BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rabbi Abby Jacobson
President
Rabbi Jacobson is the rabbi of Emanuel Synagogue. As president, she hopes to improve communication between the board and the membership, to help everyone feel the relevance of their participation, and to help everyone feel happier for having participated.
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Richard A. "Rick" Dimick
Treasurer
Amit Gumman, MD
Janie Kirt Morris
Janie is enjoying the new stage of her life as a retired Episcopal priest living near her family. Most recently she led a church in west Houston. She chairs the Interfaith Alliance committee Many Beliefs Serving Together and delights in this and other interfaith activities that encourage relationships that unite us. She is a volunteer Spiritual Care Provider at Palomar, our Oklahoma City Family Justice Center.
James "Jim" C. Shields
President Emeritus
Rev. Shields is a retired United Methodist clergy who has lived in Oklahoma for 63 years, and spent time in New York, North Dakota, and Texas working in many different phases of ministry including parish, campus, and ecumenical. He is a founder of The Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma.
Sheryl S. (Sherry) Sullivan
Sherry Sullivan is a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral and a family lawyer. As an Oklahoma City native, her volunteer experience has included interfaith dialogue, public education, and addressing domestic violence.
Rev. Kayla Bonewell
Secretary
Rev. Kayla Bonewell is an ordained United Church of the Christ pastor and serves two congregations in Oklahoma City. Church of the Open Arms & Cathedral of Hope OKC.
Aaron Bolerjack
Aaron Bolerjack is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. He serves as Executive Pastor of OKC First Church of the Nazarene and is an adjunct professor of History at Southern Nazarene University. He has a deep and abiding love for coffee.
Mari Fagin, PhD
Dr. Fagin's professional career has included positions as a college professor, director of outpatient services of a large mental health center, and a private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marital and Family Therapist. She is a member of Temple B'nai Israel in Oklahoma City and is very committed to the encouragement and support of interfaith relationships and activities.
Noel Jacobs, PhD
Immediate Past President
Dr. Jacobs is a local child psychologist and member of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church. He feels motivated to serve God by loving and being willing to advocate for all, and believes in the call of The Interfaith Alliance to promote understanding and connectedness between people across all our differences, including differences of belief.
Venkataraman Kalyanaraman, MD
Dr. Kalyanaraman is an endocrinologist, avid photographer and outdoor enthusiast. He is a member of OKC Hindu temple and interested in promoting cultural harmony, interfaith activities and exchange of ideas that promote both physical and mental wellbeing.
Rev. John Malget
Rev. John Malget is the pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Oklahoma City. He holds a Bachelor of Music Ed from Phillips U and an MDiv from Phillips Seminary. He spent 9 years as Associate Pastor at Memorial Drive Christian Church in Houston, TX.
Carl Rubenstein, MD
President Emeritus
Retired physician, long-time Interfaith Alliance Board member, Past-President of Interfaith Alliance. Other boards & activities: Environment Committee of Oklahoma Conference of Churches; Advisory Board, Oklahoma Center for Community & Justice; Member, Oklahoma Academy for State Goals; Member, Human Community Network; Board Member, Red Earth; Member, Temple B’nai Israel; Member, 25 by 25 Advisory Board of Potts Family Foundation.
Chris Peters
Chris Peters is a Dharma Teacher with the Rissho Kosei-kai Dharma Center in Oklahoma City (RKOK). He has served on the RKOK Board of Directors since 2015 and is currently the board Vice President; and spent 4 years as a Buddhist education program volunteer within the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Chris holds a M.S. in Environmental Management and Industrial Hygiene from The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Saurabh R Singh
Vice President
Saurabh joined the Board in 2019 and is a member of the Sikh faith. Saurabh has more than 20 years of executive experience in sectors including energy, automotive, industrial products, manufacturing & distribution across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. He has been married to Mandeep Singh for more than 32 years and they have two adult children. Saurabh has been a volunteer and on the Board of various organizations throughout his life with special focus on leadership, service, and education.
Rev. DeCarla L. Steele
Rev. DeCarla L. Steele is the Senior Pastor of Israel Chapel Christian Methodist Church Episcopal Church in Spencer, OK. Retired from the Army National Guard, DeCarla has been a financial analyst for the Department of Housing and Urban Development for 20+ years and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Phillips School of Theology.
Rev. Diana Davies
Second Vice President
Rev. Dr. Diana Davies is the Lead Minister at First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City (Unitarian Universalist). She has a long-term commitment to interfaith and intercultural dialogue. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature with concentrations in Russian and Spanish and, prior to ministry, had a long career in international education, most recently serving as Vice Provost for International Initiatives at Princeton University. She is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory and serves on the board of Meadville Lombard Theological School.