Strategic Advisory Council

In October 2016, Biff Barnard joined URI as its Director of Institutional Advancement, after serving as a member of URI’s Senior Advisory Council since 2003. Biff was appointed URI’s Acting Executive Director on September 2, 2021, and remained in the position for 11 months, and on August 1, 2022, he resumed his position as the Director of Institutional Advancement. On January 1, 2023, he assumed the role of Senior Advisor, supporting the Executive Director and the Global Program's team.  In 2024, after stepping down from the staff, he was asked to co-chair the Senior Advisory Council. Biff also serves on the Governing Board of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County (California), which is a URI Cooperation Circle.

Prior to 2016, he was Managing Partner of Barnard/Montague Capital Advisors; Managing Director of Caltius Mezzanine; Senior Vice President of Allied Capital; and Chairman and CEO of Heller First Capital. Biff served as Chairman of the Advisory Council of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, as President of the San Francisco Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and as a Director of ACG-Global. He served on the San Francisco East Bay Advisory Board of Heritage Bank of Commerce. Biff received a B.A. from Stanford University. He lives in Walnut Creek, California, with his wife, Connie.

William E. Swing is the Founder and President Emeritus of the United Religions Initiative. 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, along with 50 others, shaped the URI purpose (to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings). URI is currently the largest interfaith grassroot organization.

Bishop Swing Bishop Swing served as the 7th 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.

He is married to Mary Taylor Swing and has two children and three grandchildren.

Books by Bishop Swing: A Bishop's Quest: Founding a United Religions and The Sacred and the Silly: A Bishop's Playful and Eventful Life. Both books are available on Amazon.com; the proceeds of book sales will benefit URI.

Vanessa Bergmark is the owner and CEO of Red Oak Realty, one of the largest independent real estate brokerages in the San Francisco Bay Area. Originally from Brooklyn, Bergmark moved west after studying crime, law, and justice. Her passion for real estate ignited when she purchased her first home, prompting her to become a licensed agent. She joined Red Oak Realty in 2007 and became the owner three years later. Under her leadership, Red Oak Realty has expanded and the firm now has over 160 agents, four locations. Bergmark is also known for her commitment to sustainability, leading Red Oak to become both green-certified and carbon-neutral , while being deeply involved in charity for her local community. In 2023 she received her Master’s in Law in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Pepperdine University.

Lijo Chacko is the CEO of Sigachi - Middle East and Africa and a dedicated advocate for social change. As a Trustee of the Tanta Gatha Foundation and an advisor for the Global Equality Alliance, he has been involved in numerous peacebuilding and social initiatives. Lijo played a key role in Global Action on Poverty, creating a network of changemakers and mentors focused on eradicating poverty. His work has spanned various global platforms, including disaster relief efforts and corporate social responsibility projects​. An alumnus of the Institute of Development Studies, UK, he is a member of the Institute of Directors.

After stints at Goldman, Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch over 41 years and being unable to retain a paid situation, he retired in 2015. Over this time he morphed from being a stockbroker into a discretionary investment manager of a team with about $3B in assets. For several years he was ranked (# 8) on Barron's list of the 100 Top Investment Brokers. Now he focuses his time on investment work with three foundations, including URI. He is also a trustee of the BSA National Foundation and president of the American Fondouk Animal Hospital Foundation in Fez, Morocco. He also lovingly and patiently devotes himself to the seemingly endless process of renovating a home in Woodside.

Mary Cranston is a seasoned corporate director and investor. She is the retired CEO and Chair Emeritus of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. As CEO from 1999 to 2006, she expanded PWSP internationally, doubling its size and profitability. She currently serves as a director of Visa, the Chemours Company, MyoKardia, CSAA Insurance, McAfee, Boardspan, and Fiduciary Trust. She served as a Trustee of Stanford University from 2000 to 2010, and as the Chair of the Board of the Stanford Children’s Hospital until December 2016. She has also chaired the Stanford Alumni Association, the Stanford Law School Board of Visitors, and the Stanford Children’s Research Initiative. She currently sits on the boards of the Commonwealth Club of California (which she chaired from 2008 to 2010) and of Catalyst. She has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the United States, and by the National Association of Corporate Directors as one of the 50 most influential and effective public company directors in America. Mary has served as an advisor and investor to numerous startups in technology, financial technology and pharmaceuticals.  

William P. Fuller serves on the boards of a bank and a technology company in the Bay Area as well as a number of non-profits involved with Asia. From 2004 to 2008 Bill was the Vice Chair of ChinaVest, a merchant bank with offices in Shanghai and San Francisco. He served as CEO of The Asia Foundation in San Francisco from 1989 to 2004, and from 1981 to 1989 as Deputy Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, D.C. and as Director of the USAID mission in Indonesia. From 1971 to 1981, Mr. Fuller served with the Ford Foundation in Thailand, and later as head of the Foundation's office in Bangladesh. He began his career with UNICEF in the Middle East and with the World Bank in Paris. Mr. Fuller holds an MBA from Harvard and a Ph.D from Stanford.

Jill H. Kramer is a founding member of the URI Senior Advisory Council; a founding member of the Vital Voices Bay Area Council; an emerita Trustee of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, a past president of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation (ARCSNCC); founder of CLAW (Critter Lovers at Work); and she co-founded the Coro Foundation program for “Women Over 40”. She is a member of the Presidents’ Circle of the National Academy of Sciences. She recently joined How Women Lead.

David Mast is a multifaceted individual who brings a unique blend of spirituality, design expertise, advocacy for education, and civic engagement to his life's journey. He attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, completed his BA at Calvin University, and pursued higher education at UC Berkeley. As the youth director of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, he developed his dedication to community and spiritual growth. Then, he transitioned into the financial sector, where he held a significant role within a private investment firm. After which, he ventured into entrepreneurship by establishing his own design firm in San Francisco. David's distinctive approach in his design work seamlessly blends the spiritual and the physical, reflecting his profound passion for both aspects of life. He firmly believes in the importance of public education as a cornerstone of society – this led him to hold various political offices and housing boards, where he advocated for civic duty and the betterment of his community. Beyond academics and professional pursuits, he is passionate about traveling, learning new languages, exploring diverse cultures, and connecting with people from all walks of life. Converted to Judaism, he now lives in Israel.

Steve Miller is Founder & CEO of the United States Christian Leadership Organization (USCLO), a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving racial equality and reconciliation. He is an Ashoka Fellow, recognized as one of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Miller began advancing rights and responsibilities in Texas in 2009, with his efforts resulting in Federal civil rights investigations by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and the United States Department of Justice’s Community Services Division. His work has brought increased equity to hiring processes, expanded job opportunities, and greater understanding of institutional bias in the educational system and has won legal actions at the Federal court level. Miller offers service and leadership to the HBCU Truth & Reconciliation Oral History Project, documenting and archiving the racial experiences of African Americans. He leverages the power of students and scholars of color, as well as the leading institutions in African American society, such as Historically Black Colleges & Universities and the Black Church, to recreate conditions that led to the successful U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Before becoming a social impact leader, Miller was a corporate banker specializing in large real estate syndications. He holds an MBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School as well as a Masters of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. 

Roger served as the VP for Strategy and Programs for the Barr Foundation with primary oversight for Barr’s grantmaking strategies, initiatives, and learning and evaluation. Barr’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. He also served on the foundation’s executive team, which provides overall strategic and operational leadership.

Roger serves on the US-Japan Council program committee and has served previously on several boards and committees, including the 2022 Independent Sector CEO search committee, the Connecticut College President’s Leadership Council, the Independent Sector Board, the Council on Foundations Corporate Committee, and the Institute for College Access and Success board, and chaired the board of Innovations in Civic Participation. Roger and his wife have three children and a dog, and live in Rhode Island.

Michael G. Pappas worked as a lobbyist, regional field director for a presidential campaign and investment banker for the oldest municipal bond firm in New Jersey. In 1987, he left the world of politics & finance and enrolled at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, MA) attaining an M.Div. and as an ordained priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, he served parishes in Palos Hills, IL, Stockton, CA, and San Francisco, CA. During his sixteen-year ministry, he was a prolific writer, contributing articles to numerous religious and secular periodicals. He also devoted energy to working with the homeless and furthering ecumenical and interfaith relationships. After transitioning from parish ministry in 2007, he was selected by the San Francisco Interfaith Council to the newly created administrative post of Executive Director. In his tenure as Executive Director Michael has helped increase the Council’s budget and programs substantially; strengthened existing and cultivated new relationships with civic leaders, NGOs, judicatories and congregations; and significantly projected the SFIC through expanded use of technology. SFIC is a Cooperation Circle of URI. Michael has served/serves on numerous boards and has had several mayoral appointments. He is the father of two sons, George and Paul, and one daughter, Julia. He is a congregant at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco.

Rabbi Stephen S. Pearce, DD, PhD, served Congregation Emanu-El as the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Senior Rabbi from 1993 to 2013. Ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, he earned his doctorate in counselor psychology at St. John’s University. He is an advisory board member of the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture. Previously, he served on the boards of the Graduate Theological Union and Palo Alto University, and is a past president of the Northern California Board of Rabbis. In January 2018, he was named the Taube Scholar at Congregation Emanuel-El.

Barbara Shannon is a business growth expert. She is CEO of the Shannon Group advising C-Level corporate executives with clients that include FEI/Thermo Fischer, Lumentum, HireRight, Flextronics, and others. She helps clients achieve game-changing results for themselves and their businesses. She is founder and chair of THECEOBOARD, a San Francisco-based CEO peer group, and ATHENA, a monthly mastermind group dedicated to the success of women entrepreneurs. Barbara hosts the Bernstein CEO Speaker Series, serves on the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change, and is a frequent speaker and panelist on big shift business transformation. Previously, she was with Deloitte Consulting, where she guided senior executives at JPMorgan Chase, MetLife, Lockheed Martin, Hewlett Packard and Applied Materials. Barbara gives back locally as a board member at We Vote, as a Global Ambassador for How Women Lead, and as the coach-in-residence at Save The Bay. She has also served as a member of the URI Foundation Board. Barbara received her BA from Smith College and her MBA at The Wharton School.

Ms. Siskel is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of the Asia Foundation. She oversees the Asia Foundation’s 18 Asian offices and US operations. The Foundation is a 65-year old nonprofit committed to improving lives across Asia and supporting its continuing development as a peaceful, just and thriving region of the world. Previously she held leadership positions over two decades at the Ford Foundation in Indonesia, Philippines and New York. She serves on the boards of Winrock International, China Medical Board, Youth Orchestra of the Americas, Friends of Fondation de France, and Vicente Canyon Hillside Foundation. She is Co-President of Ford’s alumni association, former President of the Fulbright Association, and was a distinguished scholar at the Clinton School of Public Service in Arkansas. She holds degrees in anthropology from Harvard University and the Johns Hopkins University.

Roselyne "Cissie" Swig is Founder and President of ComCon International, and member of the Board of Directors of The Swig Company and founder of Roselyne C. Swig Artsource (1978-94). She was appointed Director of the U.S. Department of State Art in Embassies Program by President William J. Clinton (1994-97). She has devoted decades to philanthropic and community service efforts, at local, national and global levels with a focus on women's empowerment, social welfare, fine art, political advocacy and education. Ms. Swig is founder of Partners Ending Domestic Abuse and Bayview Alliance.

John Weiser previously served as Chairman of the Board of the Graduate Theological Union, a partnership of nine seminaries of differing denominations. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Mr. Weiser served as General Counsel of Bechtel Group, Inc., an international engineering construction firm. Earlier, he was a partner and member of the management committee of Shearman & Sterling, a major Wall Street law firm. He and his late wife, Maria, had nine children, one of whom died as a toddler; they have eleven grandchildren. 

Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. is Vice Chairman, Member - Office of the Chairman and Director of Franklin Resources, Inc. He serves as an officer, director, and trustee of some of the subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc. and of 47 of the investment companies in Franklin Templeton Investments. He is also Chairman and Director of Franklin Templeton funds. Mr. Johnson joined Franklin in 1965 after serving as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Washington and Lee University. He is a member on the board of the BASIC Fund and has served as a member of the executive committee as well as the Board of Governors of The Investment Company Institute. He also served on the board of the San Francisco Zoological Society and has been active with the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. He is a former trustee of both Santa Clara University and Washington and Lee University.

Robert (Bob) Lurie has a lifelong dedication to business, civic and community affairs in San Francisco. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953 before returning home to enter the San Francisco business community. Upon his father’s passing in 1972, Bob Lurie assumed the presidency of the Lurie Company, a San Francisco and Chicago-based real estate company specializing in commercial properties. In 1976, a Lurie Company subsidiary purchased the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club.

George M. Marcus is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Marcus & Millichap Company (MMC). Founded in 1971, MMC is the parent company of a diversified group of real estate service, investment and development firms. His professional memberships include Real Estate Roundtable, Urban Land Institute, the U.C. Berkeley Fisher Center for Real Estate and numerous other professional and community organizations. Mr. Marcus graduated with a B.S. in Economics from San Francisco State University in 1965, he was honored as Alumnus of the Millennium in 1999 and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the California State University in 2011.

Chandler Tagliabue grew up in Milledgeville, GA, with two younger brothers. She was an outstanding student and received her BA in English and French from the Women’s College of Georgia (now Georgia College and State University) in 1964. In 1965, Chan married Paul Tagliabue, then fresh out of law school. She later earned a Master of Arts degree in English and American Literature at George Washington University, and has been for decades an avid participant in book clubs in Washington, New York City and Boothbay Harbor, ME. Chan’s current primary involvement is as a member of the Board of Regents of Georgetown University. She serves as Vice Chair of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics committee and is also a member of the Georgetown Learning Initiatives committee.

In the past, Chan devoted time and energy as a volunteer leader and board member of Rebuilding Together, the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization engaged in rehabilitating housing for elderly, disabled and other disadvantaged citizens. Chan has also been heavily involved in other organizations, including as a board member for Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington; honorary chair of a capital campaign for the Girl Scout Council of the National Capital; and as senior warden of the vestry and chair of a St Columba’s capital campaign.

Paul Tagliabue is currently Vice Chair of Georgetown University’s Board of Directors. He joined the Board in 2006 and served as Chair from 2009 to 2015. Tagliabue engages in a range of endeavors, including in business, law, and higher education. He previously served as the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) from 1989 until 2006. As NFL Commissioner, Tagliabue presided over an extended period of labor peace, league expansion and growth of fan interest and revenue in professional football. Tagliabue now serves as a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, and has previously advised the United States Olympic Committee on its governance structure.

Tagliabue is senior counsel in the law firm Covington & Burling in its Washington, D.C., office and advises clients on governance and public policy matters. Tagliabue's contributions in business and public service have been recognized by the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the NCAA, the Sports Business Journal, Autism Speaks, the United Way of America, the National Urban League and other organizations. Before becoming the NFL’s CEO, Tagliabue represented the NFL and other clients for two decades at Covington & Burling. He earlier served in the Office of U.S. Secretary of Defense as a policy analyst and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He currently serves on business boards, including Panasonic’s Global Advisory Group, as well as boards of nonprofit organizations.

Kat Taylor is active in a variety of social business, public benefit and philanthropic ventures in the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently focuses on beneficial banking services and food systems through two primary organizations. She and her husband, Tom Steyer, are the Founding Directors of OneCalifornia Bank and a foundation, which lends to low-income communities to support local economies and job creation. Kat is also a Founding Director of TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation dedicated to returning to sustainable food production. Kat is a Partner in INKA, a startup renewable food company pioneering closed loop food systems. Since 1986, Kat served on the board of the Good Samaritan Family Resource Center and the Insight Prison Project. Kat has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of KQED, Inc., the Bay Area and Northern California’s public radio and television station. Kat and Tom reside in San Francisco with their four children and many animals.