Board of Directors – Religious Education Association

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. 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 on our governance changes page and in back issues of eREACH.

Patricia Bonilla
Vice President
Patricia Bonilla
Professor
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States
bonillaxpatricia [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- REA Board Steering Committee
- REA Vice President
Mark Chung Hearn
Chair of the CFP Committee
Mark Chung Hearn
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley, CA, United States
mhearn [at] cdsp [dot] edu
- REA Board
- Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
- Program Conference Committee
Christine Jean Hong
Ex Officio
Christine Jean Hong
Associate Professor of Educational Ministries
Columbia Theological Seminary
Decatur, GA, United States
jedi [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- REA Advisory Council
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officer
- REA Board Steering Committee
Heesung Hwang
Recording Secretary
Heesung Hwang
Assistant Professor of Christian Religious Education
Saint Paul School of Theology
Leawood, Kansas, United States
heesung [dot] hwang [at] spst [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- REA Recording Secretary
- REA Board Steering Committee
Denise Janssen
Treasurer
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
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
- REA Treasurer
Eunjin Jeon
Student Rep
Eunjin Jeon
Student
University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Princeton, New Jersey, United States
eunjinshalom [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- REA Board, Student Representative
Eser Kim
Ex Officio
Eser Kim
Knox College, University of Toronto
Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Networking Coordinator
- REA Board Steering Committee
Paulus Eko Kristianto
Chair of the Standing Committee on Faith Communities
Paulus Eko Kristianto
Doctoral Student
Duta Wacana Christian University, Indonesia
Jakarta Barat, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
paulusekokristianto12 [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Faith Communities
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
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Executive Secretary
- REA Board Steering Committee
Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
Chair of the Harper Wornom Committee
Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
Executive Director
Rivier University
Newton, MA, United States
jlundewhitler [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- 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
- Publications Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Journal Editor
- REA Board Steering Committee
Hosffman Ospino
Chair of the Publications Committee
Hosffman Ospino
Professor
Boston College
Waltham, MA, United States
ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- Chair, Publications Committee
Anton Vrame
Chair of the Advancement Committee
Anton Vrame
Director, Holy Cross Orthodox Press
Hellenic College, Inc.
Roslindale, MA, United States
tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- Chair, Advancement Committee
Anne Carter Walker
President
Anne Carter Walker
Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
Phillips Theological Seminary
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- AAR Program Committee
- Chair, Nominating Committee
- Program Conference Committee
- REA President
- REA Board Steering Committee
Karen-Marie Yust
Chair of the Academic Disciplines
Karen-Marie Yust
Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education
Union Presbyterian Seminary
Richmond, VA, United States
kmyust [at] upsem [dot] edu
- REA Board
- Standing Committee on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines & Institutions
- Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines & Institutions

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).

Dori Grinenko Baker
Dori Grinenko Baker
Independent Scholar
Www.ourowndeepwells.com
Lynchburg, VA, United States
bakerdori [at] mac [dot] com
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
Patricia Bonilla
Vice President
Patricia Bonilla
Professor
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Vernon Hills, Illinois, United States
bonillaxpatricia [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- REA Board Steering Committee
- REA Vice President
Christine Jean Hong
Ex Officio
Christine Jean Hong
Associate Professor of Educational Ministries
Columbia Theological Seminary
Decatur, GA, United States
jedi [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- REA Advisory Council
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officer
- REA Board Steering Committee
Heesung Hwang
Recording Secretary
Heesung Hwang
Assistant Professor of Christian Religious Education
Saint Paul School of Theology
Leawood, Kansas, United States
heesung [dot] hwang [at] spst [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- REA Recording Secretary
- REA Board Steering Committee
Denise Janssen
Treasurer
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
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
- REA Treasurer
Eser Kim
Ex Officio
Eser Kim
Knox College, University of Toronto
Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Networking Coordinator
- REA Board Steering 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
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Executive Secretary
- REA Board Steering 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
- Publications Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Journal Editor
- REA Board Steering Committee
Wanda Stahl
Wanda Stahl
Clinical Assistant Professor of Contextual Theology & Practice
Boston University School of Theology
Maine, ME, United States
wstahl [at] bu [dot] edu
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
Anne Carter Walker
President
Anne Carter Walker
Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
Phillips Theological Seminary
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- AAR Program Committee
- Chair, Nominating Committee
- Program Conference Committee
- REA President
- REA Board Steering Committee

Advancement Committee

Cynthia Cameron
Cynthia Cameron
Assistant Professor
University of St. Michael's College
Toronto, ON, Canada
cynthia [dot] cameron [at] utoronto [dot] ca
- Advancement Committee
Mary Elizabeth Moore
Mary Elizabeth Moore
Dean Emerita and Professor Emerita
Boston University
Claremont, CA, United States
memoore [at] bu [dot] edu
- Advancement Committee
Javier A Viera
Javier A Viera
President and Professor of Education and Leadership
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Evanston, Il, United States
javier [dot] viera [at] garrett [dot] edu
- Advancement Committee
Anton Vrame
Chair
Anton Vrame
Director, Holy Cross Orthodox Press
Hellenic College, Inc.
Roslindale, MA, United States
tonyvrame [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- Chair, Advancement 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.

Asyraf Isyraqi Bin Jamil
Asyraf Isyraqi Bin Jamil
Senior Lecturer
Universiti Malaya
Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
isyraqi [at] um [dot] edu [dot] my
- Harper / Wornom Committee
Thomas S LeGrand
Thomas S LeGrand
Director, IMPACT Center; Assistant Professor
Limestone University
Gaffney, SC, United States
tlegrand71 [at] gmail [dot] com
- Harper / Wornom Committee
Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
Chair
Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
Executive Director
Rivier University
Newton, MA, United States
jlundewhitler [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- Harper / Wornom Committee
- Chair, Harper / Wornom Committee
Elizabeth Helen Nolan
Elizabeth Helen Nolan
Minister
Uniting Church in Australia
Glenview, Queensland, Australia
enolan1 [at] outlook [dot] com
- Harper / Wornom 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.

Carl Procario-Foley
Carl Procario-Foley
Executive Director
Center at Mariandale
New Rochelle, NY, United States
cbprocariofoley [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Advisory Council
- Nominating Committee
Michael Shire
Michael Shire
Professor
Hebrew College
Needham, MA, United States
mshire [at] hebrewcollege [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- Nominating Committee
Anne Carter Walker
Chair
Anne Carter Walker
Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
Phillips Theological Seminary
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- AAR Program Committee
- Chair, Nominating Committee
- Program Conference Committee
- REA President
- REA Board Steering 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.

Dori Grinenko Baker
Dori Grinenko Baker
Independent Scholar
Www.ourowndeepwells.com
Lynchburg, VA, United States
bakerdori [at] mac [dot] com
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
Mark Chung Hearn
Mark Chung Hearn
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley, CA, United States
mhearn [at] cdsp [dot] edu
- REA Board
- Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
- Program Conference Committee
Christine Jean Hong
Christine Jean Hong
Associate Professor of Educational Ministries
Columbia Theological Seminary
Decatur, GA, United States
jedi [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- REA Advisory Council
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officer
- REA Board Steering 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
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
- REA Treasurer
Eser Kim
Eser Kim
Knox College, University of Toronto
Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Networking Coordinator
- REA Board Steering Committee
Lakisha R Lockhart
Lakisha R Lockhart
Assistant Professor of Practical Theology
Union Presbyterian Seminary
Moseley, VA, United States
secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Executive Secretary
- REA Board Steering Committee
Wanda Stahl
Wanda Stahl
Clinical Assistant Professor of Contextual Theology & Practice
Boston University School of Theology
Maine, ME, United States
wstahl [at] bu [dot] edu
- Program Conference Committee
- REA Board Steering Committee
Anne Carter Walker
Anne Carter Walker
Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
Phillips Theological Seminary
Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com
- REA Board
- AAR Program Committee
- Chair, Nominating Committee
- Program Conference Committee
- REA President
- REA Board Steering Committee

Proposals Selection Committee

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

Mark Chung Hearn
Chair
Mark Chung Hearn
Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley, CA, United States
mhearn [at] cdsp [dot] edu
- REA Board
- Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
- Program Conference Committee
Heather Nicole Ingersoll
Heather Nicole Ingersoll
Executive Director
Godly Play Foundation
Wilsonville, OR, United States
heather [at] godlyplayfoundation [dot] org
- Proposals Selection Committee
Patrick B. Reyes
Patrick B. Reyes
Senior Director of Learning Design
Auburn Theological Seminary
Santa Fe, NM, United States
drpatrickreyes [at] gmail [dot] com
- AAR Program Committee
- Proposals Selection Committee

Publications Committee

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

Joyce Ann Mercer
Joyce Ann Mercer
Prof. of Practical Theol & Pastoral Care
Yale Divinity School
New Haven, CT, United States
joyce [dot] mercer [at] yale [dot] edu
- Publications Committee
- REA Board, Ex Officio
- REA Journal Editor
- REA Board Steering Committee
Hosffman Ospino
Chair
Hosffman Ospino
Professor
Boston College
Waltham, MA, United States
ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- REA Board
- Chair, Publications Committee
Mai-Anh Le Tran
Mai-Anh Le Tran
Professor
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Evanston, IL, United States
maianh [dot] tran [at] garrett [dot] edu
- REA Advisory Council
- Publications Committee

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.