Audrey Kitagawa

Audrey E. Kitagawa, JD, is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the 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 a co-facilitator of the United Religions Initiative UN Cooperation Circle and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns.

She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa,  (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.

She wrote the chapter, Crossing World Views, The Power of Perspective in the Hawaii Japanese American Experience, which was published in a book about multiculturalism, communication and Asian women entitled, Learning In The Light. Her chapter, Globalization As The Fuel For Religious And Ethnic Conflict has been published in the book, Globalization And Identity, Cultural Diversity, Religion and Citizenship.  Her article, The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America, has been published in Sambhodi, a Buddhist Journal. She published articles in World Affairs The Journal Of International Issues, entitled, The Power of Om: Transformation of Consciousness, and Practical Spirituality. She wrote the chapter, The US In Foreign Affairs: Source of Global Security, Or Source of Global Fear? in the book, America & The World The Double Bind.

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.

She is the recipient of the Medal “Pride of Eurasia” and a Diploma from the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University for her outstanding contribution to the development of spiritual culture and education in Eurasia.

She is the recipient of the Spirit of the UN Award which is given to outstanding individuals who have demonstrated the vision and spirit of the United Nations as expressed through the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

She was conferred an Honorary Interfaith Minister degree by the New Seminary.

Fr. James Kurzynski

Fr. James Kurzynski is a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin and a hobby astronomer. Originally from the small town of Amherst in rural central Wisconsin, Fr. James completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, majoring in Applied Music (Saxophone, Voice, and Composition). After graduating from UW-SP, Fr. James worked at the University of Nebraska at Kearney as a Hall Director and pursued an M.S.Ed. in Group Counseling. After a year at UNK, Fr. James left his position to attend the University of Saint Mary of the Lake - Mundelein Seminary to discern his priestly vocation. He was ordained in 2003 and is currently the pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Menomonie, Wisconsin and Saint Luke Parish in Boyceville, Wisconsin. In addition to these assignments, Fr. James is also the Chaplain of StoutCatholic, a student outreach organization to the students of the University of Wisconsin–Stout, and teaches Philosophy for the Diocese of La Crosse’s Permanent Deaconate Program.

Tom Krattenmaker

Tom Krattenmaker is a Portland-based writer specializing in religion in public life and author of the award-winning Onward Christian Athletes (2009), on Christianity in professional sports. Krattenmaker’s second book, The Evangelicals You Don’t Know (2013), was released in April 2013.

Krattenmaker writes regularly for USA Today’s op-ed page as a member of the newspaper’s editorial Board of Contributors. His column-writing was honored by the American Academy of Religion in its 2009 Journalism Awards program, receiving praise for challenging popular misconceptions about evangelicals “and showing that something new, something more complex and subtle is going on — a great goal for religion commentary.” His work has also appeared in recent years in Salon, the Los Angeles Times, the Oregonian, Beliefnet, the Huffington Post, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. His numerous media appearances include National Public Radio, the New York Times “Idea of the Day” website, and ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”

Krattenmaker was a presenter at the 2010 and 2013 “Q” gatherings and the 2010 conference of the American Humanist Association. Named the 2009 Mendenhall Lecturer at DePauw University, Krattenmaker has also spoken at college campuses including Georgetown, Baylor, Lewis & Clark, Willamette University Law School, the University of Portland, Portland State University, Missouri State University, and Springfield, Swarthmore, and Haverford Colleges. He was a recipient of the 2009 “Friend of MET” award from the Portland-based Muslim Educational Trust and, this year, the Hunderup Award for religious education from the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.

Jennifer Kogan

Jennifer Kogan is a clinical social worker and writer who helps parents identify and create what is meaningful to them so they can feel more connected and joyful.  She offers individual, couple, and family counseling and support in her Washington DC practice.  Jen is a mom of two school-age children and is one half of an interfaith couple herself. Check here for more about her work and writing.

Paul F. Knitter

Paul F. Knitter, Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at Union Theological Seminary since 2007, is a leading theologian of religious pluralism. He holds a licentiate from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and a doctorate from the University of Marburg, Germany. Knitter’s journey into interfaith dialogue began in 1964 when he was a seminarian in Rome and experienced the Second Vatican Council firsthand, as the Roman Catholic Church declared its new attitude towards other religions.

Most of Dr. Knitter’s research and publications have dealt with religious pluralism and interreligious dialogue. Since his ground-breaking 1985 book, No Other Name?, he has been exploring how the religious communities of the world can cooperate in promoting human and ecological well-being. This is the topic of One Earth Many Religions: Multifaith Dialogue and Global Responsibility (1995) and Jesus and the Other Names: Christian Mission and Global Responsibility (1996), and his critical survey of Christian approaches to other religions:Introducing Theologies of Religions(Orbis Books, 2002). In 2005, Knitter edited a multifaith exploration titledThe Myth of Religious Superiority(Orbis Books). His latest publication is Without Buddha I Could Not Be A Christian: A Personal Journey of Passing Over and Passing Back(Oneworld Publications, 2009).

Steven Knapp

Steven Knapp became the sixteenth president of the George Washington University in August 2007. His priorities include enhancing the university’s partnerships with neighboring institutions, expanding the scope of its research, strengthening its worldwide community of alumni, enlarging its students’ opportunities for public service, and leading its transformation into a model of urban sustainability. 

Dr. Knapp serves on the boards of the Economic Club of Washington; the Greater Washington Board of Trade; the Greater Washington Urban League; the World Affairs Council-Washington, DC; the National Symphony Orchestra; the Washington National Cathedral Foundation; and Al Akhawayan University in Ifrane, Morocco. He is chair of the Atlantic 10 Conference Council of Presidents. He also serves on the executive committee of the Council on Competitiveness, and the jobs committee of the Federal City Council. 

A specialist in Romanticism, literary theory, and the relation of literature to philosophy and religion, Dr. Knapp taught English literature at the University of California, Berkeley before serving as dean of arts and sciences and then provost of Johns Hopkins University. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of the Modern Language Association. The author of three books and numerous articles, he earned his doctorate and masters degrees from Cornell University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University.

Kimberly King

Kimberly King is a visionary, humanitarian, and global change agent who believes in the “beauty of dreams.” Projects in strategic development, communications, and interfaith dialog have taken her around the world supporting community projects in Africa, Asia, India, South America and Australia. She focuses on womens and girls empowerment, educational campaigns for global issues, forging community partnerships, and social entrepreneurship. Kimberly serves on numerous boards. Her client list includes Fortune 500s, NGOs, city governments, broadcast media, and the United Nations. She is chair of the Women’s Forum and the Religion and Peacebuilding Forum for the Alliance for Peacebuilding, and is a member of the Global Leadership Council for the Women, Faith and Development Alliance. She is co-author of The Power of Team and Wake up and Live Your Best Life and a recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Global Humanitarian Award in honor of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Andrew Kille

Rev. Dr. Andrew Kille is an American Baptist clergyman with a doctorate in psychology and biblical studies from Graduate Theological Union. He has been involved with interfaith dialogue for 30 years in a career combining pastoral assignments, writing, editing, teaching, church music, administration, and managing websites, including his own. He has taught at Holy Names College and Santa Clara University. He is the editor of The Bible Workbench and a trustee of Interfaith Center at the Presidio, whose Bay Area Interfaith Connect he edits. He is author of Psychological Biblical Criticism (2001) and numerous articles. Andy has been particularly active in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, co-founding the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council in 2011 and establishing San Jose, California, as a Parliament of the World’s Religions Partner City.

Billy Doidge Kilgore

Billy Doidge Kilgore is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is a native Southerner, book hoarder, and coffee connoisseur. After graduating from Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia he served congregations in Tennessee, Virginia, and Indiana. Billy lives with his wife, Cara, and their two sons in Nashville, Tennessee. Follow him on Twitter @billydkilgore.

David King Keller

David King Keller is CEO of Keller Business Development Advisory Group He is a former Catholic seminarian, was active in civil rights and Martin Luther King’s Poor People’s Campaign. David spent a year in the U.S. organizing press events to bring awareness to the starving children in Biafra. He has been on the boards of many non-profit organizations and one public corporation and brought The Course of Miracles into San Quentin. He has an MBA from Pepperdine, and is pursuing a PhD in East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, where he was a former trustee. David coaches and speaks on the subject of business development to law firms and other businesses with one award winning book on the subject and a “Rainmaker” book about to be released by the American Bar Association. David speaks regularly on the neuroscience of stress reduction and productivity, and practices daily meditation.

Alan Kelchner

Alan Kelchner is the VP for Advancement at the nation's largest and most comprehensive center for graduate study in religion. The GTU includes 2 Catholic and 6 Protestant seminaries, plus academic centers for Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Greek Orthodox. More than 1000 students including over 200 PhD students in religion.

Victor H. Kazanjian

Victor H. Kazanjian Jr. is the executive director of the United Religions Initiative (URI). Prior to joining URI in October 2013, Victor served as the dean of Intercultural Education and Religious and Spiritual Life, co-director of the Peace and Justice Studies Program, and director of the Peace Studies Program in India at Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts USA. In addition he is the co-founder and co-president of Education as Transformation Inc., an international organization that works on issues of religious diversity and spirituality in higher education. Victor is also a visiting faculty member and Fulbright Scholar at the Malaviya Center for Peace Research at Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, where he served as Fulbright Professor of Peace & Justice Studies.

Victor’s work at Wellesley College and through Education as Transformation is widely acknowledged as the catalyst in the national and international movement to include religion and spirituality as core issues in higher education, and has led to interfaith and intercultural growth and understanding. Specializing in inter-religious dialogue and conflict transformation, diversity and democracy, and peace building, Victor is a recognized thought leader and the author and editor of numerous books and articles.

Rev. Kazanjian is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church and was trained as a community organizer working to address the systemic causes of poverty and injustice through the support of religious and community-based groups.  He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Harvard University.

Mansfield 'Kasey' Kaseman

Mansfield ‘Kasey’ Kaseman is the Interfaith Community Liaison for the Office of Community Partnerships in Montgomery County, Maryland. Since his student days he has been engaged in ecumenical and interfaith ministries aimed at creating the beloved community.  The model he implemented for Theological Education in the Urban Setting was adopted by Harvard, Boston University, and Weston Divinity Schools.  His engagement in the Civil Rights Movement included providing security for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., establishing non-profits such as the Blue Hill Christian Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts and helping to implement Racial Justice Now.

In a decade of service with United Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut Rev. Kaseman formed partnerships with Yale, New Haven Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO, state and municipal officials, and religious organizations in founding nonprofits and changing policies that impacted public education, urban renewal, anti-poverty programs, civil rights, affordable housing and healthcare. In establishing a new church in Tallahassee, Florida he simultaneously formed a statewide network for impacting the state legislature and implemented a budget committing 50 percent to mission and social justice. 

Since 2006 Kasey has served as senior vice president of CTIS (philanthropy, community service and health disparities), and vice president of Van Eperen & Company (strategic planning, marketing and corporate social responsibility).

He has degrees from Westmar College, Andover Newton Theological School, and Yale Divinity School and serves on numerous boards.  He and his wife, Dianne, have three adult children and seven grandchildren.

Eliana Kaya

Eliana Kaya is a veteran journalist, community organizer, and media consultant. She is an alumna of the 2010 NewGround Fellowship and is training as an interfaith facilitator. Currently she is writing a book about her time as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces during the second Intifada. She is also actively developing interfaith gardening initiatives based in Los Angeles.

Valarie Kaur

Valarie Kaur is an award-winning filmmaker, legal advocate, theologian, and public speaker. She serves as founding director of Groundswell, a non-profit initiative at Auburn Theological Seminary committed to building the multifaith movement for justice. Combining storytelling and advocacy, Valarie has led grassroots campaigns on urgent social challenges facing her generation, including racial justice, religious pluralism, immigrant rights, prison reform, LGBT equality, and a moral economy. A third-generation Sikh American, her critically acclaimed documentary film Divided We Fall (2008) on hate crimes after Sept 11th inspired national grassroots dialogue. She has been invited to speak on her work in 200 U.S. cities and media outlets such as CNN, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show, NPR, BBC, and the New York Times. Valarie earned bachelors degrees in religion and international relations at Stanford University, masters in theological studies at Harvard Divinity School, and a law degree at Yale Law School, where she currently trains students in the art of visual advocacy as founding director of the Yale Visual Law Project.

Beth Katz

Beth Katz is the founder and executive director of Project Interfaith in Omaha, Nebraska. Beth got bitten by the interfaith bug in college, co-founding a student interfaith group and developing a passion for a world where people of all faiths, beliefs, and cultures are valued and included. After receiving graduate degrees in public policy and social work, she came back home to Omaha to start Project Interfaith. Along with the Project’s many programs, Beth is a frequent guest speaker, at home and abroad, including the 2009 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne. Her monthly column, “The Accidental Theist,” is published on the blog Omaha.net. She teaches international conflict resolution and religious diversity courses at the University of Nebraska and is on the board of the Center for Catholic Thought at Creighton University.

Anneke Kat

Anneke Kat is a community development practitioner experienced in working with refugees, women, and youth on issues of education, economic empowerment, and interfaith community building. Her academic and professional experiences have provided her with a chance to work with urban communities in Sub Saharan Africa and the United States. Anneke obtained a B.A. in International Development and Social Change and a M.A. in Community Development and Planning, both from Clark University. She currently serves as the Youth & Community Program Manager for Interfaith Philadelphia.

Jack Karn

As the Program Director of Jerusalem Peacebuilders, Jack Karn oversees and leads the development of JPB’s interfaith programs.  An experienced educator with a passion for service, Jack has spent much of the last three and a half years overseas in the Holy Land teaching leadership and peacebuilding courses in Israeli and Palestinian high schools.  He served as a volunteer in Jerusalem and Nazareth, 2016-18, with the Young Adult Service Corps of the Episcopal Church.  Jack has also worked with World Learning's Youth Programs and the CONTACT Program of SIT Graduate Institute.  He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Maine and an M.A. in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation from SIT Graduate Institute.  Currently, Jack is in the process of becoming a Vocational Deacon in the Episcopal Church.

Abraham Karickam

Abraham Karickam holds a PhD in English and interreligious studies and MA degrees in history and literature. He has served as director of comparative literature at Mar Thoma College, Tiruvala, Kerala, in India. Formerly a journalist, Dr. Karickam is a retired college administrator responsible for the literature departments in numerous colleges in south India. Involved in interfaith activities for the past 20 years, he serves as URI’s South India zone coordinator and president of Interfaith Students Movements in south India. He trains young adults in interfaith peacebuilding and is participating in the URI Moral Imagination/Peacebuilding training. He is the author of 15 books, including Concept of the Upanishads, the Bible and the Qu’ar and Intertextuality of the Holy Books. 

Brad Karelius

Father Brad Karelius has been an Episcopal priest since 1971 in the Diocese of Los Angeles, for 30 years the pastor of Church of the Messiah, a multi-cultural congregation located in the Logan Barrio in central Orange County, CA. He founded “Hands Together – a Center for Children,” providing high quality early childhood education to the poorest children in Santa Ana. A new center currently serves homeless mothers and children. Net proceeds from the sale of “The Spirit in the Desert” go directly to support Hands Together. Fr. Brad has been Associate Professor for philosophy and world religions at Saddleback Community College, since 1973. For many years he has researched and taught Native American spirituality, and this knowledge is integrated in The Spirit in the Desert. Fr. Brad is married to Janice Karelius, a Family Nurse Practitioner doing Emergency Medicine, and they have two adult children.