Bunda C. Chibwe serves as a member of the First Presidency of Community of Christ and counselor to the president of the church.

Bunda is a minister nurtured on the soil of his African homeland and brings a testimony to the various councils he has served. He shares the perspective of his culture, his experience, and the dedicated ministry of countless people who have experienced Christ’s mission amidst hardship and sacrifice. He is excited to advocate for, and passionate about sharing, the richness of Africa’s diverse traditions, so that God’s human family can be embraced more fully in all areas of the church.

Bunda previously served as an apostle and president of the Sixth Quorum of Seventy; Africa Region associate administrator and president of the Zambia National Church. He was also an elementary school headmaster in the Zaire National Education System. Bunda was also the first pastor of the Kasompe Congregation.

Bunda received a Master of Arts in religion from Park University, Parkville, Missouri. He is fluent in several African languages.

Bunda is married to Jenny Kumwimba. They have five grown children: Cecilia, Andrew, Manasseh, Mardoche, and Debbie; and four grandchildren: Chidnma (ChiChi), Ethan, Zuriel, and Neriah.

My name is Jenny Chibwe. I am married to Bunda Chibwe, and together we have four kids. I am a seventy and currently serving as Mission Center President for Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. I am serving in one session only.

Elene Cloete is the CEO and president of Outreach International, bringing over 15 years of international development experience to advancing social equity and opportunity worldwide. Originally from South Africa, Elene’s early work in youth development shaped her lifelong interest in how systems affect people’s lives and how communities can work within those systems to thrive. She earned a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Kansas and has conducted numerous research studies exploring the intersection of everyday life and social wellbeing. Elene brings academic rigor, strategic insight, and deep compassion to an organization committed to lasting change, and her leadership helps strengthen global operations, deepen an evidence-based approach, and amplify the voices of the people at the heart of the work.

Compost Collective KC has collected residential and commercial food waste across the Kansas City metropolitan area since 2017, diverting at least 1 million pounds of food waste from the landfill each year. Our mission is to help support a circular food system and local growers across Kansas City, reduce emissions, and build healthier communities. We turn nutrient-rich food scraps and compostable materials back into soil at the farm we work with, Urbavore Urban Farm. The farmers there use the compost to grow more produce, which we can deliver straight to your porch along with your next compost pickup.

Stassi D. Cramm serves as the ninth prophet-president of Community of Christ and the first woman to serve in this office.

Her past assignments include serving as a counselor to the previous president, presiding bishop, a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles, counselor to the presiding bishop, and the Southwest Pacific Region administrator and stewardship commissioner.

Stassi received a bachelor of science in general engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and a master of arts in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. She received a master of arts in religion from Graceland University and a PhD in organization and management from Capella University. Before full-time ministry for Community of Christ, Stassi was employed by the United States Air Force as a project manager and flight test engineer.

Stassi is married with two adult children, a son-in-law, and three grandchildren.

Brien Darby has been the executive director of Cultivate Kansas City since January 2021. Cultivate KC is an urban agriculture nonprofit with the mission of growing food, farms, and community. Before this position, Darby worked at the Denver Botanic Gardens as the manager of urban food programs, a role that allowed her to teach, design urban farm systems, and work with a wide variety of community stakeholders. Darby holds a Master of Public Health degree from the Colorado School of Public Health. She is a board member for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and locally serves as a board member of the KC Food Hub and the Jackson County Extension Council for the University of Missouri. Previously, she was a 2020 Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Fellow and served on the board of the American Community Gardening Association. Brien lives with her husband, two kids, and many chickens in Kansas City, Missouri.

Stephen Donahoe serves as associate general secretary (vice president) for advancement at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. He leads FCNL’s fundraising and communications work and has spoken to a wide range of groups in his 18 years with the organization. A graduate of Graceland University, Stephen has served on the board of Harmony (previously GALA) and currently serves on the board of Outreach International. He is passionate about helping people become effective advocates for peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.

Andrew Fellows is from Derby, England, in the British Isles Mission Centre. Andrew is a seventy serving on the Mission Centre Council. Andrew started the Clay Cross Foodbank and served as foodbank manager until his retirement in 2019. He was part of the Abolish Poverty Team that brought WCR 1325, “The Climate Emergency,” to World Conference in 2023. Andrew brings his experience of climate activism and protest with Extinction Rebellion, Christian Climate Action, and at COP 26 in Glasgow.

Matthew J. Frizzell, a minister for Community of Christ, is a member of the Council of Twelve Apostles. He is assigned to Field 3.

Matt has served as dean of Community of Christ Seminary at Graceland University; campus minister at Graceland University; director of Human Resource Ministries for Community of Christ; Chicago Mission Center president; and pastor and field minister in Midlands USA Mission Center.

Matt earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa; a master’s degree in theological studies from Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri; and a PhD in theology and ethics from Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois.

Matthew worked for American Century Mutual Funds, as well as departments of youth services in Colorado and Missouri.

Matt is married to Margo (Flowers) and lives in Chicago, Illinois. He has three adult daughters, Kathryn, Kenzlee, and Kyla.

Janné C. Grover is a member of the First Presidency and counselor to the president. She is passionate about lifelong learning, the power of music and communal singing, and the variety of ways in which spiritual community forms and faithfully responds in Christ’s mission. Previous church employment includes Council of Twelve Apostles, director of Formation Ministries, disciple formation specialist, and Daily Prayer for Peace coordinator.

Before church employment, Janné served as a high school and middle school band and orchestra director, then enjoyed dedicated time at home with her three children. She earned a Master of Arts in religion from Graceland University and Community of Christ Seminary; an education specialist degree in secondary administration and superintendency from Northwest Missouri State University; a Master of Arts in instrumental conducting from Florida State University; and a Bachelor of Science in music education from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Ronald D. Harmon Jr., a minister for Community of Christ, serves as the presiding bishop.

His previous assignments include president of the Council of Twelve Apostles, Congregational Leadership Development, Spectacular and International Youth Forum, Urban Ministries, Leading Congregations in Mission, and president of the Kentucky-Indiana USA Mission Center.

Ron attended Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa. At Bowling Green State University in Ohio, he received a bachelor of science in business administration. He received a master of arts in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. He has pursued advanced studies in leadership and management through Bellarmine University. Ron received a master of arts in religion through Community of Christ Seminary.

Before church employment, Ron served in several executive human resources and operations positions in health care, consulting, and financial services, and with Graceland University as vice president for administrative services.

Today, Ron and his wife, Barb, are proud grandparents of three grandchildren: Emma, Maddie, and Oliver.

Katie Harmon-McLaughlin (she/her) is director of Formation Ministries for Community of Christ. She holds the priesthood office of high priest.

She previously served as spiritual formation specialist and as a full-time pastor in Orange, California. She is a faculty associate for Community of Christ Seminary. Katie leads the Formation Ministries Team and the Spiritual Formation Team, and is director of the Spiritual Formation and Companioning Program.

Katie completed her BA in religion through Graceland University and a Master of Arts in religion through Community of Christ Seminary. She received a post-graduate certificate in spiritual direction and leadership through Pneuma Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Katie completed her Doctor of Ministry degree through San Francisco Theological Seminary at the University of Redlands, focusing on the dynamics of intercultural communal discernment. She lives in Independence, Missouri, with her partner, Zac, and two daughters, Emma and Maddie.

Jeffrey Jordan II is FCNL’s lead representative for sustainable energy and environment. He advocates for policies related to environmental justice, protecting and sustaining domestic and international climate aid, accelerating clean energy deployment through efficient, community-centered permitting reform, and supporting carbon pricing to drive emissions reductions and incentivize innovation. Before joining FCNL full-time in 2026, Jeffrey was a 2025–2026 federal policy fellow for hunger advocacy with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He holds a JD from Tulane University School of Law, an MA in international affairs, global governance, politics and security from American University School of International Service, and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College.

Isaac Bennet Joshua Prince Daniel serves as the leadership development coordinator for Community of Christ in India, equipping emerging leaders across diverse cultural, rural, and intergenerational contexts. He is deeply committed to empowering leadership among Dalit, Tribal, and Adivasi communities, fostering inclusive and contextually relevant ministry that reflects the worth of all persons. His ministry emphasizes leadership formation, peacebuilding, justice, and innovative expressions of discipleship rooted in the mission and Enduring Principles of Community of Christ. He is passionate about nurturing leaders who strengthen communities, cultivate hope, and participate in God’s vision of shalom.

Bill Kriege serves as the director of service and action at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. He began this role in January 2025 after 27 years in campus ministry. In his current position, Bill:

• Supports faculty teaching community engaged learning courses.
• Leads both episodic and sustained community engagement opportunities for students and student organizations.
• Oversees international and domestic solidarity-immersion experiences.

Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Michigan Technological University and worked for several years in the field, primarily in soil and groundwater remediation, before transitioning to higher education. In 2001, he completed a Master of Pastoral Studies at Seattle University.

Bill and his wife, Teri, both originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, now live in midtown Kansas City. Married for 30 years, they have two children: their son, Xavier, works in the aerospace industry as a metallurgical/materials engineer, and their daughter is an actor, currently with a show at the Milwaukee Zoo.

Carla K Long is a bishop in Community of Christ and a member of the Presiding Bishopric. She loves talking about generosity and how it changes not only individual lives but the world around us, and especially loves linking generosity to climate and economic justice. She is a mom of two children (Liaden, 8, and Ari, 6) and a wife to her husband, Kuzma. She lives in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

Dr. Ken Mulliken is a historian, educator, and editor of The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal, where he promotes scholarship on Restoration history, including the history of Community of Christ.

A native of Independence, Missouri, Ken has spent much of his career studying and teaching Restoration history and exploring the connections between history, religion, culture, and society. His doctoral research on collective memory and identity in the RLDS Church received the Mormon History Association’s Gerald E. Jones Outstanding Dissertation Award.

Ken has served the John Whitmer Historical Association in several leadership roles and has been deeply involved in preserving and interpreting Restoration history in Independence. He and his wife, Wendy, live in Independence and are members of Community of Christ.

Erica Blevins Nye is a high priest who has served Community of Christ locally, in mission centers, and at headquarters. Her ministry roles have focused particularly on students and young adults, fostering intergenerational and small group ministry, and spiritual formation. Erica is currently chair of the Children’s Formation Team. She lives in Michigan with her husband and three children.

The Peace Pavilion in Independence is a unique nonprofit kids’ museum focused on providing experiential peace education lessons. The exhibit areas focus on four basic peace concepts: Peace for Me, Peace for Us, Peace for Everyone, and Peace for the Planet, offering opportunities for social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, problem-solving, cultural diversity, and environmental studies.

The breakout session “Growing Peacemakers: Teaching Environmental Justice Through Hands-On Experiences” will be moderated by Peace Pavilion Executive Director Andy Kroesen and Board Chair Cathi Cackler-Veazey.

Humberto Rosario, father of three children from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, serves as a president of seventy for Community of Christ and helps lead the church’s mission. He directs a daily devotional, El Pan de Cada día, in Spanish, and cares deeply about climate-related issues. He loves cooking, contemplating the wonder of God’s creation, and learning.

Rick Sarre is emeritus professor of law and criminal justice at the University of Adelaide in Australia. His work focuses on law, justice, and criminology, and he is a regular contributor on issues of law and justice.

Rick has also worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service, providing legal advice to asylum seekers in Hong Kong and Western Australia. He serves as South Australian patron of the Justice Reform Initiative and is a member of the Parish Mission Council at Clayton Wesley Uniting Church.

Rick is a member of the Board of Directors of Community of Christ (Australia) and will facilitate our panel discussion on justice, peace, and the work of building more just communities.

Monear Shaer is a Palestinian American filmmaker, speaker, and humanitarian advocate. He is the director of the award-winning documentary Gaza Is Our Home, a deeply personal film that follows his family’s experiences living through war in Gaza while exploring themes of resilience, human dignity, and the power of community. Through screenings, live conversations with his family in Gaza, and grassroots engagement across the United States, Monear seeks to foster dialogue, build understanding, and inspire compassionate action.

Aaron Twombly is a software engineer with a passion for environmental stewardship and research. Aaron and his wife, Tracy, have restored and manage over 50 acres of forest and prairie and now own and operate a native plant nursery in Kansas City, Missouri. As former leader of the Environment and Energy Stewardship Group, Aaron conducted energy audits for several churches and helped implement energy-saving solutions. At home, Aaron is close to reaching net zero through changes such as increased insulation, a ground-source heat pump, EV adoption, a self-installed solar array, a heat pump water heater, and changes in diet.

Wim van Klinken is a counselor to the presiding bishop, a member of the Presiding Bishopric, CIO/CTO, and director of business operations for the World Church.

Before his career with Community of Christ began in 2004, he founded several IT companies. Within the church, he served as president of the European Mission Center, director of International Headquarters, and in other assignments.

In the USA, Wim received a master of public administration degree (2014) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a master of arts in religion (2005) from Graceland University. In the Netherlands, he earned a degree in economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam with an emphasis on business management information systems. He has also studied music and done post-graduate work in business administration, asset management, and the Comenius Course from the Academy of Management at the University of Groningen.

Since age 18, Wim has served on nonprofit boards. He currently serves on the board of directors of the United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City, as well as the board of directors and supervisory board of the Holy Rosary Credit Union.

He holds the priesthood office of bishop.

Krizza ria Velasquez serves as executive director for CORD, bringing nearly two decades of community development experience to her leadership. A graduate of the University of the Philippines with a background in sociology, anthropology, and psychology, her career spans every level of impact, from grassroots field staff to international mentor. This extensive background allows her to bridge field realities with strategic organizational direction. Her work remains deeply grounded in community-first solutions that drive sustainable, long-term change.

Derrick Weston is a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, speaker, and educator whose most recent work has focused on the intersection of food and faith. He is co-host of the Food and Faith podcast and producer of Spoon, Spade, and Soul, a podcast highlighting food and land-based ministries in the Episcopal Church. He is also producer of the short film series A Wilderness Like Eden, highlighting the work of churches engaged in food justice work. After two decades as a pastor and community organizer, Derrick is a strong believer in the potential of local congregations to enact change in their communities. Derrick received his BA in film studies from the University of Pittsburgh and his Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also holds a certification in health ministry from Wesleyan Theological Seminary and took part in the Re:Generate fellowship on food, faith, and ecology through Wake Forest Divinity School. Derrick is co-author of the book The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration and has written numerous articles for several publications. He and his wife, Shannon, have four children and live outside of Baltimore, Maryland.