Executive Committee

Baha’i

Sheri DresslerDr. Sheri Dressler. Dr. Sheri Dressler is an educator and psychotherapist, having worked at UCF as Director of the Office of Experiential Learning and as an adjunct faculty member in the Mental Health Counseling Department. During that time, she also maintained a private psychotherapy practice working with individuals and families.  Through her work at UCF, she served in leadership positions on state, national and international boards and developed programs that assisted over 20,000 students a year to develop personal skills and attitudes needed to succeed personally and professionally. Outside of her work, Dr. Dressler dovetailed her expertise in Experiential Education and psychotherapy with the principles of the Baha’i Faith to offer an integrative approach to personal and community development in social and economic development projects in many countries around the world, with a special emphasis on educational efforts in China. Throughout this service, her focus has been on developing and empowering people to appreciate the intrinsic value of every person, to eliminate all forms of prejudice, and to develop the skills to actively create unified relationships and communities. Locally, Dr. Dressler serves within the Central Florida Baha’i community to promote spiritual empowerment programs with children, junior youth, youth and adults. And currently represents the Baha’is of the region on the Executive Committee of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida. Email: sedressler@gmail.com; Phone:

Buddhist

claudia schippertDr. Claudia Schippert 
 
Email: claudiaschippert@gmail.com; Phone:
 
Ina DentonIna Denton  
 
Email: inadenton@ibps.org; Phone: 
 
 

Christian

Bob BushongRev. Dr. Bob Bushong

Email: ds-ec@flumc.org; Phone:

 

 

 

 

Kelvin CobrarisBishop Kelvin Cobraris

Email: aacccpresident@gmail.com; Phone:

 

 

 

Jim Coffin--2Pastor James Coffin
Email: jim@interfaithfl.org; Phone: 321-228-4599
 
 
Gus Davies
Rev. Gus Davies 
Email: gus.davies@northlandchurch.net; Phone:
 
 
Danny de ArmasRev. Danny de Armas 
Email: dannydearmas@firstorlando.com; Phone:
 
 
Joel Hunter
Rev. Dr. Joel Hunter 
Email: drjoelchunter@crncfl.org; Phone:
 
 
 
James MorrisRev. Dr. James Morris
 
Email: ctcmec.pastor.morris@gmail.com; Phone:
 
robert ray
Robert J. Ray   
Email: robert.ray@nrmafla.com; Phone:   
 
 
KayleenKayleen Stroud 
Email: stroudkk@gmail.com; Phone: 

 

 

Hindu

Abhinav DwivediAbhinav Dwivedi, Vice President Emeritus of Hindu University of America, was one of the four founders of the University in 1989. Hindu University, based in Orlando, Florida, was established to promote learning, research and understanding of all things Hindu—culture, philosophies, religions, traditions, arts and sciences. Originally from the state of Gujarat in India, Abhinav spent more than 30 years in the computer industry, working in both the United States and India. In his last position in the industry, he was the head of a high-tech company in India. He holds two Masters degrees—Engineering and Computer Science; one from IIT (Bombay, India), the other from the University of California at Berkeley.  Taking early retirement from the computer industry in 2001, Abhinav committed his full time to his passion—education. For more than 15 years, he dedicated his full time to the growth and management of the Hindu University of America. Although he has retired a second time, he still lives in Orlando with his family and continues to contribute time and talent to Hindu University. Abhinav routinely speaks at colleges, schools, churches, temples and in corporate settings on various aspects of Hinduism, Indian culture and India in general. He is also active in numerous community organizations. Email: abhinav.dwivedi@hua.eduPhone: 407-275-0013.
Rana Tiwari 
Email: rana.tiwari@gmail.com; Phone:
 

Humanist*

David WilliamsonDavid Williamson is a state/church activist and community organizer in Central Florida. He is co-founder of the Central Florida Freethought Community and founder of the Suncoast Skeptics in Sarasota. In addition to his service on the Florida Humanist Association Board and other local organizations, David is on the Advisory Board of the Center for Freethought Equality. He is a certified Humanist celebrant, having been ordained by the Humanist Society to serve as an ambassador of humanism, ceremony officiant, and scholar of humanism. Email: david@cflfreethought.org; Phone:

 

Jocleyn WilliamsonJocelyn Williamson, a lifelong Humanist and President of the Florida Humanist Association, holds an M.B.A. as well as an undergraduate degree in Political Science. She co-founded and is a director of the Central Florida Freethought Community. Jocelyn is a board member of the Humanist Society and founded the Science League for Kids.  Prior to working in higher education, Jocelyn worked for years in international marketing. After living and working in such varied places as Denmark, Japan, and the TRNC, she has settled in Central Florida, where she enjoys kayaking, gardening, all things related to science fiction, the arts and politics. Email: Jocelyn@cflfreethought.org; Phone: 

  • Humanism is not a faith tradition, and most Humanists don’t wish to have it categorized as one. However, Humanism does provide a lens through which Humanists view matters of justice, religious freedom, care for the earth and a wide array of other social, moral and community issues. Because of the many shared concerns of Humanists and members of the faith traditions that make up the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, the Interfaith Council has invited the Central Florida Freethought Community to have a representative with “observer status” on the Interfaith Council Executive Committee. As in the United Nations, World Council of Churches and many other diverse deliberative bodies, “observers” have the right to speak and participate in discussions and planning sessions, but not to vote on resolutions. The goal is to facilitate communication and cooperation because of the number of areas of mutual concern, while recognizing and respecting our significant differences in other areas. David and Jocelyn Williamson share the role of representing Humanism.

Jewish

rabbi_dkay.jpg_small

Rabbi David Kay has served Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland (Orlando), Florida, since 2004, now as the synagogue’s lead rabbi. Active in interfaith dialogue for many years, Rabbi Kay serves on the Executive Committee of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, and facilitates the annual interfaith/multicultural celebration of the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in coordination with the City of Orlando. A native of Chicago, Rabbi Kay earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution from the University of Illinois. After two decades playing music and working for an animal welfare and advocacy agency, he returned to his earlier ambition of entering the rabbinate, being ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2002, at the age of 46. Rabbi Kay combined his interests by contributing to the book, And God Said, “Let There Be Evolution!” – Reconciling the Book of Genesis, the Qur’an, and the Theory of Evolution, launching a community Jewish á capella group, and periodic musical performances. He is a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando, and of the Greater Orlando Board of Rabbis. He regularly participates in community and interfaith events, and teaches and presents at local colleges and universities. Rabbi Kay and his wife, Joanne, live in Orlando, and are the proud parents of Jonah, a graduate of the Joint Program of Columbia University and Albert A. List College. Email: RabbiKay@ohevshalom.org; Phone:

 

Muslim

Hatim HamidullahImam Hatim Hamidullah attended Houston—Tillotson College in Austin, Texas, where he majored in biology and read widely in the area of religion. Converting to Islam, he became an Imam (clergy) and has held clergy positions in Dallas, Texas; Ft. Worth, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Atlanta, Georgia; and Orlando, Florida. In his capacity as a Muslim leader, he has traveled to Canada, South Africa, Morocco and Spain. Imam Hamidullah is a Hajji, having journeyed to Hajj–to the Holy City of Mekkah.Imam Hamidullah currently is the Imam of Masjid Al-Haqq in Downtown Orlando. He is the Convener of the State of Florida Conference of Muslim Americans (FCMA) and the Co-founder of Knowledge for Living, INC, a nonprofit business in Downtown Orlando. He developed the Quranic Arabic Curriculum for Grades 1 to 12 at Mohammed Schools of Atlanta. He is a member of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s Council of Clergy and is active in a variety of community organizations and activities. Imam Hamidullah is married and has five children. Email: hhamidullah@hotmail.com; Phone:  

Sikh 

JSB_0052-2 copyJasbir Singh Bhatia   
Email: jsbhatia1@yahoo.com; Phone:
 
 
 
nav khalsa
Navtej Khalsa is a Regional Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). SALDEF is the oldest Sikh civil rights advocacy group in America, with its national office in Washington D.C. Khalsa formerly served as the executive director of the organization. Khalsa is past president of the Sikh Society of Central Florida. He is also an active member of several other Sikh and interfaith organizations. Email: navkhalsa@gmail.com; Phone:  

Unitarian Universalist  

Schmitz ProfileRev. Kathy Schmitz   
Email: kschmitz@uuma.org; Phone: