Trustees

Ms. Yoland Trevino

URI Global Council Chairperson

Altadena, CA, USA

Ms. Trevino, from Guatemala and of Mayan ancestry, holds master’s degrees in human behavior and in psychology. She is a visionary educator, professional trainer and facilitator in transformative leadership. In 1996, Ms. Trevino founded Transformative Collaborations International, which works internationally to support transformational organizational change. Ms. Trevino served on the federal Domestic Policy Council during the Clinton Administration in the 1990s.

Dr. Shlomo Alon

URI Global Council Vice-Chairperson

Jerusalem, Israel

Dr. Alon is a scholar in the Arabic language and is head of Arabic Languages for the Israeli schools. He is the president of a large synagogue in Jerusalem. Dr. Alon has been active in interfaith work for 25 years, serving on the boards of the International Association for Religious Freedom and the Interfaith Encounter Association.

Ms. Perri Kathryn (P.K.) McCary

URI Global Council Secretary

Houston, TX, USA

Ms. McCary is the founder and host of Think Peace Radio, a broadcast and Web-based radio station that brings a global perspective to interfaith efforts for peace. She also is an author and storyteller. Ms. McCary is a URI co-founder with special interest in mentoring the next generation of URI leaders.

Rabbi Doug Kahn

URI Treasurer

San Francisco, CA, USA

Rabbi Kahn has served as Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council in San Francisco, Calif. USA for more than two decades and is a founding member of the URI. Throughout his career, he has worked to build bridges of trust and cooperation among people of different faiths. Most recently, he has pioneered efforts to strengthen relations between the Jewish and Muslim communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Right Rev. William E. Swing

URI Founding Trustee

San Francisco, CA, USA

Bishop William Swing is the President and Founder of the URI. Bishop Swing had the original vision of URI in 1993 in response to an invitation from the United Nations which asked him to host an interfaith service honoring the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. Bishop Swing served as the Episcopal Bishop of California from 1980 until his retirement in 2006. In that capacity, he was a national and international leader in response to the AIDS crisis, co-founded Episcopal Community Services to address San Francisco’s homeless problem, and co-founded Community Bank of the Bay to support local businesses and the economy.

The Rev. Canon Charles P. Gibbs

URI Executive Trustee

San Francisco, CA, USA

Canon Gibbs, an Episcopal (Anglican) priest, has served as URI's founding Executive Director for 14 years. He has worked with religious, political, and business leaders in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, and in the Pacific Rim. He has been a featured speaker internationally and has written extensively about the transformative power of interfaith cooperation.

Mrs. Rattan Kaur Channa

Nairobi, Kenya

Mrs. Channa is a Trustee for the Sikh Women Society of Kenya and the Convenor for Social Welfare for the Sikh Supreme Council. She has served many roles in the Inter-Religious Welfare Council of Kenya during the past decade, including as co-chair. Ms. Channa also has served as an Executive Member of the Social Welfare Committee of the East African Ramgahria Board from 2003-2007. She received the Outstanding Leader Award from the Sikh Supreme Council of Kenya in 1992. Mrs. Channa is a founding member of URI, which was first introduced in Kenya in 1998.

Bishop Samuel Lubogo

Busoga, Uganda

Bishop Lubogo is a retired bishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church in Busoga, Uganda. During his ministry, he dedicated himself to addressing the urgent material and spiritual needs of his people. He has a longstanding commitment to cross-cultural and interfaith work for peace, justice and healing.

Mr. Pelecinnah Josiah-Pele

Port Hartcourt, Nigeria

Mr. Josiah-Pele currently teaches peace and conflict studies at the Center for Ethnic & Conflict Studies (CENTECS) at the University of Port Harcourt. He serves as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Leadership Development and for the World Bank on proposals involving the HIV/AIDS Fund. Mr. Josiah-Pele, a Christian, holds a master’s degree in political science and administration from the Islamic Usmanu Danfodiyo University, in Sokoto.

Swami Agnivesh

URI At-Large Trustee

New Delhi, India

Swami Agnivesh, an internationally renowned Hindu leader, served 10 years as Chairperson of the United Nations Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. Since 1981 he has been Chairperson of the Bonded Labor Liberation Front, and since 2004 he has served as President of the World Council of Arya Samaj. He is a co-founder of URI’s Religions for Social Justice Cooperation Circle, which has been a powerful force for interfaith harmony and cooperation in India.

Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad

Lahore, Pakistan

Maulana Abd-ul Khabir Azad is the youngest Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque, the largest mosque in Lahore, Pakistan. He holds master’s degrees in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language. Mr. Khabir Azad is distinguished internationally as a leader who promotes interfaith understanding and cooperation for peace, reconciliation, and addressing urgent human need. In 1995, Mr. Khabir Azad organized the first interfaith conference inside the Badshahi mosque. In 2007, he was an honored guest of the World Peace Prayer Society and Goi Peace Foundation at the Fuji Sanctuary in Japan at an event to celebrate the International Day of Prayer.

Venerable Dr. Jinwol Lee

Seoul, Korea

Dr. Jinwol Lee is a Buddhist Monk and Zen Master of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Dr. Lee is a professor who teaches Buddhist meditation and culture at the Department of Seon (Chan/Zen) Studies of Dongguk University at Gyeongju Campus, the 1,000-year-old capital city of the Unified Silla Dynasty. He was a member of the Presidential Commission on Sustainable Development in South Korea. A founding member of URI, Dr. Lee is the president of URI Korea Multiple Cooperation Circle.

Ms. Kiran Bali
Huddersfield, UK

Ms. Bali has founded and chaired several local and regional interfaith groups and worked with many international organizations to enhance understanding among cultures to address community challenges and resolve conflicts. For this work, she was honored by Queen Elizabeth II and has been designated an Ambassador for Peace. Ms. Bali serves on URI’s Young Leaders Program Steering Committee and on the URI Europe Executive Committee.

Shaikh Bashir Dultz

Bonn, Germany

Shaikh Bashir is a spiritual leader of the Sufi order Tariqah As-Safinah. He is a founder and serves as president of the German Muslim League. He is a founding member and delegate of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, a Muslim team member of the Three Faiths Summer School in Ammerdown, UK, and an honorary fellow at the Jewish Leo Baeck College in London. Since 1999, Shaikh Bashir has served on the URI Europe Executive Committee.

Ms. Elisabeth Lheure

Barcelona, Spain

Ms. Lheure has worked with the UNESCO Association for Interreligious Dialogue for the past decade. Since 2006, she has worked in the field of mediation for social cohesion in urban areas. She uses specific interfaith dialogue as a tool for prevention and resolution of interconvictional conflicts in the city of Barcelona. Ms. Lheure heads a program, Citizen Dialogue Between Beliefs and Convictions, in cooperation with her local government. Since 2006, she has served on the URI Europe Executive Committee.

Rev. Elias de Andrade Pinto

Ms. Fany Avila Eleta

Panama City, Panama

Ms. Avila Eleta is a leader of the Commonwealth of the Kuna people of Panama. She has participated in several international forums, including “About Knowledge Traditions of World Intellectual Property Organization” and Forum of Rio, Brazil on “Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.” Ms. Avila Eleta is past president and founder of the Association of Handicraft Artisans of Baboa 2002 and Coordinator of the Circle of Kuna Women Artisans Cooperative.

Rev. Father David Limo Pajar

Lima, Peru

Fr. Limo Pajar is an Anglican priest who serves as Executive Director of the White Rose Ecumenical Center, an organization dedicated for more than 10 years to advocacy, monitoring and comprehensive care for people living with HIV and AIDS in Peru. Fr. Pajar also is Chairman of the Ecumenical Foundation ECLOF PERU, a group which has facilitated microfinancing for the poorest sectors of the country for more than 15 years. He is the former Secretary of the Executive Committee of Interfaith Peru, which promotes dialogue among Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities in Peru.

Mr. Anas Al-Abbadi, URI Assistant Treasurer
Amman, Jordan / Washington, D.C., USA

Mr. Al-Abbadi is the Director and Co-Founder of Youth Spirit Center in Jordan. A freelance trainer and project manager for intercultural and interfaith dialogue, he has organized more than 20 regional and international youth exchanges and seminars and 17 Jordanian youth forums. Mr. Al-Abbadi also has managed several local and regional projects for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, National Forum for Youth & Culture, and Anna Lindh Foundation. Currently Mr. Al-Abbai is studying Peace-Building & Conflict Resolution at the American University in Washington, DC.

Mr. Tareq Z. Al-Tamimi

Hebron, Palestine

Mr. Al-Tamimi performs leadership training and economic development in Palestine and is the coordinator of Volunteering for Peace Cooperation Circle of the URI in that country. He is an active member of the URI MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Steering committee, a member of URI’s Young Leaders Program, and is active in several other URI projects.

Ms. Suzan Dababneh

Amman, Jordan

Ms. Dababneh holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and economy, and has attended the Summer Peace Building Institute at Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va., USA. Since 1991, she has worked for the Pontifical Mission Library in Amman and focused on religious education, conflict transformation, and peace building. Ms. Dababneh also works as a freelance trainer focused on conflict resolution, effective communication skills, and other managerial competencies. She is a founding member and coordinator of Jordan Seeds of Peace.

Dr. Linda Bennett Elder

Valdosta, GA, USA

Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies Dr. Bennett Elder’s scholarly presentations and professional publications here and abroad focus on gender and equity for women as imperatives for social justice and for peace. During the Clinton Administration she received the Ron Brown Award for her work for social and racial equity as a Board Member of Levi Straus’ Project Change. She founded an ecumenical, interfaith Women Church with Bishop Marjorie Matthews(Methodist) in the mid-1980’s. The Pilgrimage Project Artists Alliance is influenced by her commitment to artists when, as a Director of operatic productions she founded the “…Opera Theater Workshop” in Toronto, developing repertoire among young adult vocal artists confined to minor roles, permitting them to tour Canada for the COC. She presently resides in southern Georgia.

Ms. Yoland Trevino

Altadena, CA, USA

Ms. Trevino, from Guatemala and of Mayan ancestry, holds master’s degrees in human behavior and in psychology. She is a visionary educator, professional trainer and facilitator in transformative leadership. In 1996, Ms. Trevino founded Transformative Collaborations International, which works internationally to support transformational organizational change. Ms. Trevino served on the federal Domestic Policy Council during the Clinton Administration in the 1990s.

Mr. Matthew Youde

Caerphilly, South Wales, UK

Mr. Youde has a background in media and communications -- specifically in video work and publicity for non-profits. He is involved in Catholic youth work in the UK and the support of refugees that arrive in the country from overseas. Besides serving as a multi-region trustee, Mr. Youde serves the URI as Youth Liaison Officer for the Global Council as well as a member of URI’s Young Leaders Program Steering Committee.

Ms. Anne V. Roth

Lafayette, CO, USA

Ms. Roth is a founding member of URI. Formerly an Ordained minister, she holds a B.A. in Music and History, a Masters of Divinity, and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. She has published writings in Biblical studies and social justice issues. Moving from pastoral work to AIDS ministry and then into interfaith connections, she has spent the past 14 years helping to grow URI’s network around the world, was instrumental in getting URI North America organized, and continues to use her skills as a planner, organizer, and networker. She and her husband have served URI as support team and hospitality workers over the years.

Ms. Adelia Sandoval

San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA

Ms. Sandoval is a respected leader of indigenous Acjachemen people of southern California, USA, having dedicated herself to reclaim and teach her people’s cultural heritage. She is a gifted storyteller and singer. Ms. Sandoval also is dedicated to building bridges of interfaith cooperation to foster a climate of goodwill and justice on our planet that enables all people to walk in beauty.

Ms. Rebecca Gonzales-Tobias

Sherman Oaks, CA, USA

Ms. Gonzales-Tobias serves as Program Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics in Los Angeles, Calif., USA to design and facilitate interfaith and intercultural programming that serves to promote a culture of peace. She works to encourage corporate social responsibility, believing that the best interests of people, planet, and profit should count most when measuring organizational (and societal) success. She has a lifelong interest in the shared foundational heritages of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths.

Dr. Amir Farid bin D. Isahak

Kulala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dr. Isahak is a well-known and respected figure among religious and government leaders in Malaysia, and a senior medical consultant with more than 25 years of practice. Dr. Isahak leads two interfaith organizations in Malaysia and is an adviser to several Islamic organizations. He is a pioneer of anti-aging medicine in Malaysia and in promoting the use of holistic integrated medicine. He is among Malaysia's most popular speakers on these subjects and conducts courses and seminars for local and international organizations, enterprises, and government departments.

Mr. Musa Sanguila

Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, Philippines

Mr. Sanguila is Chairman of Muslim Sharing Skills for Peace & Development and Director of Pakigdait, a grassroots interfaith, peace-building civil society organization in Mindanao, Philippines. He has participated in the Summer Peace Building Institute of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va., USA, and completed a course in “Islamic Theology: Mazhab Shinazi” at Al-Mufid University, Quom, Islamic Republic of Iran.

Ms. Jessiee Kaur Singh

Melbourne, Australia

Ms. Singh is the Co-founder and President of Centre of Melbourne Multi-Faith and Others Network (COMMON). She formed partnerships with UNESCO Clubs Australia and worldwide, and with universities and other educational institutions, government bodies, and NGOs.  Over the last 15 years, Ms. Singh has attended and assisted to coordinate many national and international conferences on Interfaith, World Peace, World Aid, International Education and Health.