Board of Directors

The REA By-laws state that “management of all affairs, property, and business of the Association shall be vested in a Board of Directors who shall consist of the elected officers and Board members.” The REA:APPRRE Board Handbook details the roles and responsibilities of our board, officers, and staff. We have also put together a detailed position description for each member of our board and a composite list of the specific tasks of various committee members. Note that some members of the board also serve on the steering committee and the program conference committee.  The members of the current board are listed below. A variety of governance changes have been made in the last few years, you can read about them here and in back issues of eREACH. 

  • Garam Han
    Student Rep
    Garam Han

    Ph.D. Student
    Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    Evanston, illinois, United States

    garam [dot] han [at] garrett [dot] edu

    REA Board, Student Representative
    REA Board
  • Mary E. Hess
    Ex Officio
    Mary E. Hess

    Professor
    Luther Seminary
    Saint Paul, MN, United States

    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Networking Coordinator
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Christine Jean Hong
    Christine Jean Hong

    Assistant Professor of Educational Ministries
    Columbia Theological Seminary
    Decatur, GA, United States

    hongc [at] ctsnet [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Public Life and the Global Community
  • Heesung Hwang
    Recording Secretary
    Heesung Hwang

    Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Education and Public Ministry
    Chicago Theological Seminary
    Des Plaines, Illinois, United States

    heesung [dot] hwang [dot] 21st [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Recording Secretary
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
  • Jose R. Irizarry
    Jose R. Irizarry

    Professor
    Villanova University
    Villanova, PA, United States

    jose [dot] r [dot] irizarry [at] villanova [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    AAR Program Committee
  • Denise Janssen
    Denise Janssen

    Associate Professor of Christian Education
    Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University
    Chester, VA, United States

    revdlj [at] att [dot] net

    REA Board
    Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Faith Communities
  • Callid Keefe-Perry
    Callid Keefe-Perry

    Assistant Professor of Contextual Education and Public Theology
    Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
    Arlington, MA, United States

    callid [dot] kp [at] bc [dot] edu

    REA Board
    Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines & Institutions
  • Boyung Lee
    President
    Boyung Lee

    Professor and Academic Dean
    Iliff School of Theology
    Denver, CO, United States

    blee [at] iliff [dot] edu

    REA President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Chair, Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Lakisha R Lockhart
    Ex Officio
    Lakisha R Lockhart

    Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Moseley, VA, United States

    secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Executive Secretary
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
    Joshua H Lunde-Whitler

    Executive Director
    Rivier University
    Newton, MA, United States

    jlundewhitler [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Chair, Harper / Wornom Committee
  • Joyce Ann Mercer
    Ex Officio
    Joyce Ann Mercer

    Prof. of Practical Theol & Pastoral Care
    Yale Divinity School
    New Haven, CT, United States

    joyce [dot] mercer [at] yale [dot] edu

    REA Journal Editor
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    Publications Committee
  • Hosffman Ospino
    Hosffman Ospino

    Professor
    Boston College
    Waltham, MA, United States

    ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Program Conference Committee
    Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
  • Patrick B. Reyes
    Program Chair
    Patrick B. Reyes

    Senior Director of Learning Design
    Forum for Theological Exploration
    Decatur, GA, United States

    preyes [at] fteleaders [dot] org

    REA Program Chair, President-Elect
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Tony Vrame
    Treasurer
    Tony Vrame

    Director, Dept. of Reglious Ed.
    Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
    Brookline, MA, United States

    tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Treasurer
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
    Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Vice President
    Anne Carter Walker

    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Vice President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Almeda Wright
    Almeda Wright

    Professor
    Yale Divinity School
    New Haven, CT, United States

    almeda [dot] wright [at] yale [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Chair, Publications Committee
 

Board Steering Committee

This committee meets to make decisions and implement initiatives between regular board meetings. The Board Steering Committee is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Secretary (ex officio), and the Networking Coordinator (ex officio).

  • Mary E. Hess
    Ex Officio
    Mary E. Hess

    Professor
    Luther Seminary
    Saint Paul, MN, United States

    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Networking Coordinator
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Heesung Hwang
    Recording Secretary
    Heesung Hwang

    Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Education and Public Ministry
    Chicago Theological Seminary
    Des Plaines, Illinois, United States

    heesung [dot] hwang [dot] 21st [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Recording Secretary
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
  • Boyung Lee
    President
    Boyung Lee

    Professor and Academic Dean
    Iliff School of Theology
    Denver, CO, United States

    blee [at] iliff [dot] edu

    REA President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Chair, Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Lakisha R Lockhart
    Ex Officio
    Lakisha R Lockhart

    Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Moseley, VA, United States

    secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Executive Secretary
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Patrick B. Reyes
    Program Chair
    Patrick B. Reyes

    Senior Director of Learning Design
    Forum for Theological Exploration
    Decatur, GA, United States

    preyes [at] fteleaders [dot] org

    REA Program Chair, President-Elect
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Tony Vrame
    Treasurer
    Tony Vrame

    Director, Dept. of Reglious Ed.
    Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
    Brookline, MA, United States

    tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Treasurer
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
    Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Vice President
    Anne Carter Walker

    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Vice President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Program Conference Committee
 

AAR Program Committee

This committee plans the REA session at the American Academy of Religion annual meeting each year. The REA is an official Related Scholarly Organization of the AAR. The AAR Program Committee is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, and the Past-President.

  • Hanan A. Alexander
    Hanan A. Alexander

    Professor and Dean
    University of Haifa
    Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    hanana [at] edu [dot] haifa [dot] ac [dot] il

    REA Past President
    AAR Program Committee
    Nominating Committee
  • Jose R. Irizarry
    Jose R. Irizarry

    Professor
    Villanova University
    Villanova, PA, United States

    jose [dot] r [dot] irizarry [at] villanova [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    AAR Program Committee
  • Boyung Lee
    Boyung Lee

    Professor and Academic Dean
    Iliff School of Theology
    Denver, CO, United States

    blee [at] iliff [dot] edu

    REA President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Chair, Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Patrick B. Reyes
    Patrick B. Reyes

    Senior Director of Learning Design
    Forum for Theological Exploration
    Decatur, GA, United States

    preyes [at] fteleaders [dot] org

    REA Program Chair, President-Elect
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Anne Carter Walker

    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Vice President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Program Conference Committee
 

Harper / Wornom Committee

This committee, established by REA bylaws, exists to solicit applications and make recommendations for the recipient of the William Rainey Harper Award. It also solicits applications for and makes recommendations for the awarding of the Wornom Innovation Grant.

  • Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
    Chair
    Joshua H Lunde-Whitler

    Executive Director
    Rivier University
    Newton, MA, United States

    jlundewhitler [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Chair, Harper / Wornom Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Anne Carter Walker

    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Vice President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Montague Williams
    Montague Williams

    Associate Professor of Church, Culture, and Society
    Point Loma Nazarene University (professor) / Boston University (PhD cand.)
    San Diego, CA, United States

    montaguewilliams [at] pointloma [dot] edu

    Harper / Wornom Committee
 

Nominating Committee

This committee recommends a slate of candidates to fill board offices. The Nominating Committee is comprised of retiring Board and Committee members, and one member at large elected by the membership. The committee is chaired by the President.

  • Hanan A. Alexander
    Hanan A. Alexander

    Professor and Dean
    University of Haifa
    Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    hanana [at] edu [dot] haifa [dot] ac [dot] il

    REA Past President
    AAR Program Committee
    Nominating Committee
  • Jos De Kock
    Jos De Kock

    Professor of Practical Theology | Rector
    Evangelische Theologische Faculteit Leuven
    Linden, Nederland, Belgium

    jos [dot] dekock [at] etf [dot] edu

    REA Advisory Council
    Nominating Committee
  • Mark Chung Hearn
    Mark Chung Hearn

    Professor - Director
    Church Divinity School of the Pacific
    Berkeley, CA, United States

    mhearn [at] cdsp [dot] edu

    Nominating Committee
  • Boyung Lee
    Chair
    Boyung Lee

    Professor and Academic Dean
    Iliff School of Theology
    Denver, CO, United States

    blee [at] iliff [dot] edu

    REA President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Chair, Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Gina A. S. Robinson
    Gina A. S. Robinson

    PhD Student
    Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    Evanston, IL, United States

    gina [dot] robinson [at] garrett [dot] edu

    Nominating Committee
  • Tony Vrame
    Tony Vrame

    Director, Dept. of Reglious Ed.
    Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
    Brookline, MA, United States

    tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Treasurer
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
    Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
 

Program Conference Committee

This committee exists to support the program chair in planning the annual conference. The Program Conference Committee is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Call for Proposals Chair, Executive Secretary, and the Networking Coordinator.

  • Mary E. Hess
    Mary E. Hess

    Professor
    Luther Seminary
    Saint Paul, MN, United States

    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Networking Coordinator
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Boyung Lee
    Boyung Lee

    Professor and Academic Dean
    Iliff School of Theology
    Denver, CO, United States

    blee [at] iliff [dot] edu

    REA President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Chair, Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Lakisha R Lockhart
    Lakisha R Lockhart

    Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Moseley, VA, United States

    secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net

    REA Executive Secretary
    REA Board, Ex Officio
    REA Board Steering Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Hosffman Ospino
    Hosffman Ospino

    Professor
    Boston College
    Waltham, MA, United States

    ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Program Conference Committee
    Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
  • Patrick B. Reyes
    Patrick B. Reyes

    Senior Director of Learning Design
    Forum for Theological Exploration
    Decatur, GA, United States

    preyes [at] fteleaders [dot] org

    REA Program Chair, President-Elect
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Tony Vrame
    Tony Vrame

    Director, Dept. of Reglious Ed.
    Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
    Brookline, MA, United States

    tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Treasurer
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    REA Advisory Council
    Nominating Committee
    Program Conference Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Anne Carter Walker

    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Vice President
    REA Board
    REA Board Steering Committee
    AAR Program Committee
    Harper / Wornom Committee
    Program Conference Committee
 

Proposals Selection Committee

This committee reviews proposals and chooses Research Interest Group papers, Collaborative Sessions, and Posters for the annual meeting.

  • Monique van Dijk-Groeneboer
    Monique van Dijk-Groeneboer

    professor of religious education
    Tilburg School of Catholic Theology
    The Hague, ZuidHolland, Netherlands

    m [dot] c [dot] h [dot] vandijk [at] tilburguniversity [dot] edu

    REA Advisory Council
    Proposals Selection Committee
  • Hosffman Ospino
    Chair
    Hosffman Ospino

    Professor
    Boston College
    Waltham, MA, United States

    ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu

    REA Board
    REA Advisory Council
    Program Conference Committee
    Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
  • Carl Procario-Foley
    Carl Procario-Foley

    Executive Director
    Center at Mariandale
    New Rochelle, NY, United States

    cbprocariofoley [at] gmail [dot] com

    REA Advisory Council
    Proposals Selection Committee
 

Publications Committee

This committee exists to support the board in overseeing the journal Religious Education and the Horizons publications series.

 

Standing Committees

In addition to the committees of the board, above, the REA also has three standing committee which are organized to help the REA sustain its focus on the three major contexts for religious education. They are an essential part of how REA, as a decentralized, volunteer-driven associations accomplishes its mission. Please go to the page of Standing Committees for more information.