Board of Directors

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of national Church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. Representatives from each of these bodies are the members of CMEP’s Board of Directors. CMEP’s mission, positions, and policy are set by the board. Decisions are made by consensus of the group.

Current Members of the CMEP Board and their Representatives

Alliance of Baptists
Katherine Metres Akbar
American Baptist Churches USA
Rev. William T. Young IV
American Friends Service Committee
Jennifer Bing

Michael Merryman-Lotze is the AFSC Palestine-Israel Program Director. He coordinates AFSC’s Israel and Palestine focused advocacy and policy programming, working closely with AFSC’s offices in Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, and throughout the US.

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Fr. Thomas Zain
Fr. Thomas Zain
Chairman, Inter-Orthodox and Inter-faith Relations
Vicar General
Armenian Orthodox Church
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian is the Ecumenical Director and Diocesan Legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). He sits on the executive board of the NCC, as well as on the board of the World Council of Churches.

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Peter Makari

Peter Makari is the Area Executive for Europe and the Middle East for Global Ministries for The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Christian Reformed Church
Rev. David Zigterman
Church of the Brethren
Rev. Nathan Hosler

Nathan Hosler is the Director of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Public Witness based in Washington, DC.

Church World Service
George Devendorf
Community of Christ
Steve Kellogg
The Episcopal Church
Paul Feheley

Rev. Canon Robert Edmunds is the Middle East Partnership Officer for the Episcopal Church and serves as the liaison and communications/resource link for the Episcopal Church with the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Evangelicals 4 Justice
Dr. Andrea Smith

Dr. Andrea Smith is a coordinator of Evangelicals 4 Justice, and a board member of North American Institute of Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS). She is the co-editor (with Mae Cannon) of the upcoming book, Evangelical Theologies of Liberation and Justice and author of Unreconciled: From Racial Reconciliation to Racial Justice in Evangelical Christianity.

Evangelical Covenant Church
Erikka Hedberg
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Dennis Frado

Dennis Frado is the director for the Lutheran Office for World Community with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has two publications highlighted on our website: ELCA Churchwide Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine, and Developments in ELCA Engagement with Israel/Palestine.

Franciscan Friars (OFM)
Russ Testa

Russ Testa is the founding Executive Director of the Franciscan Action Network (FAN), a U.S. based Franciscan institutional effort to lend an effective voice to advocacy efforts for inclusive social transformation; he currently serves as an ex officio member of the organization’s Board of Directors. He is also director of the Office for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Holy Name Province of the Order of Friars Minor.

Friends Committee on National Legislation
Hassan El-Tayyab
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Maria Kouroupas
Lott Carey Foreign Missionary Society
Rev. Emmett Dunn

The Reverend Dunn serves as Executive Secretary-Treasurer, CEO of the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention.

Maryknoll Office for Global Concern
Susan Gunn

Susan Gunn is the Director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Moravian Church in America
Rev. Sue Koenig
National Council of Churches
Tony Kireopoulos

Tony Kireopoulos is the senior program director for Faith & Order and Interfaith Relations at the National Council of Churches USA. Prior to this position, he served as the Associate General Secretary for International Affairs and Peace at the National Council of Churches, as well as the Executive Director of The U.S. Conference of Religions for Peace.

Presbyterian Church, USA
Catherine Gordon

Catherine Gordon is the representative for International Issues at the Presbyterian Church USA, Office of Public Witness.

Reformed Church in America
Rev. Laura Osborne
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Church of Christ
Peter Makari

Peter Makari is the Area Executive for Europe and the Middle East for Global Ministries for the United Church of Christ.

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church & Society
Holly Metcalf

Holly Metcalf serves as the Director for Peace with Justice at the General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church.

United Methodist Church, General Board of Global Ministries
David Wildman

David Wildman is the executive secretary for Human Rights & Racial Justice with the United Methodist Church's General Board of Global Ministries.

United Women in Faith
Tatiana Dwyer

Tatiana Dwyer is the executive for Global Justice Issues at United Methodist Women.

Observer, Catholic Relief Services
Observer, Christians for Social Action
Nikki Toyama-Szetzo

Nikki Toyama-Szetzo is the director of Christians for Social Action, and she guides the execution of CSA’s mission and vision. She also served on the board of Interserve USA, Missio Alliance, and Casa Chiralagua.

Observer, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Lucas Koach

Lucas Koach is the Director of the Office of International Justice and Peace for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).