Board of Trustees
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid is an Imam in the Chicago Muslim community. He is president of Sound Vision Foundation, which runs the daily radio Islam, and former Chairperson of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. He has written extensively on religion, public policy and applied aspects of Islamic living. Imam Mujahid has initiated a joint campaign between American Muslims and the National Organization of Women (NOW) to declare rape a war crime.
More on Imam Mujahid
Mrs. Joyce Allen
Mrs. Joyce Allen had her first contact with CPWR in 1992 when she was asked by her Protestant Christian denomination, the United Church of Christ, to help promote the 1993 Parliament in Chicago. She was elected a Trustee of CPWR at the Cape Town Parliament in 1999 and served many years as Secretary. She has served as Corporate Member and Member of the Board of Directors of the United Church of Christ Board for World Ministries, President of the Rural India Health Project, Trustee of Interfaith Refuge and Immigration Ministries, and member of the Visiting Committee of Chicago Theological Seminary.
Ms. Omie Baldwin
Ms. Omie Baldwin is a member of the Dine' Nation (also known as Navajos). She has been the organizer for the participation of the Americas Indigenous peoples in Parliament events since 1993. A clinical social worker at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University Health Services, Ms. Baldwin is active with the American Indian students on campus. She also continues to be active in her Dine' Nation home community on the Navajo Nation in Arizona.
Rabbi Michael Balinsky
Rabbi Michael Balinsky is the Executive Vice President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, an organization representing two hundred rabbis of all denominations. He is a member of the Jewish Catholic Scholars Dialogue in Chicago, serves on the executive of the Council of Religious leaders of Metropolitan Chicago and is on the Advisory Board of the Bernadin Center at Catholic Theological Union. He is also an active participant in a number of Jewish, Christian and Moslem interfaith initiatives. Rabbi Balinsky was a Hillel director for twenty-two years, over nineteen of those as the director of the Louis and Saerree Fiedler Hillel Center at Northwestern University. He is a graduate of Yeshiva University and the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.
Rev. Angie Buchanan
Rev. Angie Buchanan is a Family Tradition Pagan. She is a founder and director of Gaia’s Womb, an interfaith spirituality group for women, and Earth Traditions, a Pagan Church that also offers a Training Program for Pagan Ministry. Angie has a background in law enforcement and politics. She consults with multiple religious and interreligious groups, encouraging dialogue and understanding. She is a former instructor at Cherry Hill Seminary, having taught Introduction to Interfaith there for four years. Angie travels, speaking to groups at churches and schools about Paganism, religious freedom, the Global Ethic, the separation of church and state, and the First Amendment. She has been a presenter at a number of interfaith events, including the 2004 Parliament and the Buddhist Council of the Midwest Women’s Conference. She has worked with CPWR as a Board Member since 2002.
Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia
Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia is a member of the Interfaith Committee of the World Sikh Council – America Region (WSC-AR) and served as the Secretary General of the organization for 2004-2005. At the national level on behalf of WSC-AR, he is on the Presidents Council and Steering Committee of Religions for Peace – USA as its Moderator, and serves on the Board of Directors of the North American Interfaith Network as its Vice-Chair.
Rev. Andras Corban Arthen
Rev. Andras Corban Arthen is the spiritual director of the EarthSpirit Community, a religious and educational organization dedicated to the preservation of Earth-centered spirituality, particularly the indigenous European traditions. He has been a presenter at many interfaith events, including the 1993 and 2004 Parliaments and the 2007 World Interreligious Encounter. Of Hispanic descent, Rev. Arthen teaches and lectures on the indigenous European pagan religions throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Ms. Phyllis Curott
Phyllis Curott is an attorney, author and Wiccan priestess. An interfaith activist and advocate of religious liberties for minority faiths in the courts and media, Jane Magazine honored her as one of the Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year, New York Magazine described her as one of the "culture's most intellectually cutting-edge thinkers," and Beliefnet has featured her in their video series Preachers and Teachers. Curott is founder and president of the international Temple of Ara and president emerita of the Covenant of the Goddess.
Mr. Doug George-Kanentiio
Akwesasne Mohawk, is an editor, columnist and author. He has attended the last two Parliament events where he spoke on aboriginal issues of North America. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Indian and the husband of the singer Joanne Shenandoah. Kanentiio is the author of three books including Iroquois on Fire recently published by the University of Nebraska.
Mr. William Gifford
Mr. William Gifford has been a Board member and Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions since 2000. He is a tax director with Smart in Chicago. Additionally, Mr. Gifford is a CPA and past president of the Illinois CPA Society and a member of the Northwestern University Chapel Congregation.
Reverend Canon Dr. Gwynne Guibord
Reverend Canon Dr. Gwynne Guibord serves as the Officer of Ecumenical and Interreligious Concerns for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles as well as the Consultant for Interfaith Relations for the Episcopal Church USA. She also is the President of The Interreligious Council of Southern California, and has served as President of the following boards: California Council of Churches; The Interfaith Alliance National Board; and Progressive Christians Uniting.
Ms. Janaan Hashim
Janaan Hashim is a founding partner of Amal Law Group, the nation’s first law firm founded by six Muslim women and practices criminal defense. She is also sits on the Board of Directors of both Sound Vision Foundation and the International Union of Muslim Women, and serves on the steering committee of the Religion Communication Congress 2010. You can hear Janaan on the radio every Tuesday evening where she hosts WCEV’s Radio Islam program, a daily call-in talk show designed for a non-Muslim market.
Mr. Naresh Jain
Mr. Naresh Jain represents the Jain community at the national and international levels. He actively works with the religious and spiritual communities in New York and New Jersey to organize interreligious programs. He served as an advisor to the 2004 Barcelona Parliament Program Task Force, 2006 Montreal Global Congress of World's Religions, and 2009 New Delhi Global Congress of World's Religions, and as a member of the 2009 Parliament Site Selection Task Force.
Solomon H. Katz
Solomon H. Katz is director of the Krogman Center for Childhood Growth and Development at the University of Pennsylvania. His work in the field of science and religion spans over 30 years with leadership in the Institute for Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS), as associate editor of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science; and as a participant in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Dialogue Between Science and Religion.
Ms. Audrey Kitagawa
Ms. Audrey Kitagawa heads the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, a nondenominational, ecumenical, spiritual community. She is 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 currently a Special Advisor to the World Federation of United Nations Associations, the Chairperson of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, and a member of many other international organizations.
Rev. Dr. William E. Lesher
Rev. Dr. Lesher has been active in the Parliament since its centennial gathering in Chicago in 1993, serving as an Ambassador for the Council in preparation for the 1999 Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa and as the convener of the 2004 Parliament in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Lesher has worked with communities and institutions across the globe in various responsibilities for church bodies. He currently serves as a Trustee of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia and as a member of the Board for the Global Ethics and Religion Forum.
Sr. Joan McGuire, O.P., S.T.D.
Sr. Joan McGuire is a Dominican Sister, St. Catharine of Siena Congregation, Kentucky. Sister McGuire serves as the Director of the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Additionally, she is a member of the Ecumenical Millennium Committee, the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, the Illinois Conference of Churches, the Jewish-Catholic Scholars Dialogue, and the Mid-West Regional Muslim-Catholic Dialogue.
Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian
Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian is the Founding Minister and Spiritual Director of the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment (CSE) in San Jose, California, a ministry in the tradition of Kriya Yoga in its 27th year of service. The author of several books, she is a frequent guest speaker on the importance of ethical and spiritual awakening to contribute to world peace.
Rev. Dr. John Pawlikowski
Rev. Dr. John Pawlikowski has studied the Nazi Holocaust extensively. His scholarly interests include the theological and ethical aspects of the Christian-Jewish relationship and public ethics. A leading figure in the Christian-Jewish dialogue, he is president of the International Council of Christians and Jews and author of Christ in the Light of the Christian Jewish Dialogue and co-editor of Ethics in the Shadow of the Holocaust.
Dr. Kusumita P. Pedersen
Dr. Kusumita P. Pedersen is Professor of Religious Studies at St. Francis College in New York. She received her Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Columbia University. She was previously Executive Director of the Project on Religion and Human Rights; Joint Secretary for Religious Affairs of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival; and Executive Director of the Temple of Understanding. She is currently Co-Chair of the Interfaith Center of New York.
Dr. Stephen Perkins
Dr. Stephen Perkins is senior vice president of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, a Chicago-based organization that promotes sustainable urban communities. He has organized multiple urban revitalization projects in Chicago and led the effort to make the 2009 Parliament carbon neutral.
Dr. Joseph Prabhu
Dr. Joseph Prabhu is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at California State University, Los Angeles and a Martin Marty Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago. He is the co-editor of The Interfaith Challenge of Raimon Panikkar, and Indian Ethics, and the author of the forthcoming Liberating Gandhi. He is the current President of the Society of Asian and Comparative Philosophy and the Program Chair of the Melbourne Parliament. A native of India, he has long been active in interfaith and peace work.
Dr. Mohammad A. Siddiqi
Dr. Mohammad A. Siddiqi is Professor of Journalism and Public Relations at Western Illinois University where he has been teaching since 1987. He is also the Journalism Program Director and Interim Chair of the Department of English & Journalism. Dr. Siddiqi is among the founding members of the World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations (WCMIR). He has served as Secretary General of WCMIR for four years and is currently its Executive Board member and Treasurer. He has authored several books and published more than two dozen articles in refereed publications. His most recent book is Islam, Muslims and Media: Myths and Realities. Dr. Siddiqi has served, for eight years, chair of the Islam and media Working Group of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) and is its life member. He has been a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and serves on the international editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research (UK) and Journal of Media Studies (Pakistan). He has also served as President of the Islamic Center of Macomb for five years and is currently its senior religious adviser and Imam. Born in India, Dr. Siddiqi has travelled more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. He actively participates in Macomb Area Interfaith Alliance and is a member of Macomb Area Alliance for Peace and Justice.
Mrs. Helen Spector
Mrs. Helen Spector joined the Board of CPWR in 1990 to help plan the 1993 Parliament Centenary Celebration. As a professional facilitator and organization planning consultant, Mrs. Spector has used her skills to further the values and goals of CPWR. She served as co—chair for the Site Selection task forces for the 2004 and 2009 Parliament events. She now lives in Portland, Oregon and continues as a Trustee of the Board.
Dr. Howard A. Sulkin
Dr. Howard A. Sulkin is the President of Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. He is the former Board Chair of CPWR, was on the initial planning committee that planned the 1993 Parliament, and has traveled throughout the world on behalf of the work of the Parliament. He is a specialist in organization theory and adult education, and received his doctorate at The University of Chicago.
Ven Heenbunne Kondanna Maha Thera
Ven Heenbunne Kondanna Maha Thera is the Deputy Abbot of the New York Buddhist Vihara in Queens, NY and the Abbot of the Staten Island Buddhist Vihara. Before arriving in the United States, Ven. Kondanna served as a teacher and later as Principal of the Bhikku Training School at Gangarama Maha Vihara, a premier Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka. A versatile and multi-lingual speaker, he is an active community leader and organizer with an infectious enthusiasm for the education of children and youth.
Ms. Yael Wurmfeld
Ms. Yael Wurmfeld served as Director of the international office (Office of Pioneering) of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'is of the U.S. for over 20 years, offering her the opportunity to travel extensively. For 20 years she has served on CPWR's Board of Trustees, many times in leadership positions. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for Higher Education and the North Shore Choral Society. Through her singing, Ms. Wurmfeld has performed in Austria and Hungary.
