor of Human Rights Law at the Faculty of Protestant Theology and Religious Studies. Between 2007 and 2025, she worked as Programme Staff for Advocacy and Dialogue at the Conference of European Churches, with a focus on human rights and freedom of religion or belief. In this role, she led the development of the Conference’s advocacy and human rights education initiatives and edited six key educational and policy resources. Dr Kitanovic holds degrees in Orthodox Christian Theology and Political Science from the University of Belgrade. She regularly lectures and conducts research on human rights; freedom of religion or belief; religious radicalization and security; environmental rights and sustainability; and interreligious and intercultural dialogue. She serves as an adviser to AI & Faith in Utah (since 2026), a senior partner at Lead Integrity in New York (since 2025), a member of the Advisory Council of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation in New York (since 2025) and has been a member of the G20 Interfaith Forum Advisory Council since 2014 in the US.
Van Lindberg

Van Lindberg is an intellectual property attorney at Process Mechanics, focusing on AI governance and open source law. A software developer before becoming an attorney, he brings technical depth to complex compliance and risk matters that sit at the intersection of law and engineering. Van developed the CORE Framework, a structured methodology for AI risk assessment, and founded Model Monster, a platform that automates AI governance through visual system mapping and policy evaluation. His twenty-five years in open source law provide essential grounding for AI governance work, where open source models and components are foundational. Van authored O'Reilly's "Intellectual Property and Open Source," co-edited the Open Source casebook, and served as board member and legal counsel to multiple open source foundations. Van has been named one of "America's Top 12 Techiest Attorneys" by the ABA Journal and recognized as a leading IP strategist by IAM magazine.
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President Linda Livingstone

Sandile Makasi

Sandile Makasi is the Area Communication and Publishing Director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Africa South Area. He previously served as Vice-Chair of the G20 Interfaith Forum South Africa Local Organising Committee. Sandile has held several leadership roles throughout his career, including serving as Assistant Country Manager at Young Living Essential Oils. Within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he has also served as Travel and Visa Manager and Supply Chain Manager. He is a co-founder of Zulu Grille, a social impact restaurant in Lehi, Utah, USA.
Angelique Mutombo

Ms. Angelique Mutombo is a Senior Program Officer at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, where she leads the Africa-Global portfolio on the Catholic Sisters team. She has managed over $60 million in grants across 10+ African countries and Europe, and North America, supporting more than 100 grantees. An experienced leader and strategic thinker, she brings expertise in strategy development, advocacy, program management, and grant-making, with a focus on human development, education, and women’s rights. Ms Mutombo is practical and highly motivated at directing strategic and collaborative programs crossing non-profit, philanthropy, business, and government sectors. She has exceptional interpersonal and intercultural skills and has worked with multiple constituencies in diverse communities and organizations. She has a strong commitment to community building and change. She holds an M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University and a B.S. in Earth Science from Central State University.
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Liliana Olvera-Arbon is the Executive Director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (UCASA), Utah’s statewide coalition dedicated to advancing survivor-centered services, strengthening sexual assault response systems, and supporting rape crisis centers and communities throughout the state. With extensive experience in victim services, advocacy, systems change, and public policy, Liliana works to elevate the voices and needs of survivors while building collaborative partnerships across government, nonprofit, healthcare, law enforcement, and community sectors. Her leadership has helped advance statewide initiatives focused on improving access to confidential services, strengthening sexual assault response, and ensuring that survivors—regardless of where they live—can access the support they need. Liliana currently serves as Co-Chair of the Utah Victim Services Commission, where she works alongside statewide leaders and stakeholders to strengthen coordination, accountability, and outcomes across Utah’s victim services system. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, contributing to national efforts to advance policies, prevention, advocacy, and systems that support survivors of sexual violence. She is passionate about collaborative leadership, survivor-centered policy, and creating sustainable solutions that improve services and access for victims and survivors. Under her leadership, UCASA continues to serve as a strong voice for survivors and the organizations that support them, advancing a vision of a Utah where every survivor is believed, supported, and empowered.
Veena O'Sullivan

30 years in international development, with 27 years in senior leadership across humanitarian, development and influencing programmes for a major global Christian organisation. A proven mobiliser and strategist, with a track record of bringing communities, faith leadership and institutional partners into the heart of organisational strategy and of turning broad, diverse input into clear, owned direction. Held cumulative responsibility for portfolios spanning £56m+ and 60 countries globally, designing, running and rigorously evaluating programmes and shaping the Theory of Change behind them. Accountable for corporate dashboards, impact quadrant. Lived and worked across more than 30 countries directly, with deep experience of faith-rooted discernment, large-scale change processes, and multi-funder governance design. Combines operational delivery with a strategic, design-trained, systems-thinking approach to facilitation and an instinct for making complexity accessible to diverse audiences.
Eli Ovits

Eli serves as Founder of Altruists and Director of Monitor Impact. He has worked in a range of sectors including education, banking and philanthropy, media and government relations, communications and strategy. Since 2020, Eli has been working intensely in the MENA region helping forge ties with leaders. Eli is an Ambassador of the UAE’s Dealmakers (formerly Abrahamic Business Circle), sits on the Leadership Council of Global Jewry and the advisory boards of World Class Scholars and ARIS (the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States). With a BA in Development Studies from the University of Leeds and an MA in Diplomacy and National Security from Hebrew University, Eli previously served as Executive Vice President of Jerusalem U; Director of Communications to the diplomatic corps and the Pan Arabic/International media at TIP; and CEO of the educational nonprofit Limmud, spanning 44 countries. Eli’s work has consistently focused on building understanding between cultures and religions through education and dialogue.
Ann Parker

Ann Parker is a dedicated Rotarian with 30 years of service and a strong commitment to Rotary International and its mission: providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. She serves as Administrative Assistant for the Rotary Action Group for Clubfoot, supporting global efforts to raise awareness, connect Rotarians, and advance access to effective clubfoot treatment using the non-surgical Ponseti Method throughout the world. Her work embodies Rotary’s message that People of Action Create Lasting Impact, as she helps engage Rotarians and their families and friends in the shared goal of a world free of clubfoot disability. Her long-standing involvement reflects a deep belief in service, partnership, and the power of communities working together to create lasting change.
Tia Oros Peters

Tia Oros Peters is a Shiwi woman, mother, grandmother, writer, and artist who has been engaged in advocacy, community building, and policy work for nearly four decades. Tia serves as CEO of the Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples. Founded in 1977, SGF is a values-based and culturally-centered organization that supports community created initiatives on the frontlines of Decolonization, Re-Indigenization, and Reclaiming throughout the Indigenous World. Springing from decades of Water protection advocacy and action, Tia coined the term Aquacide, defining it as the killing of the waters by industrial dams, diversion, pollution and related impacts that damage Water’s ability to nurture and sustain Life. Co-founder and convener of the Global Indigenous Women’s Caucus (2001-2019), and Indigenous Women Worldwide (2018-present), she is a member of the G20 Gender Equality Working Group and serves on other boards of directors for organizations engaged in social, cultural, gender and Earth justice.
Noelle Pikus Pace

Noelle Pikus Pace is an Olympic silver medalist, 2x World Champion, 26x World Cup medalist, bestselling author, and leadership advisor who helps organizations create a culture of ownership and action. In 2005, after being ranked #1 in the world in the sport of skeleton, Noelle was struck by a runaway bobsled in an accident that shattered her leg. One season later, she returned to win the World Championships, by the largest margin in the sport’s history. After narrowly missing the podium at the 2010 Vancouver Games, Noelle returned to the Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 2014, on a sled that her husband built and with her two children by her side. She won the silver medal. Her celebration in the stands with her family was named the USOPC’s “Moment of the Games.” Today, Noelle speaks, consults, and coaches organizations on ownership, resilience, leadership, and performance. She is the author of "No Excuses: How 60 Seconds of Ownership Can Transform Your Life, Your Teams, and Your Results" and a proud mother of four.
Sara Rahim

Sara Rahim is a Manager at the SHRM Foundation, where she works to create inclusive, thriving workplaces. With a decade of experience in project management and network cultivation, Sara has designed and led initiatives across health equity, workforce development, workplace inclusion, and interfaith/intercultural engagement. Previously, Sara served on the Workplace Innovation team at Interfaith America, where she ran programs and fellowships that promoted religious inclusion across business and healthcare. She has also spearheaded workforce development programs engaging over 50 national nonprofits and employment social enterprises, helping them achieve greater reach, job placement, and retention outcomes. Sara has addressed global platforms on the role of interfaith action, including the White House, the United Nations, and G20 Interfaith Forums. She has been recognized as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum, and has served as a United Nations Youth Representative for the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Sara has held leadership roles within A Common Word Among the Youth (ACWAY), the global youth partner of the G20 Interfaith Forum, and has designed capacity-building programs for interfaith leaders in Sudan, Azerbaijan, and Italy. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago.
Tina Ramirez Lee

Tina (Ramirez) Lee serves as the Founder and President of Hardwired Global and brings to the organization 25 years of experience as a teacher, foreign policy expert and authority on international human rights law and religious freedom. Previously, she served as a policy advisor for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a foreign policy advisor for the U.S. Congress, where she founded the bi-partisan International Religious Freedom Caucus, and former Director of Government Relations and International Programs at Becket Law. Tina has published extensively and is the editor of a series of Children’s books based on lessons about religious freedom that teachers she trained wrote, which were published by Hardwired and include Fruitopia, Watch the Birds, Ribbon Rainbows, The Peaceful Garden, and A Common Goal. In addition, she is the author of Iraq: Hope in the Midst of Darkness (2017) and a contributing author and editor of Human Rights in the United States: A Dictionary and Documents (2010 and 2017) and author/editor of Human Rights: Great Events From History (2019). She holds a certificate from the International Institute for Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, a MA in Education from Vanguard University, and a MA in International Human Rights from the University of Essex, UK. She has worked in more than 30 countries, testified before the U.S. Congress and United Nations, and is a contributing author of several publications, including the Journal of Social Science Education. In 2012, she was awarded the Second Annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Humanitarian Award for her congressional work defending their community worldwide. Her unique expertise in education was recently featured in the Emmy-nominated PBS series The Good Road.
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Eric Rassbach

Angela Nielsen Redding

Angela Nielsen Redding currently serves as Executive Director at Radiant Foundation and the Faith & Media Initiative, which invest in more accurate, nuanced representation of all faiths in AI, entertainment, and news. She is senior fellow at AI Ethics and Governance Institute (AEGIX) and an advisor to The Neurospirituality Lab at Harvard Medical School. Prior to her work at Radiant, she founded a media innovation trade association, shaping multi-million and billion-dollar investments. Her professional experience includes decades of management consulting and nonprofit management for some of the largest and most impactful corporations, nonprofits, and startups in the world. Angela is a faith-motivated global innovator, thought leader, and data enthusiast. But most of all, she loves adventuring with her husband and two little girls.
Tim Rollins

Tim Rollins leads a company focused on helping financial institutions and other organizations detect and disrupt illicit finance. He regularly collaborates with experts across the private and public sectors to build solutions with real-world impact, and believes that combining technology with sound policy can meaningfully reduce harm to vulnerable people. Tim is particularly interested in how financial detection systems can support broader efforts to combat human trafficking and protect those most at risk.
Tim Stratford

Tim Stratford is senior counsel and former managing partner in Covington & Burling LLP’s Beijing office. His law practice has been focused on advising international clients doing business in China and assisting Chinese companies seeking to expand their businesses globally. As a former Assistant United States Trade Representative responsible for the U.S. trade negotiations with China, Mr. Stratford is the most senior former U.S. official to have worked as a longtime member of the U.S. business community in Beijing. Except for the five years he spent in Washington at USTR (2005-2010), Mr. Stratford has lived and worked continuously in the greater China region since 1982, including as minister- counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and as general counsel for General Motors China operations. Mr. Stratford has served three terms as chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China -- in 2000, 2001, and 2019. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School and speaks Mandarin and Cantonese.
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Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett serves as President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, which she established in 2008 to continue the legacy of her father, the late Congressman Tom Lantos. He co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, served as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and was the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the US Congress. Under her leadership, the Lantos Foundation has become a distinguished and respected voice on human rights. Dr. Lantos Swett is the former Chair and Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and she has served as Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit since its inaugural gathering in 2021. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Board of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) and the Budapest-based Tom Lantos Institute, as well as on the Board of Trustees of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and the Human Rights Foundation.
Dato Dr Kim Tan

Dato Dr Kim Tan Chairman of SpringHill Management, a private fund management company specialising in biotech and social venture capital investments. He has been a pioneer of social impact investing for over 25 years and is a partner of several social impact funds in Africa and Asia. He is the founder of the Kuzuko Game Reserve (South Africa) and the Pabidi Lodge (Uganda). He is the co-founder of the Transformational Business Network (TBN) Alliance and a trustee of the John Templeton Foundation, Templeton Religion Trust and the Centre for Enterprise, Markets & Ethics (Oxford). He is the inventor of sheep monoclonal antibodies and is a Pro-Chancellor of Surrey University (UK) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK).
Dr. Tomicah Tillemann

Dr. Tomicah Tillemann is the CEO of the Pro-Human AI Coalition, a global effort that brings urgently needed infrastructure and resources to the work of keeping AI under meaningful human control and prioritizing public interest over corporate profit. Its membership spans more than 50 leading organizations across technology, policy, research, investment, philanthropy, and movement-building. Previously, Tomicah served as President of Project Liberty, a large-scale effort dedicated to giving people a voice, a choice, and a stake in a better digital world. Prior to joining Project Liberty, he led policy for Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and Haun Ventures. He also served as Senior Advisor to two Secretaries of State, directing a team of experts that built 20 major initiatives in 55 countries. Tomicah received his B.A. magna cum laude from Yale University and holds a Ph.D. with distinction from the School for Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Christina Tobias-Nahi

Christina Tobias-Nahi joined the Islamic Circle of North America, ICNA Relief, as fractional Director of Government Affairs late 2025. Prior, she spent nearly two decades as Director of Public Affairs, Research & Advocacy for Islamic Relief USA. Before relocating to the nation's capitol, she worked at Harvard University with the Islamic Legal Studies Program then the Civil Rights Project. Mrs Tobias-Nahi holds a M.A. in International Relations from Boston University-Paris Overseas Graduate Center, an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Executive Ed certificates, from Harvard in Public Policy and Colorado State in Community-based Development. Her undergraduate studies were done at the University of Utah and University of Hawai'i. Christina lived abroad in Paris for a number of years where she worked with the OECD, and has been blessed over the course of her career to visit over 30 countries for various projects and convenings including several prior Summits. She recently became a Board member of Harvard Global WE (Women's Empowerment) SIG.
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Ruth Todd

Rick Twelves

Rick Twelves works in the Sustainability Office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his role, he works closely with the Presiding Bishopric to support global sustainability priorities in Church operations, as well as oversee communication plans to increase education and awareness. Previously, while based in Europe and the Middle East, he worked as a sustainability strategy consultant for government and private sector clients in emerging markets. Most recently, he worked for the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank Group, where he supported corporate strategies in decarbonization, risk and resiliency, and just energy transitions. Rick grew up in the Pacific Northwest and obtained a bachelor's degree with honors in economics from the University of Washington. He also received a master’s degree in “economics for smart cities and climate policy” from École Polytechnique in France, where he also graduated with honors.
Maria Lucia Uribe Torres

Maria Lucia Uribe Torres

Maria Lucia Uribe is Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva, where she leads global efforts to transform education systems through ethics education, advancing children's holistic well-being, social cohesion, and peace. She works closely with Ministries of Education, UN agencies, faith-based organizations, and civil society to strengthen education policies, curricula, and teacher development that equip children with the ethical competencies needed to navigate increasingly diverse and complex societies. She oversees the implementation of Arigatou International's Ethics Education for Children Initiative in more than 30 countries, supporting national and regional education reforms. Maria Lucia also leads the organization's global advocacy in Geneva on children's rights and well-being, convening international platforms that bridge policy, research, and practice. She convenes the International Consortium on Nurturing Values in Early Childhood for the Prevention of Violence and the Child Rights Connect Working Group on Children and Violence. Her work promotes cross-sector and interfaith collaboration to build more inclusive, resilient, and peaceful societies.
Peter Vidmar

Peter Vidmar enjoyed a successful competitive career in gymnastics, winning numerous national and international titles, culminating in his winning two gold and one silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He is a member of the United States Olympic Hall of Fame and the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and was a member of the Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation. A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served as president of the Australia Melbourne Mission for the Church from 2016-2019. Prior to his missionary service, for a period of time he served as the Assistant Director of Public Affairs for the Church in Orange County California, where he cherished his involvement in interfaith relations.
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Karen Volker was appointed Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative (URI) on March 1, 2025. She joined URI in January 2023 as Director of Partnership and Violence Prevention. Karen brings 25 years as a U.S. diplomat and ten years at the international nonprofit Cure Violence Global (CVG) to her leadership, earning respect across URI's global interfaith network. Karen’s leadership roles at State include serving as Director of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), managing a $530 million program promoting pluralism and prosperity in the Middle East and North Africa, and as U.S. Coordinator for the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, shaping U.S. policy and regional assistance in the Balkans. At CVG, Karen served as Vice President, introducing the health approach to violence prevention into new countries. Her position at URI and career combining diplomacy, policy, and peacebuilding reflect IF20's mission of bringing faith communities' wisdom to global policy challenges.
Sarah Jane Weaver

Sarah Jane Weaver is the editor of the Deseret News. For more than three decades, she has traveled the globe writing and learning about international events, the response to major disasters, the Olympics and faith. Sarah graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in journalism and history and received a professional certificate in executive leadership from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She and her husband, Clinton Weaver, have three daughters.
Tim Wren

Tim Wren is a transformational business leader and accomplished P&L executive serving as President, Consulting Services at BSI Group. Known for driving profitable growth through a "one team, one goal" philosophy, he aligns strategy, operations, and customer value to deliver sustainable business outcomes. With extensive leadership experience across product management, operations and supply chain, finance, and business development, Tim excels at simplifying complex challenges and leading organizational transformation within global businesses. A strong advocate for continuous improvement, Tim leverages data-driven decision-making, accountability, and Six Sigma principles to build high- performing teams and operational excellence. Throughout his career spanning the military, chemical manufacturing, and professional services sectors, he has led initiatives that increased revenue, improved profitability, reduced costs, and enhanced workplace safety. In addition to his role at BSI, Tim serves on the Board of Directors of the British American Business Association (BABA), supporting transatlantic business collaboration and strengthening commercial relationships between the United States and the United Kingdom.

Scholars

Rodrigo Alves

Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves is Professor of Law at the Federal University of Uberlândia (Brazil) and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Coimbra (Portugal). He leads the Brazilian Center of Studies in Law and Religion (CEDIRE) and the Human Rights Laboratory (LabDH). Rodrigo is the Vice-President of the International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ICLARS), and he is a member of the Advisory Board of G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20), the Expert Committee of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), the Advisory Board of the Young Scholars Fellowship on Religion and the Rule of Law at Oxford, and is an the Computational Humanities Lab (Oxford). Prof. Alves has consulted as an expert with institutions such as the UN, OAS and IDLO, and was an Academic Visitor at the University of Oxford. Co-Managing Editor of the Routledge "ICLARS Series on Law and Religion". His work focuses on Human Rights, Constitutional Law, Law and Religion.
Tonya Amankwatia

Dr. Tonya Amankwatia is a learning sciences and technology scholar, workforce transformation strategist, and creator of the MARIT Framework for Mindful AI and Regulation in Technology. She is Principal of Tonya Amankwatia Consulting, serves as Strategic Advisor for Learning Strategy and Responsible Technology to Udēēsa, and heads the AI 2030 Institute. Her experience spans faith, education, media, and global service. A missionary and educator in Liberia and Ghana, she has taught and served from K-12 through higher education, including Community Christian School, St. Thomas More, and the Pinellas County Jewish Community Center. She contributed to NATO training technology conferences. Her media foundation is in mass communications and broadcast production. A former university assistant vice provost and tenured faculty member, she holds an M.A. in Christian Education from Oral Roberts University and a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Technology from Lehigh University. Selected professional service includes the AECT Foundation Board and TechTrends editorial board.
Juvenal Balisasa

Juvenal Balisasa—a Rwandan citizen—is Education Associate Director at the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland, USA. He serves as liaison for higher education and advisor to the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean, Middle East and North Africa region, Southern Asia Division, and South Pacific regions, Francophone Universities worldwide, Editor for the Dialogue magazine, and associate Editor for The Journal of Adventist Education. Prior to his current position, Juvenal served as Pastor-Teacher missionary in West-Africa for 19 years, and for 10 years as Education Director for the West-central Africa Division the Seventh-day Adventists covering 22 countries of the sub-region. He holds graduate degrees in Agronomy, Quality Management Systems, Religion, and Religious Education.
Judd Birdsall

Judd Birdsall is an assistant professor of the practice in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Georgetown University, where he is also a senior fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. He was also a senior advisor on the religion team at the United States Institute of Peace. From 2011 to 2020 Birdsall was based at Cambridge University, where he earned his Ph.D., founded a research center on religion and international studies, and served as an affiliated lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Studies. Prior to his time at Cambridge, he served in the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom and on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff. He is also a senior editor and a frequent contributor at The Review of Faith & International Affairs.
Jenna Boden

Jenna Boden

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Bob S. Carter, MD, PhD, serves as Executive Vice President for Health Sciences and CEO for University of Utah Health. In his roles leading the health system, Carter works to assure the professional and educational success of more than 27,000 talented faculty, staff, and students who make U of U Health one of the nation’s premier academic health centers. Prior to joining the University of Utah in 2025, he served as the William and Elizabeth Sweet Endowed Professor in Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Neurosurgeon-In-Chief at Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. A neurosurgical oncologist and prolific researcher, Carter was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2024. Carter received an MD and PhD in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University and an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Brigham Young University.
Chayton Dalby

Chayton Dalby is a student of Economics with a minor in Strategic Management at Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business, where he works at the Ballard Center for Social Impact conducting research on homelessness. His work has included running and measuring impact of a community-based program for unhoused women, leading quantitative analysis of large-scale datasets, and crafting a large-scale homelessness sleep health study. Chayton has been shaped by his experiences living abroad in Singapore as a child and on the Balkan peninsula as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Those experiences and others have fostered a deep appreciation for diverse faiths and cultures and a passion for interfaith collaboration and social impact. A National Merit Scholar, Chayton brings both analytical rigor and a commitment to human flourishing to everything he does. He joins the IF20 Forum as part of the Impact Measurement Taskforce, presenting an Impact Evaluation Framework as well as findings on best-in- class evaluation tools and exemplary organizations advancing faith- informed, evidence-based approaches to social impact.
Amaarah DeCuir

Amaarah DeCuir, EdD, is an Associate Professor at American University in the Baker School of Education and an Executive Board member with the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World. DeCuir is Chair of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division A Leadership in Action Committee and founding Vice Chair of the Critical Muslim Education Research SIG. Recently, Dr. DeCuir served as an Advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, supporting the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Her scholarship spans the areas of higher education pedagogies, Muslim student experiences, Prophetic pedagogy, faith erasure, equity and social justice policy, education leadership, school leadership & governance, and faculty development. She has published peer-reviewed articles and chapters, co-edited a book in the Routledge series, Educational Leadership for an Equitable, Resilient and Sustainable Future, and co-authored Faith Honoring: Making the case for faith- inclusive pedagogy.
W. Cole Durham, Jr.

W. Cole Durham, Jr., is the immediate past President of the International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies (ICLARS), and Susa Young Gates University Professor of Law and Founding Director of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), at the J. Reuben Clark Law School of Brigham Young University. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was a Note Editor of the Harvard Law Review and Managing Editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. He has been heavily involved in comparative law scholarship, with a special emphasis on comparative constitutional law. He is a founding Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion. He served as the Secretary of the American Society of Comparative Law from 1989 to 1994. He is an Associate Member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. He served as a General Rapporteur for the topic ‘Religion and the Secular State’ at the 18th Congress of the International Academy of Comparative Law, held in July 2010. He served in earlier years as Chair both of the Comparative Law Section and the Law and Religion Section of the American Association of Law Schools.
Dr. Theresa Hennessey

Dr. Theresa Hennessey is a Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon at Shriners Clinic and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. She specializes in specializing in clubfoot, hip disorders, trauma, deformity correction, and arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. She is passionate about caring for patients born with Clubfoot using the Ponseti method. She was fortunate to train under Dr. Ignacio Ponseti early in her career and had been using the method for 20 years. She shares the goal of the Ponseti International Association: eliminating clubfoot disability worldwide through sustainable national programs
Allen D. Hertzke

Allen D. Hertzke

Allen D. Hertzke is David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus of political science at the University of Oklahoma. He is author, co-author, or editor of eleven books, including FREEING GOD’S CHILDREN: THE UNLIKELY ALLIANCE FOR GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS; THE FUTURE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: GLOBAL CHALLENGES; and most recently WHY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MATTERS: HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMAN FLOURISHING. He served a ten-year term on the prestigious Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences at the Vatican.
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DZ Kalman is the host of Belief in the Future, a podcast about religion and technology. He is a fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, leads a research team on AI and Judaism at the Shalom Hartman Institute, and is senior advisor at Sinai and Synapses. He is a member of the Faith Family Technology Network, as well as AI and Faith. He writes at Jello Menorah.
Dr. Azza Karam

Dr. Azza Karam is a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Multilateralism; Professor and Director of Occidental College’s Kahane–United Nations Program; and President of Lead Integrity. She served for two decades with UNDP and UNFPA, coordinating the Arab Human Development Reports and co-founding the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion, bringing together more than 20 UN entities. She established its Multi-Faith Advisory Council and facilitated Strategic Learning Exchanges on Religion, Development and Diplomacy. Previously, she led Religions for Peace and the Women’s Learning Partnership and worked with the OSCE, EU and International IDEA across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia. A scholar-practitioner, she has taught at institutions including West Point and Queen’s University Belfast, and published widely on religion, gender, democracy, conflict and human rights. Her honors include a 2022 honorary degree from John Cabot University. Born in Egypt, she lives in the United States.
Dr. Peter Mandaville

Dr. Peter Mandaville is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. He is also Professor of International Affairs and Director of the AbuSulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies at George Mason University, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. His government experience includes serving as a member of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff (2011-12), Senior Advisor in the Secretary of State’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs (2015-16), and Director of the Center for Faith-Based Partnerships at USAID (2024-25). His other affiliations have included the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Brookings Institution, the RAND Corporation, the Pew Research Center, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is the author or editor of multiple books including The Geopolitics of Religious Soft Power: How States Use Religion in Foreign Policy and Wahhabism and the World: Understanding’s Saudi Arabia’s Global Influence on Islam (both Oxford University Press), Islam and Politics (Routledge, 3rd edition 2020), and Reimagining the Umma: Transnational Muslim Politics (2001). He has also contributed to Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and The Atlantic online and testified before the U.S. Congress on political Islam, countering violent extremism, and human rights in Saudi Arabia. He is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Katherine Marshall

Katherine Marshall has worked for almost four decades on international development, with a focus on issues facing the world’s poorest countries. She is a senior fellow at Georgetown’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs and Professor of the Practice of Development, Conflict, and Religion in the School of Foreign Service. Her long career with the World Bank (1971-2006) involved a wide range of leadership assignments, many focused on Africa. From 2000-2006 her mandate covered ethics, values, and faith in development work,as counselor to the World Bank’s President. She was Country Director in the World Bank’s Africa region, first for the Sahel region, then Southern Africa. She then led the Bank’s work on social policy and governance during the East Asia crisis years. She worked extensively on Eastern Africa and Latin America. As a long time manager she was involved in many task forces and issues, among them exercises addressing leadership issues, conflict resolution, the role of women, and issues for values and ethics. Ms. Marshall has been closely engaged in the creation and development of the World Faiths Development Dialogue (WFDD) and is its Executive Director. She serves or has served on the Boards of several NGOs and advisory groups, including AVINA Americas, the Niwano Peace Prize International Selection Committee, and the Opus Prize Foundation. She is a board member of IDEA (International Development Ethics Association) and the International Anti-Corruption Advisory Conference (IACC) advisory council. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She served as a core group member of the Council of 100, an initiative of the World Economic Forum to advance understanding between the Islamic World and the West. She was a Trustee of Princeton University (2003-9). She has co-moderated the Fes Forum which is part of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music since its inception. She speaks and publishes widely on issues for international development. Ms. Marshall’s daughter is a physician doing her residency at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, following service in the Peace Corps. Her son recently completed an assignment with Americorps and is taking courses in computer science.
Medlir Mema

Medlir Mema is a political scientist, educator, and civic innovator working at the intersection of AI governance, public policy, and community engagement. A professor of international relations and international law at Brigham Young University–Idaho, Medlir serves as Director of the AI Ethics and Governance Institute, as the Executive Director of Organized Intelligence, and as a Senior Fellow at Faith Matters. His work focuses on how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence shape democratic institutions, public trust, and religious institutions and practices, with an emphasis on ethical governance and human-centered policy. With a global background spanning Europe, the United States, and Japan, and a Ph.D. from George Washington University, he brings both academic and practical experience to advancing dialogue, leadership, and inter-religious dialogue to enable better decision-making in an age of rapid technological change.
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Manu Aluli Meyer is a native Hawaiian scholar-practitioner dedicated to the role aloha (unconditional love) will play in world-wide awakening. She is a globally respected Indigenous writer, speaker, evaluator and thinker devoted to expanding views of knowledge to better address the needs of our time. She earned her doctorate (Harvard, 1998) on the topic of Hawaiian epistemology - philosophy of knowledge - and remains intentional for its capacity to inspire, instruct and heal. Aunty Manuʻs two books - Hoʻoulu: Our Time of Becoming (2001), and Hoʻopono: Mutual Emergence (2025) can be found at Native Books in Hawaiʻi. Dr. Manu Aluli Meyer is active in the Food Sovereignty, Aloha ʻĀina, EA Hawaiʻi, and Hoʻoponopono movements throughout Hawai'i. She is now the Konohiki of Kūlana o Kapolei - a Hawaiian Place of Learning - at the University of Hawai'i West Oahu.
Dr. Nicholas P. Miller

Dr. Nicholas P. Miller is Professor of Law and Religion at Washington Adventist University, where he is Co-Director of the Center for Law and Public Policy. He has worked in the promotion of international religious freedom for more than twenty years, and is the author of the The Religious Roots of the First Amendment (Oxford, 2012)
Todd Miner

Todd Miner serves as Vice President of Global Engagement and Operations at BYU-Pathway Worldwide. In this role, he oversees marketing, communications, field operations, and field support which includes over 4,500 service missionaries and volunteers.
Abigail Morgan

Abigail Morgan is an Environmental Science student at Brigham Young University with minors in Global and Community Impact, International Development, and Global Environmental Studies. While she was born in the United States, she was raised in Malaysia and lived there for 14 years. Currently, she serves as Faith Team Lead at the Ballard Center for Social Impact, where her research examines how faith can strengthen social impact initiatives and improve outcomes for individuals and organizations. She has also contributed to the development of evaluation plans and is passionate about using evidence to advance effective, faith-informed approaches to social change.
Monica Nogueira

Degree in Medicine (1995) and a Master's degree in Health Sciences from the Faculty of Medicine of USP (2003) and a PhD from the Faculty of Public Health of USP (2011) with the theme “Diffusion of the Ponseti Method for treating clubfoot in Brazil – the path to adopting a technology. Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology in the areas of Pediatric Orthopedics, Reconstruction and Bone Lengthening from the University of Maryland, Baltimore – USA with Dror Paley, John Herzemberg, and Kevin Tetsworth. Assistant Physician and Preceptor at the Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual de São Paulo – HSPE. Has publications on lower limb reconstruction. He actively participated in the introduction of the Ponseti Technique for the treatment of congenital clubfoot in Brazil, coordinating the Ponseti Brazil Project with 21 symposiums/trainings with international participation with 586 orthopedists trained in 2007-8. Coordinator of the Training Program “Eradicating Clubfoot in Brazil – Ponseti International Association PIA LAT and Rotary International with the implementation of 80 reference clinics in the treatment of clubfoot using the Ponseti Method. Interested in the dissemination of medical technologies, with an emphasis on Public Health. Member of the Brazilian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology – SBOT; Member of the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Orthopedics – SBOP; Member of ASAMI Brasil and ASAMI International; Medical Advisory Board of the Ponseti International Association; Member of the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society – LLRS. Past President of the Ponseti International Association – PIA Latino America (2012-2016). SLAOTI Board (2018-2020) – Coordination of Conexion Brazil and Latin America. Member of the Executive Committee of WOC – World Orthopedic Community – SICOT in 2020-2024.
Kristian Noll

Kristian Noll is the Knowledge Exchange and Impact Manager for the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme at the London School of Economics, where he leads work to strengthen the visibility, influence, and public impact of AFSEE’s global fellowship community and key programme initiatives. Prior to this, Kristian led the LSE Faith Centre’s climate-focused knowledge exchange initiatives, working with diplomats, policymakers, and advocates to deepen understanding of the role faith communities play in advancing climate action globally. From 2024–2025, he chaired the UNEP Faith for Earth Youth Council, serving as a key representative for young people of faith at international environmental summits including COP29 and UNEA-7. Kristian holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Regulation, with distinction, from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Political Science and Norwegian from St Olaf College. He also served in the parliamentary office of Barry Gardiner MP from 2022–2023 and was one of five Americans selected as a German Parliament International Parliamentary Fellow in 2022.
James Patton

James Patton MDiv is Associate Professor of Professional Practice of Religion and Peacebuilding at Utah State University’s Heravi Peace Institute and Founding Partner of Lead Integrity. He has worked in the intersection of religion and conflict transformation for over 25 years in 40 countries, including facilitating reconciliation in Colombia, post-genocide social cohesion in Cambodia, violent extremism prevention in Kenya, and tolerance reforms in education in Saudi Arabia. James is former CEO of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy and served in the U.S. Department of State and USAID’s Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation. Advisory roles include the USG Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group, the UN Multi-Faith Advisory Council, the G20 Interfaith Forum, and the Rumi Forum. James is co-author of the USIP Religion and Conflict Guide: Religion and Reconciliation. He holds a Master of Divinity from Harvard and a Master of Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School.
Taylor Randall

Taylor Randall is the 17th president of the University of Utah and the first alum in 50 years to lead the U. President Randall has an infectious energy and passion for his alma mater. Since stepping into the role in August of 2021, he’s been on a mission to make the U a top-10 public university with unsurpassed societal impact. Under his leadership, the university launched Impact 2030, a strategic plan to revolutionize the student experience, change the world through research, and serve the state through the university’s teaching, research, service, and health care missions. Initiatives underway include the Eccles Health Campus and Eccles Hospital in West Valley, a second campus for Huntsman Cancer Institute in Utah county, a campus master plan that builds college town magic, the One-U Responsible AI Initiative, and research funding programs that drive innovation and launch solutions into the real world faster. Taylor Randall is a true champion of higher education. He believes the University of Utah can chart a new course for how universities can improve lives and change society for the better. And he is excited to lead the U into its best era yet.
Diana Rayes

Dr. Diana Rayes is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and program director of the Initiative on Faith, Trust, and Health at the Georgetown University Global Health Institute. She is co-founder and managing editor of Science Politics, an online magazine bridging scientific research and public policy. Rayes is a global health scholar with expertise in mental health and whose work examines the intersection of political crisis, migration, and health systems. Her current book project explores displacement, humanitarianism, and resilience through the Syrian crisis. She has worked across academic, multilateral, and humanitarian sectors, advising nonprofits, think tanks, advocacy organizations, and United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organization and UNICEF. She is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and holds affiliations with Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of International Migration and Global Mental Health and Well-being Initiative. Rayes is also a 2026–2027 Faculty Fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service. She holds a Ph.D. and MHS from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a B.S. from Arizona State University.
Andrew C. Reed

Professor Andrew Reed is the Richard L. Evans Chair of Religious Understanding and teaches world religions and interfaith engagement courses at Brigham Young University. He is a professor in Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He holds degrees from Arizona State University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Brigham Young University.
C. Shane Reese

C. Shane Reese began his tenure as the 14th president of Brigham Young University on May 1, 2023. Prior to his appointment, he served as BYU Academic Vice President from 2019 to 2023, and dean of the BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences from 2017 to 2019. Reese also serves as a member of the Department of Statistics faculty and an elected fellow of the American Statistical Association. Reese’s research has centered on Bayesian hierarchical models and Bayesian optimal experimental designs. He has created statistical models addressing a range of issues from predicting the power of solar storms to determining the safest method for destroying chemical weapons to assessing climate impact on glaciers in high mountain Asia and Antarctica. His work has also been used by the U.S. Olympic volleyball team as well as the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. Reese joined the BYU statistics faculty in 2001. He received BYU’s Young Scholar Award in 2004 and the BYU Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010. Reese was the Melvin W. Carter Professor of Statistics from 2012-2017. Prior to entering academia, he worked in the Computer, Computational, and Statistical Sciences Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Reese earned a doctoral degree in statistics from Texas A&M University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in statistics from BYU.
Marianna Richardson

Dr. Marianna Richardson is the Director of Communications for G20 Interfaith Forum. She has an MBA and JD from Brigham Young University and a doctorate degree from Seattle Pacific University. She is an adjunct professor at the Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business. She is also on the international advisory council for the International Center for Law and Religious Studies. She has written many books and articles with her current area of interest being AI policy.
Melissa Rogers

Melissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Rogers currently serves as Distinguished Scholar in Faith, Law, and Public Policy in Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity and as a nonresident senior fellow in the Governance Studies program of the Brookings Institution. She formerly served as Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith- Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for President Barack Obama (2013-2017) and President Joe Biden (2021-2025).
Brook Schaefermeyer

Brook Schaefermeyer is a PhD candidate in Educational Inquiry, Measurement, and Evaluation at Brigham Young University. She is a researcher and practitioner focused on social impact systems, universal learning design, and measurement in fragile contexts and is passionate about understanding human flourishing. Her current work explores how locally adaptable technologies and community-based learning systems can support sustainable resilience. She has led field-based initiatives in Sub-Saharan and West Africa, developing solar drying systems and training models that enable communities to build, adapt, and sustain solutions using locally available resources. Her present research sits at the intersection of engineering, agriculture, and education, with a focus on adaptive expertise and locally driven innovation.
Ivo Pereira da Silva

Ivo Pereira da Silva holds a Ph.D. in Advanced Studies in History from the University of Coimbra (Portugal). He is a Professor at the Federal University of Pará (Brazilian Amazon). He serves as the Brazilian Editor of the Seshat: Global History Databank (United Kingdom) and is an External Member of The Computational Humanities Lab at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford. From 2020 to 2025, he served as a Technical Analyst at Brazil’s Ministry of Human Rights, contributing to the development and implementation of public policies to protect Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). His research focuses on religious freedom, human rights, and the relationship between religion, the state, and public policy in pluralistic societies. He has published book chapters and peer-reviewed articles in Brazil and Portugal, regularly participates in national and international academic conferences, and serves as a reviewer for scholarly journals.
Timothy B. Smith

Timothy B. Smith, PhD is a professor of counseling psychology at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA. His research focuses on spirituality and religious experiences, as well as the prevention of human trafficking. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and serves in interfaith capacities in his local community.
Heather Staker

Heather Clayton Staker has spent more than 20 years advancing K–12 educational innovation worldwide. She is the co-author of the Amazon bestseller Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools and the founder of Guide School, which trains educators to lead personalized, student-driven learning. Previously a senior research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute and a consultant at McKinsey & Company, Heather has led education pilots across Africa and Asia and trained educators worldwide. Most recently, she spent six months in Indonesia establishing a K–12 microschool and launching a tablet-based learning program for 115 local children. In Malawi, she led a six-school pilot that achieved literacy gains four times faster than projected. Heather has partnered with Alpha School and Arizona State University to create guide training. She holds a BA and MBA from Harvard University.
MANIRAJ SUKDAVEN

University of Pretoria (South Africa), Director of the Oxford [University of Pretoria] Center for Religion, Public Life and Security in Africa, Associate Professor in Religion Studies at the University of Pretoria, Adjunct Professor in Christianity at the University of Tehran. Highest Qualifications: PhD (Religion Studies) – University of the Free State (South Africa). Academic profile: National Research Foundation C2-rated scholar, Supervised 12 master’s and 12 Ph.D. students, Published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and chapters in books, Co- author of three books on African Intellectual Heritage, Guest lecturer at various international institutions, Main area of academic research: Inter-, intra-, and trans religion dialogues and impact on religious beliefs and practices, Religious Worldviews Social Cohesion.
Lindsey Williams

Lindsey Williams is the Director of Career Development at BYU-Pathway Worldwide. She has a passion for helping students gain meaningful employment. She oversees initiatives that provide opportunities for students to grow professionally, spiritually, and personally. She has worked at BYU-Pathway for over six years in various roles. Previous stops in her career include LDS Living, the Special Projects Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Utah Valley Magazine.
David Wingate

David Wingate

David Wingate is a professor of computer science at Brigham Young University, where he works at the intersection of machine learning and social science. His research leverages large-scale language models, such as ChatGPT, to address pressing social problems like racism, conspiracy thinking, opinion manipulation, and political polarization. Most recently, he is the academic lead for the Consortium for Evaluating Faith and Ethics in AI, a multi-university effort to ensure that AI is honest, accurate and respectful about religion. He received his BS and MS degrees in computer science from Brigham Young University in 2002 and 2004, a PhD in computer science from the University of Michigan in 2008, and was a postdoctoral fellow and research scientist at MIT from 2008-2010.

Religious Leaders

Rashad Abdul-Rahmaan

Imam Rashad Abdul-Rahmaan is the Founder and Director of The Institute of Qur'an Study and Leadership and hosts the popular podcast “The Qur’an in Society”. He began his formal studies in Qur’anic Arabic, Tafsir, and Comparative Religions as a student of the late Imam W. Deen Mohammed and went on to study Philosophy, Comparative Religion, and Usul ud-Deen. A well-respected author and religious thinker, Abdul- Rahmaan conveys the message of Al-Islam for the promotion of human values and global unity. He has lectured in communities and at masjids, colleges, and universities throughout the country, including Princeton, Duke, Howard, and The American Islamic College. He is the author of four published books: The Message of Al-Islam, The Foundations of Al-Islam, On Prophets and Prophetic Types, and The Concept of Blackness in Al- Islam.
His Eminence, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Chalcedon

His Eminence, Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Chalcedon, was born in Crete, Greece, and educated in France and the USA. After ordination, he served as Chancellor of the Metropolis of Belgium and headed the Orthodox Office at the European Union (1994-2014). In 2003, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy Synod unanimously elected him Metropolitan of France, and in 2021, Elder Metropolitan of Chalcedon. A former president of the Conference of European Churches, he represents the Patriarchate in theological and academic dialogues with other Christian Churches, Islam, and Judaism. He sits on the boards of KAICIID, the World Council of Churches’ Executive Committee, and the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities, and is a co-moderator of Religions for Peace. In 2022, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Athens.
Prof Husna Ahmad OBE

Prof Husna Ahmad OBE is the CEO of Global One 2015 which is a faith based International NGO focussed on women. She is the Secretary General of the World Muslim Leadership Forum. She is an Honorary Professor in Practice at the Computer Science Department of UCL, London University and an Associate Professor at the Edward Cadbury Centre for Public Life University of Birmingham. She is the Co-chair of IXN for Good at UCL. She is a key Adviser of the Global Muslim Business Forum GMBF. She is a member of the Multi faith Advisory Council to the UN Inter-agency Task Force on Religion and Development She is currently a Trustee of Barnet Multi Faith Forum. She is also a member of the Women’s Faith Forum UK. She sits on the Management Committee of the National Council of Women GB and the Advisory Council of IF20. She is the Executive Director for the Alliance of NGOs and CSOs for South-South Cooperation [ ANSSC].
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa

Rev. Dr. David Beckmann

Rev. Dr. David Beckmann

Rev. David Beckmann has spent his life working to end poverty. A former World Bank economist, he served for 29 years as president of Bread for the World, where his advocacy leadership helped secure U.S. and global policy changes that reduced hunger worldwide. Awarded the World Food Prize, Beckmann now leads the Circle of Protection, a coalition of Christian leaders advocating for programs that serve low-income people. He recently published a book titled "Poverty Abolitionists: Faith, Activism, and Hope For Difficult Times.
Rabbanit Adena Berkowitz

Rabbanit Dr. Adena Berkowitz is the Scholar in Residence at Kol HaNeshamah NYC, an organization dedicated to energizing the spiritual lives of affiliated and not yet affiliated Jews. With a background in law, Jewish studies, and psychotherapy, she is a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Interfaith Center; author of the bestselling The Jewish Journey Haggadah; co-editor of Shaarei Simcha: Gates of Joy, a mini prayerbook. Among her featured articles: "My Body, My Choice: Biblical, Rabbinic and Contemporary Halakhic Responses to Abortion" (Touro Law Review, Fall 2021) and "Brain Death and Organ Donation in Jewish Law" in The Oxford Handbook on Jewish Law. Rabbanit Berkowitz, long active in interfaith dialogue, was part of one of the first Jewish groups to meet with the late Pope Francis. A popular lecturer across the U.S., Europe and Israel, Rabbanit Berkowitz, a practicing therapist, lives in New York with husband Rabbi Zev Brenner and family.
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H.E. Sheikh Al-Mahfoudh Bin Bayyah, is the Secretary General for the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace United Arab Emirates And organizer of the annual African conference for the promotion of peace (Republic Islamic of Mauritania ) and serves as the President of the AI Faith and Civil Society Commission (United Kingdom). As an influential diplomat, he played an instrumental role in establishing the flagship programs like the Marrakech Declaration( To defend the rights of religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries ) and the New Alliance of Virtue, and Charter for Inclusive Citizenship in the MENA region. He also contributed significantly to the field of countering violent extremism and supported the establishment of Zaytuna College, the first accredited Muslim liberal arts college in the US.
His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Caccia

His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Caccia was born in Milan, Italy, on February 24, 1958, and ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milan on June 11, 1983. He holds a Doctorate in Theology and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University and entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 1991. After serving at the Apostolic Nunciature in Tanzania, he held senior positions in the Secretariat of State, becoming Assessor for General Affairs in 2002. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon and Titular Archbishop of Sepino. Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines in 2017 and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York in 2019. On March 7, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America.
Most Reverend Brendan J. Cahill

On June 29, 2015, Daniel Cardinal DiNardo ordained Bishop Brendan as the third Bishop of the Diocese of Victoria in Texas. Bishop David Fellhauer and Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza were co-consecrators. Since becoming the Bishop of Victoria, he joined the Communities of Faith in Victoria with other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders and has been an active supporter of the Gulf Bend Center Coalition for Mental Health. Bishop Brendan has served as a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) sub-committee on African-American Affairs. Since July 1, 2017, he has served as the Bishop Promoter for the Apostleship of the Sea in the United States. He currently is the chairman of the USCCB SubCommittee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers. He is the chair-elect for the USCCB Committee for Migration. He serves on the boards of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, and the University of St. Thomas in Houston.
Rabbi Mark Dratch

Rabbi Mark Dratch is Chair of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), the official Jewish partner in dialogue with the Holy See, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the World Council of Churches. He is Executive Vice President Emeritus of the Rabbinical Council of America, the largest body of Orthodox rabbis in the world, which he led for more than a decade. A pioneering voice on abuse prevention in religious communities, he founded JSafe: The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse-Free Environment, and his 1992 halakhic analysis of child abuse helped open a conversation the Jewish community had long avoided. His forthcoming book, A Safer Torah, brings three decades of that work together. He teaches at Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work and writes regularly on Jewish ethics, moral injury, and interfaith relations. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Rachel.
Marian Edmonds-Allen

Rev. Dr. Marian Edmonds-Allen is an interdisciplinary theologian, researcher, and public leader working at the intersection of faith, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and human flourishing. She serves as Executive Director of Parity, an international nonprofit advancing religious freedom and relationship-building across deep difference, and as Co- Director of the AI & Spirituality Initiative at the Neurospirituality Lab at Mass General Brigham/Harvard Medical School. She is the founder of FaithWise.ai and creator of the Personal Moral Compass, an AI-supported framework that helps individuals clarify values, strengthen moral agency, and engage technology with greater intentionality. Her current research explores how people cultivate meaning, agency, and spiritual resilience as artificial intelligence reshapes the conditions of human life. A member of the Coalition for Faith & Media and a frequent international speaker, she contributes to conversations on AI ethics, governance, media, and human flourishing through collaborations with universities, faith communities, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Becca Edwards

Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards is an ordained deacon in the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Prior to earning an M.Div. at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, she completed a Ph.D. in Wind Science and Engineering at Texas Tech University. She served as a visiting assistant professor of physics at Southwestern University in Texas for ten years, teaching climate science and conducting research in the areas of hydroclimate extremes and air quality. She serves as an observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, representing Texas Impact and the United Methodist Church in Dubai, UAE, Baku, Azerbaijan, and Belém, Brazil, as well as the Bonn Intercession. Becca is an active part of First United Methodist Church of Austin, Texas, where she serves on the Worship Committee.
Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi

Dr. Mohamed Elsanousi is the executive director of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers, and a former commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Dr. Elsanousi previously served as the interfaith and government relations director at the Islamic Society of North America. He also served on the task force for the U.S. Department of State’s Working Group on Religion and Foreign Policy, where he contributed recommendations to the secretary of state and the Federal Advisory Commission to enhance engagement between the U.S. government, civil society, and religious actors. He was also the principal coordinator for developing the standards and protocols for safeguarding the rights of Christian, Jewish, and other religious minorities in Muslim-majority communities, efforts that resulted in the adoption of the Marrakech Declaration, the most recognized Islamic theological document advocating for religious freedom. Dr. Elsanousi was selected to join the UN Security Council’s Nongovernmental Organization Working Group, and Co-chairs the Multi-faith Advisory Council to the UN Interagency Taskforce on Religion and Sustainable Development. Dr. Elsanousi also serves on the board of directors, advisors, and trustees for numerous interfaith organizations, including but not limited to a Commissioner of the Georgetown University Lancet Commission on Faith, Health and Trust, the Religious Leadership and Civic Engagement Project at New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, the Center for Interreligious Dialogue at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies. Dr. Elsanousi holds a bachelor’s degree in law, a master’s in law, and a doctorate in law and society from Indiana University’s School of Law.
Robert C Gay

Elder Robert C. Gay is an emeritus General Authority Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a General authority he served in the Presidency of the Seventy, as an Area President, as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Church Education System and directed the development of the Church’s Self-Reliance program. He and his wife, Lynette, have co-founded, served in and currently work with multiple global humanitarian organizations. They are the founders of Ensign Global University, the only US accredited university for public health in Africa, where they served as mission leaders.. Prior to full-time church service, Elder Gay worked in private equity investment management. He earned a PhD in Business Economics from Harvard University where he also taught economics. He and his wife are parents of 7 children and grandparents to 23 grandchildren.
Gerrit W. Gong

Elder Gerrit W. Gong is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a senior governing body in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He holds Ph.D. and Masters degrees in International Relations from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes scholar. His Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian and University Studies summa cum laude is from Brigham Young University. For 10 years, Professor Gong was Assistant to the President for Planning and Assessment and Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University. During those years, he also served on the U.S. Secretary of Education’s National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), which helps certify higher education accreditation. For 20 years, Dr. Gong served as Special Assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Special Assistant to two U.S. Ambassadors in Beijing, China, among various positions at the U.S. Department of State, and as Asia Director and China Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., where he advised policy in the executive, congressional, and judicial branches of government. A Silicon Valley kid, Gerrit was born in Redwood City, California. His father co- authored a physics text (Mechanics) with the Nobel laureate who discovered the transistor effect and pioneered semiconductors. At the U.S. Department of State, Gerrit worked with Secretary George P. Shultz to identify implications for diplomacy of the concentrations of information, technology, and capital which create the age of artificial intelligence. Gerrit and his wife Susan have been married for 45 years and love their children and grandchildren.
Fr. Christopher Gray

Fr. Christopher Gray is Rector and Pastor of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, Utah. A priest of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, he previously served as pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City and currently serves as a dean of the Diocese. He studied theology in Rome, where he developed a particular love for the Church’s liturgical, artistic, and intellectual traditions. He is particularly interested in the ways Catholic faith, culture, and beauty can open genuine encounters in an increasingly secular world.
Mussie Hailu

Mussie Hailu

Ambassador Mussie Hailu is serving currently as Regional Director of URI for Africa and URI Representative at the African Union and United Nations Office in Africa. He initiated the Golden Rule Day which is celebrated now in different part of the world to foster human dignity, interfaith harmony, compassion, to counter violent extremism, hate speech and promote peaceful co-existences and to uphold the universal declaration of human right. He has served many national, regional and international organizations including as adviser of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council on the issue of interfaith and cultural affair. He also served as Diplomat in the rank of Ambassador-at-Large and special envoy. He is a founding member of United Religions Initiative (URI).
Rev. Fletcher Harper

The Rev. Fletcher Harper is Executive Director of GreenFaith, a global, multi-faith movement working for climate and environmental justice. Under his leadership, GreenFaith has grown from a U.S.-based organization into an international network with campaigns and staff across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, mobilizing people of faith to confront the climate crisis, advocate for a just transition away from fossil fuels, and defend the dignity of vulnerable communities. An Episcopal priest, Fletcher has spent more than three decades building partnerships among religious leaders, grassroots activists, and policymakers. He is a frequent speaker on the intersection of faith, climate justice, democracy, and human rights, and has helped shape faith-based climate advocacy around the world.
Dr. Francis Kuria

Dr. Francis Kuria serves as the Secretary General of Religions for Peace International and its African affiliate (ACRL-RfP), guiding over 90 Interreligious Councils globally. He is also the Administrative Chair of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. With over two decades dedicated to interreligious peacebuilding, Dr. Kuria empowers youth and women at all levels establishing Kenya’s Women of Faith Network (WoF) and Interfaith Youth Committee (IYC). His leadership at ACRL has instituted and strengthened numerous IRCs across Africa, creating the continent's largest multireligious platform. He has been instrumental in combating radicalization and violent extremism, promoting women's rights, and fostering intergenerational dialogues for peace. Dr. Kuria actively collaborates with various United Nations agencies on initiatives promoting peace, health, and human rights, demonstrating his commitment to partnering with the UN for tangible social change. His early career included roles in finance and emergency response.
Rabbi Dr. Aharon Ariel Lavi

Rabbi Dr. Aharon Ariel Lavi is the CEO of the Jerusalem Interfaith Center, which works with religious leaders worldwide to make religion part of the solution to global challenges. He was also the founder of Hakhel, the Jewish Intentional Communities Incubator in the Diaspora, and MAKOM, the Israeli national umbrella organization of intentional communities (both projects were awarded the Jerusalem Unity Prize by the President of Israel). Lavi holds rabbinic semicha and academic degrees in Economics, Geography, History, and the Philosophy of Ideas. His PhD dissertation explored the migration of ideas between US Jewry and Israeli society. A 2024 Harvard Divinity School postdoctoral fellow, he continued to research Jewishly inspired community building at Bar-Ilan University’s Weisfeld Ma’ayan Institute in 2025. He is a published author on Jewish economic and environmental thought, community building, international religious affairs, and more. He also teaches Jewish economic thought and community building in academia. Outside of his professional life, Lavi is an avid mountain biker, racer, trainer, and trail builder. He lives with his wife, Liat, and their five children in the community they founded together in Shuva, on the Gaza border.
Eric LeCompte

For more than 25 years, Eric LeCompte has led religious groups to win policies that alleviate poverty, address global conflict and promote human rights.‎ He is the Executive Director of Jubilee USA Network, a development coalition of more than 750 religious groups and organizations. LeCompte addressed the United Nations General Assembly on needed economic and climate policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2019. In 2016, his Congressional testimony on Puerto Rico would become part of the basis for debt ‎crisis legislation that Congress passed. In the same year, he testified to Puerto Rico's oversight board on a road map to resolve the island's crisis while protecting vulnerable populations. LeCompte advised a United Nations General Assembly process on global sovereign bankruptcy structures to alleviate poverty. He is a member of expert working groups to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. LeCompte serves on boards of faith-based, development and financial transparency organizations. He is a member of the executive board of the Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition.
Mohamed Had Magid

Imam Mohamed Magid is the Executive Religious Director (Imam) of All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Sterling, Virginia. He is the Chairman of International Interfaith Peace Corps (IIPC) and the former President of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) He serves on the advisory board of the Peaceful Families Project and as Co-President of Religions for Peace. He is also the Co-Founder of the Multifaith Neighbors Network which focuses on building bridges between Muslim, Evangelical Christian, and Jewish communities.Imam Magid has co- authored two books: Before You Tie the Knot: A Guide for Couples and Reflections on the Qur’an. Hisareas of interest and focus are religious freedom, preventing violence against women, and preventing violence and hate in our societies. Magid works with the United Nations Development Programme in training imams to deal with violence and extremism against religious minorities in East and West Africa.He has written for the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and has been featured in Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Imam Magid has received several awards including the El-HibriFoundation’s Peace Education Prize in 2017.
Shakir Muslim

Special Assistant to Imam Talib Shareef. 40 years Law Enforcement and Personal Protective Security Experience. First Muslim to serve as an Officer in the Nation’s capital on MPD. Retired MPD officer with over 30 years. Personal Security for Mayor Marion Barry. Personal Security for UAE Criwn Prince Zayed. Personal security for America’s Imam, the late Imam W. Deen Mohammed for over 30 years, United States Air Force Veteran. Retired Deputy Sheriff.
Rabbi Yakov Nagen

Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen is the President of the Jerusalem Interfaith Center and an internationally recognized rabbi, scholar, and practitioner of religious diplomacy, living in Jerusalem. He holds rabbinic ordination from RIETS and a PhD in Jewish Philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. For two decades, Rabbi Nagen has been a leading voice in interfaith dialogue, particularly Jewish-Muslim relations, advancing a vision of religion as a force for connection, reconciliation, and peace. His work bridges religious scholarship and practical peacebuilding, bringing together religious leaders, policymakers, educators, and civil society to develop new models of interfaith cooperation and shared responsibility. Rabbi Nagen is the author of ten books and numerous articles on Jewish spirituality, Talmud, and interfaith relations. He was featured by Tablet magazine as one of the ten “Israeli Rabbis You Should Know.” For 30 years, he served as a senior educator at Yeshivat Otniel.
President Dallin H. Oaks

President Dallin H. Oaks is the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who strives to strengthen families around the world. As a prophet, apostle, and former attorney, law professor, and Utah State Supreme Court judge, he is a firm defender of truth, a compassionate teacher of correct doctrine, and an advocate for religious freedom.
Sheikh-ul-islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh

The Spiritual Leader of the Muslims in Azerbaijan and All Caucasus, Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims` Board, Secretary General of Baku International Centre for Interfaith and Inter-Civilizational Cooperation (BCIC). Co-chairman of the CIS Inter-Religious Council; Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Muslim Religious Leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States; Chairman of the Supreme Religious Council of the Peoples of Caucasia; Member of the Muslim Council of Elders Member of the Board of Directors of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for interreligious and intercultural dialog (KAICIID); Member of the Royal Aal Al-Beyt Academy of Islamic Thought, HK of Jordan.
Bishop Alastair Redfern

I have a special concern for modern slavery, refugees, and exploitation. I was involved in the creation of the modern slavery act in the British Parliament, and for many years have worked with government, businesses, and NGOs to better enable prevention, prosecution, awareness raising and appropriate legal and commercial responses. I have been involved in developing creative and effective responses through the Commonwealth, the G20, the World Council of Churches , the Church of England and other faith groups in the UK.I chair The Clewer Initiative,which is the churches response to modern slavery in the UK, in partnership with other faiths, government and business groups. I work internationally with a number of partnerships.
Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo

Nomination 5 October 1998 Field Former Professor of History of Philosophy Title Full Professor (1982-2020); Titular Bishop of Vescovío, Italy (2001-) Most important awards, prizes and academies Academic appointments: Lecturer in the History of Philosophy (1976-1982) and Full Professor (1982-1998), Pontifical Lateran University; Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Pontifical Lateran University (1987-1996); Professor of the History of Philosophy, Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta (1998-2020); Chaplain of the Order of Malta (1999-); Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences (1998-2022); Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (1998-2022); Ordained Bishop by His Holiness John Paul II on 19 March 2001. Awards: Cavaliere di Gran Croce, Italy (1999); Officier de la Légion d'honneur, France (2000); Grão Mestre da Ordem de Rio Branco, Brazil (2004); Official of the Republic of Austria (2004); Knight of the Republic of Chile (2006); Francesco Vito Award, Univ. Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan (2001); Neruda Prize, Chile (2004); "Bernardo O'Higgins" Grand Officer, Chile (2005); Award of the International Association of Catholic Doctors (2010). Academies: Member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas (1989) and Secretary Prelate (1999-2022); Member of the Accademia dei Gergofili (2008); Member of the Accademia Italiana del Vino (2010); Corresponding Member of the Academia de Ciencias de Cuba (2011).
David Saperstein

Senior Advisor for Policy, Union for Reform Judaism For 40 years, Rabbi Saperstein served as Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC), representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to Congress and the Administration. He continues today as the RAC’s Senior Advisor for Strategy and Policy. During the second term of the Obama administration, Rabbi Saperstein served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He subsequently served as the president of Reform Jewry’s international denomination. Also an attorney, he taught seminars on church–state law and on comparative Jewish and American law for 35 years at Georgetown University Law Center. Over his long career, Rabbi Saperstein has served on the boards of numerous major pro-democracy and civil rights NGOs, chaired federal advisory committees on human trafficking and on international religious freedom, and currently serves as the chair of the World Faith Development Dialogue and co-chair of two other international interreligious coalitions.
Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati

Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati

Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati is a global spiritual leader, Hindu monastic, and bestselling author. She is International Director of Parmarth Niketan; Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, launched with UNICEF; President of the Divine Shakti Foundation; and a member of the Multi-Faith Advisory Council to the United Nations. Her international leadership advances sustainability, women's empowerment, and interfaith collaboration. Raised in Los Angeles, she is a Stanford University graduate with a PhD in psychology and has lived and served in India for 30 years. She will offer a welcome address.
Talib M. Shareef

Talib M. Shareef is President and Imam of historic, Masjid Muhammad, The Nation's Mosque in Washington, DC, and President of the International Coalition for Peace and Reconciliation ((I-CPR). He is retired U.S. Air Force with 30+ years; has a Doctorate from the Global Oved Dei Seminary University, where he serves as a professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Interfaith Council, a Diploma from the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, and the Defense Foreign Language Center in Arabic and Middle East studies. He is a student of the late Imam W. Deen Mohammed. He was awarded Morocco’s highest Royal Medal by His Majesty Mohammed VI, the King of Morocco, for his outstanding Interfaith leadership. He was the first Imam with military service to open a session of the U.S. Congress. He has been recognized by four U.S. Presidents and has received the U.S. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and served as the Muslim representative to speak at the White House. He has contributed to several books, has written several articles and has appeared in several media broadcasts and publications such as CNN, Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, Voice of America, AlJazeerah, Reuters, The Economist, Newsweek, Washington Post, Foreign Policy Magazine, World Religion News, Forbes, Religion News Service, The National News, the U.S. Embassy in Chad, and more.
Michael Swain

Michael Swain was raised in England and graduated with an honours degree in Law from the University of Bristol before immigrating to South Africa in 1983. He is a co-founder and former Vice President of the Every Nation movement of churches and ministries. With more than 30 years of experience in Christian ministry, Michael has served in South Africa, Europe, and the United States. Alongside his ministry work, he has built a successful business career, founding and leading companies across a range of sectors, including software development, events management, marketing, and communications. Michael currently serves as the Executive Director and primary spokesperson for FOR SA. He is also an allied lawyer with the Global Advocacy Alliance.
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of the Valley Beit Midrash (a national Jewish pluralistic adult learning & leadership center), the Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek (a Jewish Social Justice organization), the Founder and President of Shamayim (a Jewish animal advocacy movement), the Founder and President of YATOM, (the Jewish foster and adoption network), and the author of over 30 books on Jewish ethics. Newsweek named Rav Shmuly one of the top 50 rabbis in America and the Forward named him one of the 50 most influential Jews.
Abdulaziz Zakirov

Abdulaziz Kari Zakirov, Hazrat Mufti of the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan Abdulaziz Kari Zakirov, born on 29 September 1979 in the village of Chal- Abad in the Bazar-Korgon district of Jalal-Abad region, studied in Istanbul, Turkey, between 1993 and 2015, where he received religious education in the field of Qur’anic memorization (Hafiz) and Islamic studies. From 2009 to 2015, he studied at the “Resul Akram” Islamic Institute in Bishkek. From 2015 to 2018, he studied at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Education of Hukuk University and successfully completed his studies. Since 2012, he has been a member of the Kyrgyzstan Muslim Scholars Council. He speaks Kyrgyz, Arabic, and Turkish. In February 2024, by a decision of the Kurultai (assembly) of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, he was elected Chairman of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan (Muftiate). He also contributes to strengthening Islamic values in the Turkish world through the council of religious leaders of the Organization of Turkic States.
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