We often say that Bread for the World is its members – and it’s true. Thousands of you participated in the board election last year, helping select the group of leaders who will help guide Bread for the World’s advocacy for years to come. Thank you for your vote.
We are delighted to announce the results of the election and introduce you to the new members of Bread’s board of directors. The new members, listed below, will join the existing board members listed at www.bread.org/board.
The board also elected officers for 2020:
- John Carr, Chair
- Heather Hardinger, Vice Chair
- Carlos Malavé, Secretary
- Mike Martin, Treasurer
Edith Avila Olea. Joliet, Illinois. Edith Avila Olea is justice and peace associate director for the Catholic Diocese of Joliet. Each year, she supports more than a dozen parishes and campuses in conducting Offerings of Letters, delivering more than 5,400 letters to their members of Congress last year. Avila Olea previously worked for Catholic Charities in Joliet. She is a recipient of the Cardinal Bernardin New Leadership Award for her work fighting poverty and injustice in the United States through community-based solutions. Avila Olea holds a master’s degree in public policy from DePaul University in Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Shorter University in Georgia. Roman Catholic.
Richard Coll. Washington, D.C. Richard Coll is director of the office of domestic social development for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In that capacity, he works closely with Bread on the Circle of Protection, the alliance of Christian leaders committed to ending poverty. Coll formerly served as foreign policy advisor for the office of international justice and peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and as director for the subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions. Coll previously worked in banking and international economic policy. He is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Church, Washington, D.C., is fluent in Spanish and French, and holds degrees from Harvard College and Law School. Roman Catholic.
Britta Hamre. Anchorage, Alaska. Britta Hamre is an associate at Denali Daniels and Associates, where she provides support services to Alaska Survey Research and the Office of Children’s Services, Citizens Review Panel. Hamre works with diverse populations and within different cultural contexts, including in rural Alaska and the Arctic. She formerly served as campaign coordinator for the Food Bank of Alaska, which involved traveling across the state gathering stories from SNAP recipients. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Hamre was raised in the Unitarian Universalist faith.
Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe. Washington, D.C. Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe is general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church. She was dean of the chapel and religious life at Emory University for 22 years. Henry-Crowe has served as an ecumenical collaborator with the World Council of Churches for more than 10 years, and for 16 years served as a member of the United Methodist Judicial Council, where she was the first woman elected president. She holds a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology and Doctor of Divinity degrees from Wofford College and LaGrange College. United Methodist.
Beverly E. Mitchell. Washington, D.C. Dr. Beverly Mitchell is professor of Historical Theology at Wesley Theological Seminary. She teaches historical, systematic, and contextual theology as well as courses dealing with human rights. She regularly co-teaches a class on domestic and global poverty. She is the author of numerous articles and books. Her more recent scholarship has focused on the challenges to human dignity in the face of white supremacy, economic injustice, and genocide. Mitchell holds a doctorate in systematic theology from Boston College/ANTS. She has strong American Baptist roots and is currently a member of a local Episcopal church.
Ricardo Ramirez. La Cruces, New Mexico. The Most Rev. Ricardo Ramirez is Bishop Emeritus of Las Cruces. In 1982, he became the first Bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, where he served until his retirement in 2013. Ramirez is a member of the Congregation of St. Basil. He serves as Episcopal Advisor to the Institute for Hispanic Liturgy, on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Committee on Migration and Refugee Services, and as a member of the Committee on the Catholic Common Ground Initiative. Ramirez holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of St. Thomas, a master’s from the University of Detroit, and several honorary doctorates. Roman Catholic.
Frank Madison Reid III. Columbus, Ohio. The Right Rev. Frank Madison Reid III is the ecumenical officer for the African Methodist Episcopal Church as well as Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District, serving as Bishop for Ohio, West Virginia, and the western part of Pennsylvania. Reid is an author, teacher, preacher, community leader, and motivational speaker. Reid served congregations in North Carolina, California, and Maryland, and taught at Monrovia College in Liberia. He holds a Bachelor of History from Yale University, a Master of Divinity from Harvard College, and a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary. African Methodist Episcopal.
Joyce Rothermel. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Joyce Rothermel is a community activist. She co-chairs the SW PA Bread for the World chapter, brings groups to Bread ‘s June Advocacy Summits, and provides advice to Institute research. Before retiring in 2011, Rothermel co-founded and served as CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, where she oversaw the annual distribution of millions of pounds of food to struggling families. Her experience evinces the combined power of direct service with advocacy and research. Rothermel holds a Bachelor of Science from Saint John College, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Dayton, and honorary doctorates from Seton Hill and LaRoche Universities. Roman Catholic.
As these new members join the board, several members will leave. Board members are eligible for two consecutive three-year terms, so every year we must say goodbye to one-third of the board. It has been an honor and pleasure to receive the guidance and encouragement from the following retiring members.
Spencer Bachus (2013-2019)
Iva Carruthers (2014-2019; Secretary 2017; Vice Chair 2018-2019)
Janet Corpus (2018-2019)
David Husby (2016-2019)
Shirley Cason Reed (2014-2019)
Jonathan Reyes (2013-2019)
Angela Rupchock-Schafer (2014-2019; Governance Committee Chair 2016-2017)
Susan Stall (2017-2019)
