2025 Honorees

William P. Mumma is the Board Chairman for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He has previously served as Becket's President & CEO.

Over the past fifteen years, Bill guided Becket through a period of historic success protecting religious liberty for people of all faiths, beginning with the 2012 unanimous decision in Hosanna Tabor v. EEOC. That win was hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "among the most significant religious liberty cases in a half century" because it affirmed that religious groups – not the government – must be free to choose who will guide their congregation.

Since then, Becket has maintained its unanimous SCOTUS record with 12 additional successful victories at the U.S. Supreme Court, including protecting evangelical business owners (Hobby Lobby), Catholic nuns (Little Sisters of the Poor), Muslim prisoners (Holt v. Hobbs), Jewish synagogues (Agudath Israel), and more. Just in the last few months, Becket had secured wins at the U.S. Supreme Court for Muslims, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, and Catholics.

Under Bill's leadership, Becket has been called a "powerhouse law firm" by the Associated Press, "prestigious" by the Washington Post, and "God's Rottweilers" by Politico. It has been named to the National Law Journal's Appellate Hot List twice, making it the only nonprofit law firm to achieve this distinction.

This award will be accepted on Bill’s behalf at the Forum on Faith by Mark Rienzi, President & CEO at the Becket Fund.

Caura N. Richardson is the inaugural Director of New York State’s Office of Faith and Nonprofit Development Services, appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul, and a 2025 City & State NY

Nonprofit Trailblazer. She also serves as Associate Pastor of New Mount Zion Baptist Church of Harlem, where her ministry of service meets her public mission to strengthen marginalized communities.

As Director, Caura has expanded access to state grants, training, and technical assistance for faith and nonprofit organizations. She has advanced interfaith dialogue, fostered regional coalitions, and created resources—including statewide guides on mental health and sensory-friendly spaces.

A central goal of Caura’s lifework is redefining how faith and public service intersect—creating pathways for congregations and nonprofits to access state support that expands their impact across New York. Under her leadership, the Office has championed affordable housing initiatives, expanded food security and health equity programs, and extended access to technology. She has also advanced interfaith engagement, ensuring diverse voices from all faith traditions shape statewide policy and community development.

Her coalition-building efforts—from convening regional stakeholder meetings to partnering with faith leaders across New York—have empowered organizations to collaborate on pressing social issues.

A proud wife and mother of three, Caura balances family life with a vocation rooted in service, justice, and faith. She holds degrees from SUNY Albany, Pace University, and Princeton Seminary, and is pursuing her doctorate at Baylor University. Recognized as a 2025 Nonprofit Trailblazer, she has served as keynote speaker at national convenings, including Integrating Faith Leaders into Elder Abuse Services.

For Caura, combining faith and public service is more than belief—it is a blueprint for the greater good, a catalyst for equity, and a bridge to stronger, more inclusive communities.

Since 2016 Mahant Swami Maharaj has served as the spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, a global Hindu fellowship sustained by volunteers. He has guided the creation of cultural landmarks and mandirs which serve as symbols of peace, dialogue, and friendship across faiths and nations.

Under his guidance, BAPS volunteers around the world have mobilized to serve society in meaningful, tangible ways — providing education, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare to millions, uplifting entire villages and generations. In times of natural disasters — from wildfires and floods to hurricanes — BAPS has been on the ground delivering relief.

Equally important is his commitment to education and empowerment. Through mentorship programs, youth activities, and leadership training, BAPS helps individuals and communities build a brighter future. Mahant Swami Maharaj has placed a special emphasis on youth, nurturing their character, guiding them toward service, and inspiring them to become compassionate leaders who will shape the future of our communities.

Recognizing that strong families are the foundation of strong communities, he has encouraged initiatives that promote family harmony, mental well-being, and resilience — equipping individuals with the values and strength to thrive together. He has also championed women’s leadership and empowerment, ensuring that their voices and contributions shape every dimension of BAPS’ service.

By working hand-in-hand with civic organizations, governments, and NGOs, Mahant Swami Maharaj has made BAPS a trusted partner in strengthening neighborhoods and uplifting society — a true embodiment of building better communities.

At the heart of his work is a simple yet profound principle: true spirituality expresses itself in building better communities. His Holiness embodies this ideal by transforming faith into service and compassion into action — leaving an enduring legacy of faith, unity, and hope.

This award will be accepted at the Forum on Faith on behalf Mahant Swami Maharaj by Aarti Patel, a senior volunteer at BAPS.

Tom Gallagher is a lawyer, a former journalist, a non-prot executive and filmmaker.  Tom  heads  Religion Media  Foundation,  which  produces content on   the   topic of ecumenism and the role of religion in society, and among other things, funds scholarships and grants to students and academics.

Tom’s award-winning film, Amen-Amen-Amen:  A Story of  Our Times, tells the story of the first Jewish community formed in an Arab-Muslim country in centuries (Dubai) and the gift of a Torah Scroll to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE,  which Torah Scroll is dedicated to the memory of the late Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE.  

The film was broadcast on PBS in New York City and premiered in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jakarta, London, Tel Aviv and at the Vatican.  Tom recently co-produced the documentary titled Baseball:  Beyond Belief!, based on John Sexton’s New York Times best-selling book, Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game (Gotham, 2013). 

In April 2025, Tom received the prestigious Eirene Award for Peace at the Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit held in Dubai. 

Tom is currently working on other film and TV projects. He splits his time living in Connecticut and in Montana with his wife, Wendy Mendenhall, MBE.

Chancellor Schwartz has modeled how higher education and religious ethics can be seamlessly woven together. At JTS, scholarship is never separated from moral vision. Students receive a strong education and cultivate a lifelong love of Jewish learning that inspires them to live out the values nurtured during their years here. Inspired by Chancellor Louis Finkelstein’s vision through the Eternal Light series, the Institute for Religious and Social Studies, and the Conference on Science, Philosophy, and Religion, she has carried this mission forward.

Over the last five years, she has deepened JTS’s engagement through public convenings on issues vital to the Jewish people, our nation, and humanity, and through partnerships with interfaith and higher education communities.

As dean of JTS’s Albert A. List College and Gershon Kekst Graduate School, she launched a BA major and MA in Jewish Ethics and a dual-degree MA in Jewish Ethics and Public Health with Columbia University. The program enables students to evaluate public health challenges from a Jewish ethical perspective. Under her leadership, the MA in Spiritual Care was also established through the Division of Lifelong and Professional Studies. This innovative program combines theoretical learning with clinical training, preparing students to provide spiritually based support in challenging times. Rooted in Jewish values yet welcoming participants from all traditions, it reflects JTS’s belief that authentic leadership must be both grounded and inclusive.

In light of rising antisemitism, Chancellor Schwartz cultivated partnerships with neighboring institutions to respond collaboratively. One year after October 7, 2023, JTS invited neighbors to an open house in the sukkah for conversation and hope. She also hosted a symposium on campus antisemitism, bringing together New York City college presidents to address this urgent concern.

Rev. Breyer has served as the Director of the Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) since 2007. Over the past decade and a half, ICNY has developed a pioneering curriculum in civics training for grassroots religious leaders, built multi-faith advocacy coalitions to prevent bias crimes, and promoted criminal justice and immigration reform. In education, ICNY regularly leads training modules on religious diversity for teachers, social workers, law students, and law enforcement officers.

In the years following 9/11, ICNY advocated against unwarranted surveillance of mosques and for the restoration of guidelines that safeguard the civil rights and religious freedom of all New Yorkers. In 2015, Rev. Breyer served as a community adviser to the court-appointed facilitator tasked with finding a remedy for police profiling in the “stop and frisk” lawsuits against the NYPD. More recently, Rev. Breyer was one of the clergy advisors on the transition teams of both the incoming Mayor of New York City and the Manhattan District Attorney.

An Episcopal Priest in the Diocese of New York, Breyer has served at Harlem churches for more than two decades, including as Associate Priest at St. Philip’s Church since 2012. In addition to local religious peacemaking work, Rev. Breyer has also participated in interfaith dialogues and humanitarian aid initiatives in Afghanistan and Iran and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is the author of The Close: A Young Woman’s First Year at Seminary (Basic Books, 2000), and her op-eds have appeared in Slate, the NY Daily News, the International New York Times (Herald Tribune), and elsewhere. She received her Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Union Theological Seminary in 2017, and her doctoral dissertation focused on interfaith activism, Christian peacemaking, and Islamophobia.

Susan George is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader who is passionate about providing aid and opportunities for individuals in need. She currently serves as Chief Advancement and Stewardship Officer at the Archdiocese of New York, overseeing development initiatives that raise over $50 million annually to support the Church of New York, the Alfred E. Smith Foundation, Catholic education, and underserved communities. In her previous role, Susan served as the Executive Director of the Office of Catholic Education Advancement and Inner-City Scholarship Fund, where she raised over $500 million and launched a capital campaign for a scholarship program that supports 8,000 inner-city children annually.

In addition to her role in education, she has worked closely with the Archbishop of New York and his senior management to plan two Papal visits to the city of New York.

Susan has transformed the boards of three organizations through her ability to connect alumni and business leaders with the mission of their colleges and education. Today, she manages a board of over 30 individuals, including many leaders from Fortune 500 companies.

Before joining the archdiocese, Susan was at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she was a Director of Major Gifts and initially an Associate Director of Major Gifts and Stewardship. There, she managed relationships with trustees and other key volunteers. She was instrumental in recruiting new trustees to the College. Susan's first role in philanthropy began at Drew University in 1992, when she assumed the role of Events Coordinator and then advanced to Associate Director, Leadership Gifts.

Susan holds a BA from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Letters from Drew University where her thesis was "Corporate Philanthropy. She has served on the boards of The Hawthorne Foundation, Inner-City Scholarship Fund, Invest in Education Foundation, and Regis High School.

Sharon Eubank is the Global Director of Humanitarian Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has worked in the Church Welfare Department since 1998, helping establish Church employment offices in Africa and Europe, and later directing the Latter-day Saint Charities wheelchair initiative. In 2008, she was asked to oversee humanitarian work in the Middle East as the regional director of Latter-day Saint Charities. In 2011, she was named the director of Latter-day Saint Charities worldwide. She believes serving others is “the very DNA of being a member of Christ’s Church” and the heart and soul of Relief Society (the women’s organization of the Church).

Sharon served on the Relief Society general board from 2009 to 2012, chairing the Relief Society presidency’s Public Affairs committee. She has also served in numerous ward (local congregation) and stake (diocese) leadership positions, most often as a teacher to men and women, youth and children in the Church’s Sunday School, Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary organizations.

In April 2017, Sharon was sustained as first counselor in the General Presidency of the Relief Society, the Church’s organization for its six million female members aged 18 and older. At the time of her call in April 2017, Sister Eubank was employed as the director of Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and she continued in this role while serving in the Relief Society.

In 2020, she addressed the G20 Interfaith Forum, hosted by Saudi Arabia, discussing disaster response, food supply chains, and the involvement of faith communities in emergency preparation and response efforts. In 2020, Eubank participated in a CROP hunger walk for Church World Service, walking in solidarity against hunger.

Bishop John Drew Sheard, born in Detroit, Michigan, is the eighth Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), one of the world’s largest Pentecostal denominations. A visionary leader, Bishop Sheard is recognized for uniting communities, advancing social justice, and demonstrating the transformative power of faith in action.

Through COGIC Charities, he has expanded the church’s humanitarian reach, overseeing disaster relief efforts for communities impacted by wildfires, tornadoes, and other crises. In 2025, he led a national campaign that raised nearly $1 million for emergency aid. He has forged partnerships with organizations such as The Salvation Army, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the American Heart Association, ensuring effective global relief. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he organized an ecumenical effort that raised $100,000 to assist ministry leaders in need.

Bishop Sheard is also known for fostering interdenominational cooperation. He has partnered with the Assemblies of God and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and he plays an active role in the Conference of National Black Churches, the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America, and the Pentecostal World Fellowship.

Believing the church must serve society at large, Bishop Sheard launched initiatives with Waste Management to provide jobs for the formerly incarcerated and partnered with Tennessee leaders to create transitional housing for foster youth.

Bishop Sheard has been the Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC in Detroit since 1988. He holds degrees from Wayne State University and multiple honorary doctorates. He also serves on the NAACP National Board of Directors and other civic councils.

Bishop Sheard embodies servant leadership—preaching the gospel through action, compassion, and a commitment to justice.

The UAE is home to over 200 different nationalities and has become one of the most diverse societies in the world. Founded in 1971, the country has traditionally embraced acceptance and mutual respect for all cultures, religions, and backgrounds from the very beginning. This transformative mindset was introduced by the nation’s founding father and first president, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Considering this progressive vision, the UAE selects a new theme each year that reflects Sheikh Zayed’s historic mission for global peace and prosperity. This tradition led to the landmark “Year of Tolerance,” which proved to be a major success and sparked several opportunities for interfaith and intercultural exchanges in 2019.

The Year of Tolerance began with a historic global event: the first-ever visit of the late Pope Francis to the Gulf region. This milestone signified a fresh page in history as the world witnessed the warm welcome and hospitality of a Muslim nation toward the leader of the Catholic Church, reflecting the UAE’s strong commitment to cultivating harmonious coexistence and embracing diversity.

Pope Francis and Dr. Ahmed Al Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed the Human Fraternity Document. This joint statement called for reconciliation and unity to uphold interfaith harmony and spread peace worldwide. The UAE’s 2019 Year of Tolerance established robust legal protections. It led to the creation of permanent institutions such as the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the Abrahamic Family House, which continue to promote interfaith dialogue. New places of interfaith worship have opened, supporting the country’s growing religious diversity.

The UAE’s approach has inspired international recognition, including the UN’s International Day of Human Fraternity and the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, cementing tolerance as a lasting national and global value.