Schedule

Faith at the Crossroads: Intelligence, Democracy & the Sacred

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

New York University, New York City

Time Session Speakers
9:00 AM Check-in Outside Rosenthal Pavilion (10th floor); please plan to be in your seat by 9:45 a.m.
Opening Plenary — Common Ground: The Case for Faith as a Unifying Force
10:00 AM
Welcome & Invocation
Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square S., 10th Floor
Welcome: Elder David Marriott
Invocation: Venerable Chang-Kuan (Western Buddhist Association)
10:05 AM Keynote: A Leap of Faith - How Universities Can Heal Divides Linda G. Mills (President, New York University)
10:15 AM
Observation: We Are Many and We Are One
 Rabbi Joseph Potasnik (The New York Board of Rabbis)
10:22 AM Musical Number Christian Cultural Center Choir, God Is, composed by James Cleveland Kimberly Harley, Director; Kelvin King, Conductor. Choir Members: Aundreau Anthony, Brian John, Camille Rockwood, Charlene Jamison, Cindy Rodney, Darryl Joyner, Douglas Covington, Faith Cochrane, Faith George, Helenica Yusuf, Karen Duncun, Kazuko Robinson, Keesha Gumbs, Kristina Henry, Lamont O'Neil, Leandra Bernard, Leonard Gilliams, Lesia Davidson, Louise Samerson, Margaret Green, Micheline Louis, Naomie Belony, Nefertari White, Rachelle Johnson, Sara Slater, Tiffany Steele, Trelawn Noel and Valerie Taylor
10:30 AM
Panel: How Faith Can Change the Course for Individuals and Communities
Moderator: Jane Clayson Johnson
Panelists:
• Dr. Marc Siegel (physician; author of Miracles Among Us)
• Elder Robert Daines (USNE Area President, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
• Rev. Adrienne Thorne (Senior Pastor, The Riverside Church)
• Dr. Azza Karam (President, Lead Integrity)
11:20 AM Musical Number Christian Cultural Center Choir, Total Praise, composed by Richard Smallwood
11:26 AM Closing Remarks & Breakout Instructions Jennifer Wilcox (Executive Director, Forum on Faith)
11:28 AM Benediction & Blessing on the Food Guruji His Holiness Dileepkumar Thankappan (World Yoga Community)
11:30 AM Break — pick up box lunch and move to breakout session
Lunch Breakout Sessions — Faith in Action: Service, Justice & Community Outreach
11:50 AM
Eleven simultaneous sessions • 70 minutes each with box lunches • Kimmel Center (60 Washington Square S.)
BG1/room 909 — Welcoming the Newest New Yorkers: Building Community & Unifying People of Faith
Convener & Moderator: Rev. Jared R. Stahler (Senior Pastor, Saint Peter's Church)
Panelists:
• Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer (Interfaith Center of New York)
• Rev. Fabian Arias (Saint Peter's Church)
• Husein Yatabarry (Muslim Community Network)
• Noah Habeeb (Ark Immigration Clinic, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah)
• Rev. Matthew Buccheri (El Barrio Angels, Church of St. Edward the Martyr)
Award: Achievement in Faith-Based Immigration Services
BG2/room 802 — Faith & Reason in University Life: Why Gen-Z is Choosing Religion
Convener & Moderator: Father Cassian Derbes (Director and Chaplain, Catholic Center at NYU)
Panelists:
• John Sexton (President Emeritus, New York University)
• Fr. Vincent Bernard (Catholic Center at NYU)
• Grace Freeman Smith (Institute Instructor, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
• Gurvir Sidhu (The Sikh Coaliltion; NYU student)
Award: Achievement in Faith-Based Campus and Community Service
BG3/Rosenthal (10th floor) — Faith Without Borders: Religious Communities as Partners in Global Cooperation & Humanitarian Relief
Convener: Ryan Koch (Director, NY Office of Public and International Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Moderator: Rabbi Diana S. Gerson (New York Board of Rabbis; Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities)
Panelists:
• Huda Alawa (Senior Manager, Civil Society & Foundation Partnerships, USA for UNHCR)
• Nicolas Demey (Senior Partnerships Manager, World Food Programme)
• Basmah Ghauri (Manager, Corporate & Civil Society Partnerships, UNICEF USA)
Award: Achievement in Faith and Global Service
BG4/room 905 — Faith Forward: Sustaining Faith Communities Through Leadership, Partnership & Innovation
Convener: Pastor Caura Richardson (Director, New York State Office of Faith & Nonprofit Development Services)
Moderator: Rev. Dr. Qalvy Grainzvolt, M. .Div., M.S., LMHC-D
Panelists:
• Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Sr. (Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Mount Vernon, NY)
• Rev. Dr. Fred Davie (Co-Chair, Interfaith Center of New York)
• Anthe Maria Bova (Assistant Attorney General, Charities Bureau, Office of NYS Attorney General Charities Bureau)
• Suzan Johnson Cook (Former Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom)
Award: Achievement in Spiritual Leadership and Partnership
BG5/Eisner & Lubin (4th floor) — Peacemaking in a Polarized America: Why Faith is the Answer
Convener & Moderator: Andrew Hanauer (President & CEO, One America Movement)
Panelists:
• Paul Lambert (Wheatley Institute)
• Afia Yunus (Immigration Attorney)
Award: Achievement in Faith, Peacemaking & Nonviolence
BG6/room 912 — Open Doors: Houses of Worship as America's Third Places
Convener: Mukesh Swaroop (BAPS)
Moderator: Chaitali Inamdar (BAPS)
Panelists:
• Ashwin R. Patel (BAPS)
• Rev. Dr. Kahlil Carmichael (Live Well Church)
• Rabbi Adena Blum (Beth Chaim)
• Imam Lavon Brown (Muslim Center of Greater Princeton)
Award: Achievement in Advancing Civil Society through Faith Leadership
BG7/room 907 — Speaking Across Lines of Difference with Courage, Curiosity & Compassion
Convener & Moderator: Dr. Debbie Almontaser (Founder & CEO, Bridging Cultures Group, Inc.)
Panelists:
• Susan H. Smith (Fellowship of Reconciliation - USA)
• Ruben Abrahams Brosbe (author and educator)
Award: Achievement in Faith and Inclusion
BG8/room 406 — Stewards of Our Blessings: Does Faithful Stewardship Extend to Our Investments?
Convener & Moderator: Jim Davis (Bountiful Financial)
Panelists:
• Father Seamus Finn (Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation)
• Stephen Hodson (Fund Evaluation Group)
• Reid Steadman (Bountiful Financial)
• Pastor Greg Johnson (National Association of Evangelicals)
• Samim Abedi (Wahed Invest)
• John Welling (S&P Dow Jones Indices)
Award: Achievement in Faith-Based Investment Opportunities
BG9/room 908 — The Importance of Supporting the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program in New York
Convener: Bruderhof
Moderator: John Huleatt (Co-chairman, NYS Coalition for Independent & Religious Schools)
Panelists:
• James Cultrara (Director of Education, NYS Catholic Conference; Co-chairman, NYS Coalition for Independent & Religious Schools)
• Rebecca Taxman (NYS Political Director, Teach Coalition)
• Peter Murphy (Vice President for Policy, Invest in Education)
Award: Achievement in Faith and Inclusive Education
BG10/room 914 — What Various Faith Traditions Teach About the Language & Methods of Peacemaking
Moderator: Rev. Jacques DeGraff (Canaan Baptist Church)
Panelists:
• Kate Forbes (former Deputy First Minister of Scotland)
• Rabbi Angela Buchdahl (Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue)
• Judge Thomas B. Griffith (retired Judge, DC Circuit Court)
• Bishop Victor Brown (Senior Pastor, Mt. Sinai United Christian Church)
Award: Achievement in Faith-Based Teaching of Peace
BG11/room 405 — The Regional Economic Impact & Opportunities of AI for Our Faith Communities
Moderator: Bishop Matthew Heyd (Episcopal Diocese of New York)
Panelists:
• Rabbi Hilly Haber (Director of Social Justice Organizing and Education, Central Synagogue)
• Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster (Executive Vice President, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility)
• Mohkm Singh (Head of Customer Success, Trek Health)
• Participants from McKinsey Global Institute
1:00 PM Break — transition to Skirball Center
Afternoon Plenary — The Machine & the Soul: What AI Means for Faith, Humanity & the Sacred
1:30 PM
Invocation
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 Laguardia Place
 Pastor J. Heinrich Arnold (Senior Pastor, The Bruderhof)
1:32 PM
Panel: Human Dignity, Faith & AI
Introduction: The Very Rev. Winnie Varghese (Dean, Cathedral of St. John the Divine)
Moderator: Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer (Interfaith Center of New York)
Panelists:
• Archbishop Rowan Williams (Former Archbishop of Canterbury)
• Fr. James Martin, S.J. (consultant, Vatican Secretariat for Communications)
• Rabbi Burton Visotzky (Professor Emeritus, Jewish Theological Seminary)
2:15 PM
A Conversation: The Consortium for Evaluation of Faith & Ethics in AI (CEFE-AI)
BYU • Yeshiva • Baylor • Notre Dame
Introduction: Larry Howell (BYU Assoc. Academic Vice President)
Panelists:
• David Wingate (Brigham Young University)
• Elisabeth Kincaid (Baylor University)
• Rabbi Daniel Feldman (Yeshiva University)
2:45 PM
Reflections at the Frontier: Faith, Ethics & the Future of AI
 Nikos Acuna (Chief Technology Officer, Bountiful; former Head of AI, Davis & Partners)
2:55 PM Closing Reflections Rabbi Diana S. Gerson (The New York Board of Rabbis; Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities)
3:00 PM Break
Closing Plenary — From Dialogue to Repair: What Faith Can Do for a Fractured World
3:15 PM
Opening Remarks
Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 Laguardia Place
 Rev. A. R. Bernard (Christian Cultural Center)
3:20 PM NYC Mayor's Office of Mass Engagement: Building a City of Belonging Aliya Latif (Executive Director, NYC Office of Faith-Based & Community Partnerships)
3:27 PM Musical Number Dr. Yogi Trivedi Padharo lal...antar anand, "Welcome, My Lord - a presence of joy, comfort" (language: Gujarati); composed by Raga Bhupali; poet: Premanand Swami (1784-1855)
3:32 PM
Many Perspectives, One Planet: Forging Peace in a Fractured Age
Introduction: Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela
Speaker: Kate Forbes (former Deputy First Minister of Scotland)
3:45 PM
A Conversation: Religion as the Healer
Moderator: Dr. David Miller (Founding Director, Faith & Work Initiative, Princeton University)
Panelists:
• Andrew Hanauer (One America Movement)
• Eme Martin (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
• Rebecca Russo (Interfaith America)
• Haris Tarin (Muslim Public Affairs Council)
4:30 PM
Closing Keynote: A World of Faith
 Elder Ulisses Soares (Quorum of Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
4:41 PM Musical Number Jennifer Welch Babidge & Darrell Babidge, accompanied by David Fletcher, How Great Thou Art, composed by Stuart K. Hine, arranged by Wiliam Marsden, edited by David Fletcher
4:45 PM Benediction Father Nicolas Kazarian (Ecumenical Officer and Director, Inter-Orthodox Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)
Closing Reception
5:00 PM
Reception
Rosenthal Pavilion, 60 Washington Square S., 10th Floor
 By invitation. Includes a showing of 27 paintings of the religions of the world by artist Kathleen Peterson, from the book “A World of Faith.”