James P. Buchanan, Ph.D., Co-Chair of Faith Communities Go Green, was educated at Yale University and the University of Chicago where he completed a Ph.D. in comparative religions and value systems. He also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, The University of Moscow, and the University of Beijing. His teaching and research has focused upon ethics, global systems, and interfaith dialogue. He held the first endowed chair in Ethics/Religious and Society at Xavier before becoming University Professor and Executive Director of The Brueggeman Center for Dialogue at Xavier University. He will become Emeritus Director on January 1, 2021.

Ryan Mooney-Bullock is the Executive Director of Green Umbrella, a non-profit focused on improving the sustainability of the Greater Cincinnati Region through cross-sector collaboration. She has spent the last 20 years working in science, environmental education, and environmental policy. She developed and managed the Green Learning Station at the Civic Garden Center during its formative years. Her BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Chicago focused her on environmental policy and the human-environmental interaction, and her MS in Environmental Science from Antioch University New England deepened her understanding of natural systems and how to educate about them. A seasoned program manager, educator and communicator, Ryan is most energized when she is helping people make connections between their passions and what is going on in the natural and human worlds around them.

Joanne Gerson, Founder, and Co-Chair of Faith Community Go Green, created educational programs, including Kinder-Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo’s first preschool program, and The Super Saturday Program, an enrichment program for gifted children, which she directed for ten years. Through her business, Decorative Art, she painted furniture and murals. Passionate about environmental issues, she founded the Rockdale Temple Environmental Committee, Shomrei Olam – Jewish Environmental Advocates, served as Montgomery Planning Commissioner leading the revisions of Montgomery Storm Water and Lighting Zoning Codes, Program Committee Chair for Hamilton County Regional Planning Partnership, and member Green Umbrella’s Watershed Task Force. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, holds three U.S. Patents, dressage enthusiast with national awards.

Robert C. “Chip” Harrod is the executive director of EquaSion, a nonpartisan, interfaith organization that through education, dialogue, and advocacy promotes inclusion, equity, and justice for everyone. Under Chip’s leadership, EquaSion took the lead in organizing the Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate, and currently sponsors the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, A Mighty Stream: An Interfaith Community of Sacred Activists for Racial Justice, and just recently in collaboration with Green Umbrella, Faith Communities Go Green. A former attorney, Chip served two terms on the Ohio Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He was the originator and founding president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Anas B. Malik, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Political Science Department, and Chair, Committee on Climate Change, Xavier University. Anas’s interest is in cultural and religious factors in constituting polycentric order in Islamic and inter-religious contexts. As a political economist interested in development, his early work emphasized the consequences of the strategic pursuit of political survival. He focused on Pakistan in two book projects, Polycentricity, Islam, and Development: Potentials and Challenges in Pakistan and Political Survival in Pakistan: Beyond Ideology. He is generally interested in developing countries where the central authority has low political capacity.  He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, and an M.A.in Economics, from Indiana University, Bloomington, a B.A. Highest Honors, International Political Economy, Marlboro College, Marlboro, Vermont. 

John J. O’Keefe, Ph.D.is a Theologian and Documentary filmmaker based at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH where he serves as Director of The Brueggeman Center for Dialogue. His academic research has focused on the history and theology of ancient Christianity, especially in the area of ancient Christian biblical interpretation. He is currently interested in ecological theology and efforts to put ancient wisdom in dialogue with the critical needs of the world. His most recent film The Last Prairie offers a portrait of the Sandhills grassland in western Nebraska, one of the last remaining prairie landscapes in the world.

Jeremy Spiegel is the Assistant Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati, a role he has held since 2022.  Prior to this role, Jeremy spent nine years in youth engagement and education roles, first as an English teacher in Madrid, Spain, followed by five years on campus at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and two years as a Jewish youth director in Columbus.  A native of Blue Ash, Jeremy is excited to return to Cincinnati and build community alliances across ages, religions, and cultures.  He is passionate about environmental protection, a passion he acquired at a young age from his grandfather. Jeremy has a BA in Journalism and History from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Jewish Professional Studies from the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership.

Donna B Turner is currently a corporate trainer with TaTa Consultancy Corporation.  She has consistently devoted herself to non-profit organizations.  She Managed the Family Values Pavilion for the NCNW Black Family Reunion Celebration for the first 2 years hosted in Cincinnati.  She also served on the Executive Board of the Duncanson Society of the Taft Museum of Art from 1999-2015. Since 2015 she has devoted herself to church growth and currently serves as Chair of Evangelism at Fifth Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Cincinnati, Ohio and a Member of the Environmental Justice Committee of the Cincinnati NAACP.

Caroljean Willie, Ph.D., Co-Chair of Faith Communities Go Green,  a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a Master’s Degree in Reading, and a Ph.D. in Multicultural Education. As an environmental educator, teacher-trainer, and cultural diversity consultant, she has extensive experience working cross-culturally throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Asia, and South and Central America. Before becoming program director at EarthConnection, she served two terms of office as the NGO representative at the United Nations for the Sisters of Charity Federation and continues to work with microfinancing projects in Africa.

Ted Bergh is focused on making a better world for his grandchild and all grandchildren.  The natural world and ecosystems are struggling to absorb all the material we produce.  It is time to preserve the world for the children and natural species.  Ted volunteers on the Archdiocese Care for Creation Task Force.  He has participated in the Pachamama Alliance Introduction to Community Climate Action.  He advocates for action on the Advocacy committee for the Faith Communities Go Green.  He is retired from Catholic Charties SW Ohio.  He enjoys being with family and being outside.

Becca was a public sector auditor (CPA), but since the last several years, devotes her time to building a more peaceful and equitable world by volunteering for causes like Climate Change/Care for Creation, humanitarian service, and Interfaith work. Besides volunteering her with FCGG, she works for ending hunger in her community by serving on the Board of Shared Harvest. She also volunteers as Treasurer and Advisor on the Board of Restore Hope, a US non-profit that enables health, education and opportunities in the most rural regions in Liberia (https://www.restorehopeliberia.org). Becca is a Zoroastrian and represents her religion in interfaith work and events.

Ariel writes the weekly legislative update for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. Engaging people in solutions to climate change is her top humanitarian priority. She reports on environmental projects worldwide as newsletter editor for Rotary International’s environmental action group. As a member of the Diocese’s Creation Care and Environmental Justice Task Force, Ariel is encouraging churches to cut their carbon footprint by investing in energy conservation retrofits. She earned degrees in history at Yale, international relations at Tufts, and health planning at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She received the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission’s 2011 Humanitarian of the Year award and was in Leadership Cincinnati Class XXX.

Ken Wright, Ph.D., As Facilities Co-Chair, Ken is leading the Energy Efficiency Initiative. Now retired, he worked as a Materials Engineer at General Electric for 31 years. Since retiring, he has focused on reducing energy waste in buildings. He is a member of
The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio’s Creation Care and Environmental Justice Commission where he was instrumental in their “Solarize Ohio” and Energy Efficiency Grant programs for parishes.  He implemented the solar installation for St Simons of
Cyrene Church in Lincoln Heights and is currently helping Maple Knoll Village install solar and geothermal heat pump systems on their new community center building.  He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and M.S. and Ph.D.
degrees from Case Western University.