Ann Eppinger Port continues in her second year as WTB president for 2008-2009. She has worked for many years as a freelance medical writer and editor. Her ongoing interests include complementary and energy-based healing modalities; Jewish history, spirituality, and mystical traditions; and various environmental, health, cultural, and social issues. She is a Reiki Master, a Psych-K practitioner, and a Literacy Volunteer. She and her husband Howard are the parents of two sons. WTB Co-Founders: Danya Wellmon is a medical technologist with the American Red Cross and is active at the Islamic Society of Central New York. She is the mother of three and lives in Dewitt. Danya is uniquely able to bridge the Christian and Muslim traditions, as she grew up in a Methodist family but reverted to Islam in 1992. After co-leading the organization for its first three years, Danya is still very active and now serves on the WTB Council. Betsy Wiggins, works as a speech pathologist in Syracuse, primarily with patients who have had strokes. She spent much of her life in Georgia and worked for former President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center. She lives in DeWitt with her husband, Jim, head of InterFaith Works. She co-led WTB at its start and now serves on the WTB Council. WTB Council
WTB is governed by a Council comprised of women of diverse faith traditions. It meets monthly to plan the activities of the organization. Council members hold staggered terms of one to three years, beginning each September. The Council for 2008-2009, elected at the May, 2008 meeting, includes: Tanya Atwood-Adams serves as the Director fo Spiritual Care for Interfaith WWorks of CN> She is also teh Palliative Care Chaplain at St. Joseph's Hopsital. She holds a Master of Divinity degree form yale and is also a Reiki Master Teacher. Tanya grew up in the Protestant fiath tradition, joined a Quaker meeting in college and cointunes to practice a blend of the two traditions. Francine Berg, is the cantor of Temple Society of Concord. A retired public school music teacher, Francine has been very involved in community organizations, serving on the boards of InterFaith Works, Syracuse Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Services, Signature Music, and National Council of Jewish Women. She is president of Jewish Family Services. Jennifer Roberts Crittenden is a retired English teacher who lives with her husband in Bridgeport, a suburb of Syracuse. She enjoys activities with grandchildren, sails on Oneida Lake, volunteers at a nursing home, and is active in her Roman Catholic Church. She is WTB's secretary. Linda Lloyd Fuchs uses her background in anthropology to create multi-cultural jewelry and teach beadwork classes. She and her husband belong to Bet Harvard, a Jewish Harrah. They have twp adult daughters. Her interfaith work has focused on the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and she is an officer of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women. Tori DeAngelis is a freelance journalist, writer and editor who specializes in psychology, science and spiritual issues. A Syracuse native, she has lived in Washington, DC, Boulder, and San Francisco. She enjoys doing artwork, traveling, hiking, yoga and meditation and is on a Buddhist path. She lives with her companion, Jeff, and their cat , Toonces. A native of Chicago, Daryl Files was born in Chicago, but has lived in Syracuse for 33 years. She formerly owned and operated a sports bar with her husband, Noel, and has been a personal development trainer. She has been very involved with many local non-profits, including the Autism Research Institute. Daryl is Jewish. She is the mother of four daughters and the grandmother of three. Luann M. Healy was born on Long Island and relocated to Syracuse in 1992. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Central New York Services, Inc., in Syracuse. Her interests include history, reading and photography. She is WTB's Treasurer. Terra Harmatuk is a minister of Covenant of the Goddess (COG) and HPS of Circle of the Rising Phoenix. She says she lives an eclectic-Wiccan spiritual path. She has been employed by the Onondaga County Department of Social Services for 30 years. She believes that there are many paths to spirit. She and her husband live on Onondaga Hill and have two children in college. Helen Hudson co-founded Mothers Against Gun Violence (MAGV), a group that conducts vigils after each Syracuse homicide and works with families of teens killed. A single working mother with one son, Helen, has become "Mom" to countless young people in Syracuse. In her current role as the AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison for the United Way of Central New York, Helen's reach extends throughout the community. Irum Hussein, is of Pakistani descent and was born in Kenya, then lived in Saudi Arabia, England, and Ireland. She integrates spirituality in her chiropractic practice. She is a Muslim and with her husband, fosters a weekly dialogue on faith called Purification of he Heart for students at SU. A retired high school teacher, Gay Montague, has worked with teens in crisis, providing a respite home for several. Women’s and children’s issues are her focus; she currently works with local refugees. Spiritual peacemaking is part of her ministry and she is coordinator of the 25th Congressional District Campaign for a U.S. Dept. of Peace. A grandmother of five, she loves to travel. Gay lives with her husband in Liverpool and is WTB’s VP. Sabra Reinhardt, a Baha'i, is part of an interfaith marriage, as her husband is a Christian. They have five children and two granddaughters. Sabra's first career was in education. She's currently the CFO of a small business and a family foundation. Eleni Roumpapas grew up in the Greek Orthodox faith. She works as an eligibility examiner for the Onondaga County Dept of Social Services. She is also self-employed as an independent distributor for Relive International, a food science company with a mission to nourish the world. Cjala Surrat coordinates public relations and is a theater instructor for the Community Folks Arts Center in Syracuse. Advisory Council This group of women, all former Council members, provide special expertise to the Council: Judy Antoine was born in Iowa but raised in Chile by Methodist missionaries. She is a retired Spanish teacher in Syracuse City Schools. Judy attends May Memorial Unitarian Universalistic Church. Her daughter is a Muslim. Judy lives with her husband in Syracuse. Joan Burstyn, a historian of education and professor emeriti, Syracuse University, currently studies ways to promote non-violence in schools. She is active in the Syracuse Jewish Federation and as a member of Congregation Beth Shalom-Chevra Shas. She and her husband live in Syracuse and travel to Israel annually to see their children and grandchildren. Roko Sherry Chayat is the abbot of the Zen Center of Syracuse (Buddhist). In 1998 Eido Shimano Roshi gave her "inka", Dharma transmission, in the Hakuin/Torei lineage. The author of three books and many articles, she lives with her husband in Syracuse and travels widely to speak about Zen. A lifelong United Methodist, Barbara Croll Fought teaches broadcast journalism and communications law at Syracuse University and lives with her husband in Dew itt. She manages this web site. Ruth Colvin founded Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA), now Pro Literacy Worldwide. She's an active member of Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church and lives with her husband in Syracuse. Janet Donaghue is a retired school community counselor who formerly did crisis intervention with teens. She also trained professionals about drug-addicted and disruptive teens and has facilitated support groups for recovering teens, parents and gay students. Janet now volunteers with women transitioning out of homelessness. She and her husband live in Syracuse and worship with a multi-faith group. Elizabeth Espersen, a Roman Catholic, has spent 35 years in interfaith work at the local, national and international level. She is the retired executive director of Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas, Texas, and now lives in Liverpool. She does interfaith consulting through "Meetings in Faith". Jan Garman led WTB as president in 2005-2007. A retired elementary school teacher, Jan continues to work part time for the Syracuse City School District. She volunteers in various community endeavors, including Literacy Volunteers and Meals on Wheels. She lives in Syracuse with her husband. . A pediatrician now working in New Jersey, Romana Hosain, served on the Council when she lived in Central New York. She linked WTB to Ibtida, with whom WTB built a school in Pakistan. She and her husband are raising four children. Tazim Kassam , a Muslim, heads the Religion Department at Syracuse University. Her research and teaching interests include gender, ritual, devotional literature, and the cultural heritage of Muslims in South Asia. She has written a book about Hindu-Muslim ideas expressed in the song tradition of the Ismaili Muslims of the Indian Subcontinent. Molly King worked as an elementary school teacher, an adult career counselor, an assistant to the Dean of Students at Syracuse University and coordinator of an SU management seminar. She has volunteered in many social service agencies. Molly lives in the James area with her husband. Beatrice Muhammad lives in Syracuse and is semi-retired. The mother of three, she loves working with children and is involved in community activities, including the Islamic Society of Central New York. A native of India, Smita Rane formerly worked at Syracuse University and is moved to Connecticut with her husband and two sons in summer, 2008. Smita loves to get involved in the community to learn about other cultures and share hers with others.She is Hindu. Bonnie Shoultz lives at the Zen Center of Syracuse and was ordained a Buddhist nun in 2003. She is Buddhist chaplain at Syracuse University's Hendricks Chapel and is a contract chaplain with InterFaith Works, teaching meditation at the Onondaga County Justice Center and Hillbrook Youth Center. She has two adult children and one college-age grandson. Mara Sapon-Shevin is a professor of education at Syracuse University and is actively involved in peace and justice work within the community. The mother of two grown daughters, Mara is involved within the Jewish, Buddhist and Wiccan communities, and finds all these paths wonderfully complementary. A pioneer in developing vocational training for Special Education students in CNY, Liz Spence was born in Jamaica, British West Indies, of Scottish Baptist missionaries. She grew up in the Northeastern U.S. and from an early age has been involved in issues of peace and justice. She is a founder of what is now Peace Action of CNY. Liz has two grown sons and resides in Liverpool. Nancy Sullivan Murray is a member of the Mideast Dialogue group and a Past President of the Interreligious Council. She edits scholarly texts professionally, guides reflective retreats and is a poet by avocation. The central focus of her commitment to social change is to engender peace through dialogue. Margaret Susan Thompson teaches history, political science, and religion at Syracuse University, where her research focuses on Catholic nuns and the intersections of religion and politics. She is an associate member of the IHM [or Immaculate Heart of Mary] Sisters of Monroe, Michigan. Peggy grew up in the Jewish tradition and is now a Catholic. |
