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Who we are: Leadership Team

Deborah Fulthorp

Deborah Fulthorp

Women's Caucus Chair

Deborah (Debbie) Fulthorp is an Associate Professor with Grand Canyon University's College of Theology.

Joshua Turpin

Joshua Turpin

Leadership Team Secretary

Joshua Turpin is a doctoral candidate at Brite Divinity School/Texas Christian University focusing on womanist interpretive hermeneutics and the Hebrew Bible.

Ulrike Auga

Ulrike Auga

International Committee
Co-Chair

Ulrike E. Auga is Professor of Religious Studies, Intercultural Theology and Ecumenism at Humboldt University of Berlin and Hamburg University as well as CTI Fellow in Princeton.

Elizabeth Freese

Elizabeth Freese

Women's Caucus Co-Chair; 2021-2023

Elizabeth M. Freese, PhD is a sociologist of religion focused on the Reproductive Justice movement and serving as Scholar-in-Residence with SACReD (Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity) to support its education and advocacy programs. In her public scholarship, Freese contributes to an understanding of the interactions between Christianity and the politics of reproduction.

Colleen Hartung

Colleen Hartung

Leadership Team Member

Colleen D. Hartung, PhD, is developer and coordinator of the Ministry for Families and Children at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison, Wisconsin.

Tracy McEwan

Tracy McEwan

Leadership Team Member

Dr. Tracy McEwan is a theologian and sociologist of religion and gender affiliated with the University of Newcastle.

Xiao Han

Xiao Han

Leadership Team Member

Xiao Han is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Buddhist Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), where her research focuses on Chinese immigrant Buddhist communities in Canada and the intersection of digital religion and technology.

Elizabeth Ursic

Elizabeth Ursic

Women's Caucus Chair Emeritus

Elizabeth Ursic, professor of religious studies and author of the book, Women, Ritual, and Power: Female Imagery of God in Christian Worship published with SUNY Press, chaired the AAR/SBL Women’s Caucus for ten years until 2022.

Rosalind Flynn Hinton, PhD.

Rosalind Flynn Hinton, PhD.

Book Review Editor

Rosalind Hinton is an independent scholar and oral historian who uses her skills for movement building, public history and fundraising.

Jonathon Eder

Jonathon Eder

Leadership Team Member

Jonathon Eder is Programs and Scholarly Engagement Manager at The Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston. 

Veena Howard

Veena Howard

Leadership Team Member

Veena R. Howard, Ph.D., is Professor of Asian Religious Traditions in the Department of Philosophy at California State University, Fresno.

Itohan M. Idumwonyi

Itohan M. Idumwonyi

Leadership Team Member

Itohan M. Idumwonyi is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and a lively interdisciplinary scholar.

Telesia Musili

Telesia Musili

Leadership Team Member

Telesia Kathini Musili is a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a research fellow at the University of South Africa.

Sheryl Johnson

Sheryl Johnson

Leadership Team Member.

Sheryl Johnson (she/her) teaches ethics, pastoral care, and church leadership at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.

Kimberly L. Carter

Kimberly L. Carter

Social Media Director

Kimberly L. Carter is a keynote speaker, published author, and freelance writer who has been writing professionally since 2012.

Elaine Nogueira-Godsey

Elaine Nogueira-Godsey

Women's Caucus Co-Chair; 2018-2023

Dr. Elaine Nogueira-Godsey is an Assistant Professor of Theology, Ecology and Race at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.

Janice Poss

Janice Poss

International Committee
Co-Chair

Janice Leah Poss is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Women's Studies in Religions at Claremont Graduate University and holds an MA in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University.

Mahjahbeen Dhala

Mahjahbeen Dhala

Emerging Scholars Steering Committee

Mahjabeen Dhala, PhD., is Assistant Professor of Islamic studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley where she also serves as chair of the Women’s Studies in Religion program and director of the Madrasa-Midrasha program.

Claire Hein-Blanton

Claire Hein-Blanton

Leadership Team Member

Claire Hein-Blanton is an Adjunct Faculty member of Baylor University’s Truett Seminary - Houston.

Theresa Yugar

Theresa Yugar

Women's Caucus Co-Chair; 2017-2018

Theresa A. Yugar currently teaches at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles where she is situated in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department.

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