Our Team – Churches for Middle East Peace

Meet the CMEP Team

The full CMEP Team is made up of not only highly qualified, passionate, and innovative staff members but also bright Ambassador Warren Clark Fellows, dutiful interns and volunteers as well as committed board members and an esteemed leadership council of prominent diplomats (retired), politicians, church leaders, academics, and business and media professionals with a particular interest and connection to the Middle East.

We are grateful for each individual’s experience, wisdom,
and work on behalf of CMEP and peace.

Staff Members

Board Members

Leadership Council

Regional Coordinators

Staff Members

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon

Executive Director

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace and an ordained pastor in the Reformed Church in America…

Cannon formerly served as the senior director of Advocacy and Outreach for World Vision U.S. on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC; as a consultant to the Middle East for child advocacy issues for Compassion International in Jerusalem; as the executive pastor of Hillside Covenant Church located in Walnut Creek, California; and as director of development and transformation for extension ministries at Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Illinois. Cannon holds an MDiv from North Park Theological Seminary, an MBA from North Park University’s School of Business and Nonprofit Management, and an MA in bioethics from Trinity International University. She received her first doctorate in American History with a minor in Middle Eastern studies at the University of California (Davis) focusing on the history of the American Protestant church in Israel and Palestine and her second doctorate in Ministry in Spiritual Formation from Northern Theological Seminary. She is the author of several books including the award-winning Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World and editor of A Land Full of God: Christian Perspectives on the Holy Land. Her work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Chicago Tribune, Christianity Today, Leadership Magazine, The Christian Post, Jerusalem Post, EU Parliament Magazine, Huffington Post, and other international media outlets.

Social Justice Handbook: Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World (Bridgeleader Books)
Just Spirituality: Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action
A Land Full of God: A Land Full of God: Christian Perspectives on the Holy Land
Beyond Hashtag Activism Beyond Hashtag Activism: Comprehensive Justice for a Complicated Age

Kyle Cristofalo

Senior Director of Advocacy & Government Relations | Special Advisor to the Executive Director

At CMEP, Kyle leads advocacy efforts with Congress and the Administration in advance of the organization’s policy priorities. He also liaises with CMEP’s domestic coalition partners.

Kyle was first introduced to Middle East advocacy work during a semester abroad in Cairo, Egypt. After graduating from college, Kyle spent 10 months serving with the Mennonite Central Committee in Bethlehem, Palestine, where he was seconded to work with Bethlehem Bible College.

Kyle holds a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies and a Master of Divinity Degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology.

Kyle has over a decade of experience in advocacy and government relations work related to the Middle East having previously served at the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and the Presbyterian Church USA’s Office of Public Witness.

Nicole Parker

Director of Systems, Reporting, and HR

Nicole earned her Masters in Theological Studies with an emphasis in Public Policy from Palmer Seminary of Eastern University in Saint Davids, PA.

Before joining CMEP, Nicole worked with an educational non-profit near Chicago and as a high school teacher near Atlanta. Nicole believes deeply that the way we love our neighbors says a lot about our love for God. She lives near Atlanta, GA.

Destiny Magnett

Programs and Outreach Manager

Destiny Magnett is the Programs and Outreach Manager at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) where she serves as the primary liaison for church partners, collaboratively builds CMEP’s online and in-person programming, and co-leads the regional coordinator program.

Destiny holds a Master of Theological Studies Degree and Religion & Public Life Certificate from Harvard Divinity School, where her work focused on decoloniality, religious ethics, peacebuilding, and religion in the public sphere. She also holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Grinnell College. Prior to joining CMEP, Destiny has experience working at the intersection of religion and peacebuilding in a variety of spheres, including the Office of International Religious Freedom at the U.S. Department of State, Search for Common Ground– Jordan, Harvard’s Office of Religion and Public Life, and on the digital humanities project Mapping Islamophobia. While born and raised in Kansas, she is now based in the Boston area.

Mathias Jørgensen

Operations and Growth Manager

Mathias Amlund Joergensen is the Operations and Growth Manager at Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP). In this role, he contributes to organizational development, operational efficiency, donor engagement, and overall strategy.

Mathias has a diverse background in strategic communications, organizational growth, and public affairs. He has worked across sectors, including peacebuilding at the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, where he led communication strategies, supported fundraising initiatives, and contributed to multi-stakeholder program design. Mathias also served as a trainee at the European Parliament, providing policy analysis and strategic advice, and founded his own social media marketing agency, which helped clients significantly increase revenue through innovative advertising strategies. He is currently pursuing a dual degree at Minerva University, focusing on political science, economics, and philosophy.

Dr. Benjamin Norquist

Director of Academics and Grants

Ben is a researcher and organizer. In addition to his work with CMEP, he directs the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East. His first book, Every Somewhere Sacred: Rescuing a Theology of Place in the American Imagination (IVP Academic) is due out in fall 2025.

In his local community, Ben helps faith communities engage more thoughtfully with Native Americans and come to terms with histories of injustice.

Ben holds his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Azusa Pacific University (Los Angeles) and his M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College (Annapolis). Ben’s dissertation is a qualitative regional case study exploring adaptive Palestinian approaches to pedagogy.

In his career in higher education leadership, Ben has experience building international educational partnerships, teaching, and establishing an academic center for applied public research.

Ben’s writing has appeared in Religion News Service, The Christian Century, Baptist News Global, and the Christian Citizen among others.

Fayelle Ewuakye

Digital Media Manager

Fayelle earned her B.A. in Humanities at Jacksonville State University, in Jacksonville, Alabama with a concentration in Anthropology and Geography.

She’s been the Social Media Curator for her local church in northwest Georgia and finds the gifts and benefits of digital media to be great blessings toward any organization wishing to reach out to the masses. She wants to be a part of some meaningful work, both locally and globally, and believes peace, justice, and activism are things the public at large needs to know more about.

Christopher Huth

Project Coordinator for the Executive Director and Communications Coordinator

Christopher Huth is our Project Coordinator for the Executive Director and Communications Coordinator at the CMEP Office in DC. He grew up moving back and forth between Berlin, Germany – Beirut, Lebanon – and NYC, NY.

This ultimately inspired him to pursue a double major in Political Science and History at Brooklyn College. While there Christopher joined many social justice groups particularly concerned with Armenian and Middle Eastern issues. In 2022 he moved to Washington DC to pursue a Master’s in International Peace and Conflict Resolution” from the School of International Service at American University. During his studies, he interned with the Institute of World Affairs where he helped implement a conflict resolution and violence prevention program before ultimately graduating and joining CMEP.

Niamaya King

Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director

Niamaya is the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director at Churches for Middle East Peace. She will be completing her undergraduate studies this May, obtaining a B.A. in Human Rights from Columbia University and a B.A. in Philosophy from Tel Aviv University. Her studies have focused on statelessness, international relations, and Jewish and Islamic philosophy.

While spending two years in Tel Aviv, she became passionate about peacebuilding work and the pursuit of a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Inspired by her experience in the Middle East and her own multi-faith background, she believes that religion plays a crucial role in conflict resolution.

Her past professional experience includes work with education-based non-profits, such as ESOL program management and college advising for first-generation low-income high school students; as well as with the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy as a proposal/grant writing intern.

Raven Diaz-Smith

Administration and Development Coordinator

Raven holds a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Native American Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Before joining CMEP, Raven spent four years as a Software Quality Assurance Analyst at the largest tech employer in Oklahoma City.

Raven is driven by a lifelong passion for making a positive impact, she believes her role at CMEP will help her achieve this mission.

Wes Avram

Academic Engagement Director

Wes has led three congregations in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), most recently Pinnacle Presbyterian in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he is Emeritus Senior Pastor. He served as College Chaplain at Bates College and Clement-Muehl Assistant Professor at Yale Divinity School. He holds a PhD in Rhetoric from Northwestern University and an MDiv from Princeton Seminary. While in seminary, he spent a summer in ecumenical engagement in Egypt and Israel/Palestine. As a Graduate Fellow from Princeton Seminary, he studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Inter-faith Academy of Peace at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute concentrating on the history of conflict in Israel/Palestine, peace studies, post-Holocaust thought, and dissent within Zionism.

He has led study tours, hosted speakers, and taught on Israel/Palestine. He served on the board of the Center for Middle East Studies at North Park University, the Dean’s Advisory Council at Yale Divinity School, and the Faith Leaders Advisory Council of Bright Stars of Bethlehem. Wes is the editor of Anxious About Empire: Theological Reflections on the New Global Realities (Brazos, 2005) and author of Where the Light Shines Through (Brazos, 2006). He is drawn to this volunteer role out of support for the mission of CMEP and its staff, a sense of the urgency of the moment, and an awareness of connection between his experience and the desires of CMEP to deepen its academic engagement.

Fellows

Hannah Hutton

Middle East Fellow

Hannah earned her B.A. in Humanities from the University of Louisville with a concentration in literature and religious studies. She has been involved in various organizations over the last twenty years that work to create a safe space for dialogue between cultures and religions.

Hannah is passionate about people, hearing their stories and amplifying their voices. She is starting her Master’s in Peace and Justice from St. Stephen’s University.

Dr. Allison Wattenbarger

Ambassador Warren Clark Fellow

Dr. Allison Wattenbarger is a CMEP Ambassador Warren Clark Fellow. She earned her ThD in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Duke University, and holds an M.Div. from Duke and a B.A. in English Literature and Jewish Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked as an educator and facilitator both domestically and abroad, including at Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem.

Allison’s academic research focuses on changing trends in biblical interpretation in the context of Palestine and Israel.

Current Interns

James Gallagher

Church Engagement and CMEP1835 intern Fall 2025

James Gallagher is a junior at The George Washington University studying International Affairs with a Concentration in European Studies and a Certificate in French language and culture. James has previously interned at The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, where he studied Kingian nonviolence and social justice principles and authored a research paper on inequalities within the American public school system. He also worked as a leader for the GW Pre-College Summer Program, where he taught courses in financial literacy and professional networking, guided cultural excursions throughout DC, and oversaw student safety as a resident assistant.

James is passionate about promoting peace through leadership and plans to apply for the Peace Corps and pursue business and advocacy after graduation.

Dylan Alvarez

Non Profit Administration Intern

Dylan is a rising junior at Boston College where she is pursuing a double major in International Studies and English. Within her major she has a conflict and cooperation concentration which has led her to focus much of her studies on the Middle East. She has spent over 12 years in the Middle East, having grown up there, and continues to seek out ways to educate others on the culture, religion and history of the region.

She is interested in the Non-Profit sector and working to help build positive ties among different communities though education and advocacy.

Anna Putnam

Non Profit Administration Intern

Anna Putnam, of Appomattox, Virginia, is a senior at George Mason University pursuing a double major in U.S. History and Global Affairs, alongside an advanced master’s degree in global affairs. She transferred from Central Virginia Community College in 2022 where she earned an associates degree at the same time as her high school diploma.

Anna has strived to uplift marginalized voices throughout her academic and work careers. She has completed research on gender inequality, racial discrimination, terrorism, peacebuilding strategies, and conflict resolution, and held jobs that empower her community through education. She is passionate about uniting religion and community to promote peacebuilding in conflicting societies.

volunteers

Joe Kurian

Development Strategist and Operations Advisor

Joe serves as an advisor to the CMEP team providing guidance on a variety of areas from Strategy to Development to Operations. Joe studied at the Oxford Brookes University and is qualified as a Chartered Accountant (England & Wales). He has navigated a long corporate career including Business leadership roles at Microsoft, KPMG and Alaska Airlines. His recent emphasis is on leveraging those learnings for the non-profit sector including stints at World Vision and PATH. He describes himself as a catalyst for faith-based non-profits, enabling them to maximize their impact and achieve their full potential. Joe is a life-long Elder in the Presbyterian denomination and currently serves on the Advisory Board of World Relief Western Washington.

Board Members

Alliance of Baptists

Rev. William T. Young IV

American Friends Service Committee

Jennifer Bing

American Baptist Churches USA

Rev. William T. Young IV

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

Fr. Thomas Zain, Chairman of Inter-Orthodox and Inter-faith Relations, Vicar General

Armenian Orthodox Church

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

Christian Reformed Church

Rev. Naji Umran is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) who has lived and served in Cairo, Egypt, for most of his career, mainly as the Middle East Regional Ministries Leader for Resonate Global Mission (formerly Christian Reformed World Missions). Naji also serves voluntarily as the CRC's representative to the Synod of the Nile, with ReFrame Ministries (another agency of the CRC, along with Resonate), and with the Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee of the CRC.

Church of the Brethren

Rev. Dr. Nathan Hosler is the Director of the Church of the Brethren’s Office of Peacebuilding and Policy, based in Washington, DC.

Church World Service

George Devendorf

Community of Christ

Steve Kellogg

The Episcopal Church

Paul Feheley

Evangelicals 4 Justice

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

Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff

Franciscan Friars (OFM)

Russ Testa is the Director for the Office for Justice, Peace and Integrity (JPIC) Office for the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe of the Orders of Friars Minor

Friends Committee on National Legislation

Hassan El-Tayyab

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Elizabeth Prodromou

Lott Carey Foreign Missionary Society

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

Maryknoll Office for Global Concern

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

Mennonite Central Committee US

Zachary Murray

Moravian Church in America

Rev. Sue Koenig

National Council of Churches

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.

Pax Christi USA

Judy Coode
Communications Director

Presbyterian Church, USA

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

Progressive National Baptist Convention

Tyrone Pitts

Reformed Church in America

Rev. Laura Osborne

United Church of Christ

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 Global Ministries

Rev. Jin Yang Kim Liaison for Peace and Justice, and the Middle East

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church & Society

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

Unitarian Universalist Association

Dana Fisher Ashrawi serves as President of Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East. She also serves as a member of the board of the Arab-American Educational Foundation which endowed two Arab history chairs and established an academic center for Arab studies.

United Women in Faith

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 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, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Inc.

Jean Stokan

Observer, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Christopher S. Ljungquist is the Director of the International Justice & Peace, the Secretariat of Justice and Peace as part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops