The Center is guided by 3 key bodies:
Faith and Health Community
Advisory Council
Executive Board
Faith and Health Community
We are responsive to the wider faith and health movement. We invite broad and active participation by our partners. The Faith and Health Quarterly Meetings, our conferences and summits, and this website are all vehicles for your input and guidance.
Advisory Council
The Center’s approach and work has been formed by the wisdom and experience of our Advisory Council at each step along the way. We are grateful for all those who serve and have served on our Council!
Current Advisory Council Members
Rev. Thomas Aldworth, Pastor, Morgan Park Baptist Church
Rev. Tom Behrens, Founder and Executive Director (Retired), The Night Ministry
Mayme Buckley, Director, External Affairs, Health Care Consortium of Illinois
Dr. Amparo Castillo, Director, Diabetes Research, Midwest Latino Health, Research
Training and Policy Center, Jane Addams School of Social Work
Rev. Erik Christensen, Pastor, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square
Rev. Bob Davis, Pastor, Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Rev. Deborah Derylak, Director, Field Education, Chicago Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Shirley Fleming, Health Care Consultant
Joseph Harrington, Assistant Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health
Rev. Larry Jackson, Vice President, Mission and Spiritual Care, Advocate South Suburban Hospital
Ahlam Jbara, Associate Director, The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Chisina Kapungu, PhD, Assistant Professor in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Center for Research on Women & Gender, University of Illinois at Chicago
Beverly Kimmons, Senior Manager, Consumer Education & Diversity Outreach
Sheik Kifah Mustapha, Imam and Associate Director, Mosque Foundation, Bridgeview, IL
Dr. Hema Pokharna, Founder, Journeys of Life
Amy Rubin, Director, JCARES, Jewish Child and Family Services
Shaan Trotter, Administrative Director, Health Disparities and Special Population Initiatives, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University
John Zeigler, Project Director, Neighborhood and Community Partnerships, Egan Urban Center, DePaul University
Dr. Mary Chase Ziolek, Professor, North Park University College of Nursing and North Park Seminary
Past Advisory Council Members
(Note: titles reflect member’s position when they were on our council and are not current)
Mariam Azam, Associate Director, IMAN—Innercity Muslim Action Network
Rev. Jim Benn, Pastor, Eden United Church of Christ (deceased)
Leone Biccieri, Senior Organizer, Center for New Community, Midwest Immigrant Health Project
Sheri Cohen, Senior Health Planning Analyst, Chicago Department of Public Health
Dr. Dawnavan Davis, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago
Theresa Heaton, Personal Health Division Director, Kane County Department of Public Health
Marsha Herring, Director of Program Implementation, Access Community Health Network (deceased)
Rev. James Kenady
Dr. Deborah Mullen, Director, Center for African American Ministries and Black Church Studies, McCormick Theological Seminary
Rev. Kenneth Robinson MD, President, Faith Based Health Outreach and Referral Network (HORN)
Rev. Jose Rosa, Pastor, Primera Iglesia Congregacional
Rev. Charles Straight, Board of Directors, AIDS Foundation of Chicago
Mark Washington, Director, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Graduate and Faculty Ministries
Apostle Carl White, Pastor, Victory Christian Assembly Church, President, Southland Ministerial Health Network
Executive Board
Our Executive Board is made up of representatives from our sponsoring organizations (Advocate Health Care and the Healthy Cities Collaborative of the University of Illinois at Chicago). A member of the Advisory Council also serves and has a vote on the Executive Board. The Executive Board makes decisions about the organizational structure and functioning of The Center.
Advocate Health Care
Rev. Bonnie Condon, Vice President, Faith Outreach
Dr. Diana Grant, Vice President, Medical Management, Advocate Medical Group South
UIC
Dr. Cynthia Barnes Boyd, Director, UIC Great Cities Neighborhoods Initiative; Assistant Dean, Community Health Initiatives, Great Cities Institute
Marilyn Willis, RN, MS, Associate Director for Administration and Community Relations, Center for Population Health and Health Disparities, Institute for Health Research and Policy
Advisory Council Liaison
Joseph Harrington
