URI Leadership Council
The Region's Leadership Team
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John Denker joined the ILC in October 2009 and serves as Treasurer of its board. He is an ordained United Methodist minister, and was an ecologist for the U.S. Department of Interior for close to thirty years. John has authored the books Why Science Proves God (and Creationism is Nonsense), and The Quantum God (Why Our Grandchildren Won't Know Atheism). |
Rev. John Denker |
(303) 421-6799 |
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Fred Fielding joined the LC in January 2013. |
Fred Fielding |
(5103) 599-5750 |
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Sande is the Founder and President of S.A.R.A.H. CC, and author of “Make A Difference 101, a Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Community Service for Kids. She is the URI North America Chair. She serves on the board of the Interfaith Youth Council, and is a co-Founder of I Am Jerusalem, dedicated to reminding us that we share common ground. Sande also owns Mom Smart Security. |
Sande Hart |
(949) 635-0279 |
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Michael has had a career in New York finance before going into the Greek Orthodox ministry where he served as senior pastor of San Francisco's Holy Trinity Church. In 2008 he become the first full-time executive director of a URI CC. Michael attended the 2008 Global Assembly in India, and also URI-NA's 2009 Regional Assembly in North Carolina. In less than two years he has helped to substantially increase the CC's budget and engaged in numerous interfaith projects. He is a trustee of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, works hard, takes his responsibilities very seriously, and has a terrific sense of humor. |
Michael Pappas |
(415) 474-1321; cell (415) 425-9631 |
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Rebecca Tobias is a Global Council Trustee of the United Religions Initiative and the Program Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics which designs and facilitates interfaith and intercultural programming that serves to foster a culture of peace. Through her work she has coordinated capacity-building projects with civic, faith, and social justice advocacy organizations locally, nationally and internationally. As a past Fellow with the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Working Groups for Indigenous Populations, Rebecca has assisted in the drafting of resolutions presented at the Human Rights Sub-Commission and has served as an NGO delegate for several assemblies, including the inaugural meeting of the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace. Most recently she took part in the UNCSD conference at Rio+20, where she prepared a panel presentation on the Ethics and Spirituality of Water. |
Rebecca Tobias |
(310) 916-8888 |
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Ardey Turner is a Reiki Master, Healer, Trainer and Medical Intuitive, and Immediate Past Chair of URI North America. She has been a part of URI since 1998 in putting on two conferences at Stanford and at Carnegie Mellon for the charter signing. She formed the Multi- Region Circle of Healers CC. As chair of the Leadership Council, Ardey piloted a variety of experimental fundraising programs for the region. |
Ardey Turner |
(559) 277-0730 |
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Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Mr. Wazan moved to the United States in 1989 and became the founder and CEO of Stripling and Beck, an IT services firm. He is currently a full-time author and public speaker, and author of a novel, The Last Moderate Muslim. He is a member of the United Religions of Charlotte CC, and a URI Global Trustee. |
Osama Wazan |
(704) 848-7000 |
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Danya Wellmon joins the Leadership Council as of January 1, 2012. She is co-Founder of Women Transcending Boundaries an interfaith women's organization founded two weeks after 9/11. Medical Laboratory Technician with the American Red Cross. Member of the Islamic Society of CNY and past board member. |
Danya Wellmon |
wellmond@msn.com |
Former Members of the Leadership Team
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Margie has been in URI since 2002 when the Interfaith Council of Washington became a URI Cooperation Circle. She served as President of that Council for several years, and has helped to form the URI-NA regional structure/organization during the past few years. Raised within an interfaith family, she is now an active member of Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue, an inclusive spiritual community in Seattle. In her professional life, Margie works in technology. Served through Dec 31, 2011. |
Margie Coles |
Seattle, WA 98119 |
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Dr. Mallik served as an Associate Research Professor in Rehabilitation Medicine at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., where he developed rehabilitation engineering techniques to promote independent living and employment for people with severe disabilities Kali is now retired but serves as an active volunteer in nine non-profit organizations. He has been a faithful participant of the local Baltimore CC, a diligent advocate of interfaith activities at the Greater Baltimore Hindu Temple and in the community, and a committed volunteer for many other social causes. |
Kalisankar "Kali" Mallik |
(410) 252-4865; cell (443)955-1424 |
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In 1977 Anne Roth was one of the first women ordained in the United Methodist church. She spent 10 years in parish work on the East Coast, then a number of years working in AIDS ministry in California before moving into interfaith work with the birth of the United Religions Initiative. She is active in Denver area nonprofits and, as a Global Trustee for URI North America, serves on the Finance Committee of the Global Council. |
Anne Roth |
(303) 604-6768 |
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Adelia Sandoval is a Ceremonial Leader, Cultural Director and Liaison for the Janeno Band of Mission Indians/Acjachemen Nation, the indigenous people of Orange County, California. She is an ordained minister, and member and advisor to two CCs, the Spiritual and Religious Alliance for Hope, and the Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment. |
Adelia Sandoval |
(949) 632-0315 |
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Katie Ward came to URI through her internet search for children's literature on the world's religions. Katie is passionate about developing interfaith understanding and respect in the North American region, and is particularly interested in engaging and connecting with like-minded youths. As a development professional for over 10 years, Katie has served on the fundraising committee for the URI North America region for the last year. Katie, her husband and daughter live in Burlingame, California. Served through June 2011 and as of January 17, 2012 is the new Regional Coordinator for North America. |
Kathryn "Katie" Ward |
kward@uri.org |