Board of Directors
LGBTQ-RAN welcomes nominations of persons to serve on its board of directors. We look for representation from the diversity of LGBTQ religious expressions. Use this form to submit a nomination for yourself or another person.
Marnie Warner (Chair) (she/her) retired in 2013 after forty years as a law librarian in a law firm, setting up prison libraries and as Law Library Coordinator for the Massachusetts Trial Court. During her career, she served as President of the New England Law Library Consortium and Secretary of the Massachusetts Library Association. A lifelong member of the United Church of Christ, Marnie served as Clerk of the Council at Church of the Covenant in Boston as well as Chair of the Deacons. Marnie was a member of the Campaign to Renew Covenant which raised $1.3 million dollars to stabilize and renovate the physical building and currently serves on the Covenant Building Preservation Project which continues to raise funds to maintain the church building what is now a National Historic Landmark. She participated in Massachusetts Conference of the U.C.C. as a member of the Committee on Ministry, the annual meeting program committee and as a delegate to two General Synods. One of four authors of the Open and Affirming Resolution, Marnie was a lead advocate at the 1985 General Synod which passed the ONA Resolution. Marnie received her B.A. from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin and her Masters in Library Science from Simmons College in Boston, MA. Although not an archivist, Marnie’s library training involves the preservation of information both physically and digitally.
Richard ("Rick") Peterson (Treasurer) (he/him) and his spouse, Rev. Wayne T. Bradley (MCC), have been extensively involved in Chicago’s LGBTQ community since the early 1980s. Rick served on the Board of Directors, as Board Chair and on the Board team serving as the Interim Executive Director of Howard Brown Health, the Midwest’s largest AIDS and LGBTQ service provider, in the late 1980s. He has also served the United Church of Christ (UCC) on multiple levels, including helping to shepherd the Open and Affirming process at his local church and in the Illinois Conference and serving on the national UCC’s Justice and Witness Board of Directors. Rick has been an active member of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Theological Seminary since he was initially elected in 1993, and he has recently finished his term as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Community Renewal Society, a Chicago faith-based organization that works with communities to address issues of racism and poverty. An Iowa native, Rick graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Grinnell College with a BA in History. He holds a Masters in Health Care Administration (MHA) and a JD from Washington University in St. Louis. Rick recently retired as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, where he served for nearly 30 years.
Brendan Fay (he/him) comes from Drogheda in Ireland. He came to love New York City where he’ arrived to study in 1984. Brendan has campaigned for immigration reform, marriage equality, HIV/AIDS awareness, inclusive parades, policing reform and human rights. In 1994 he founded the Irish LGBTQ group Lavender and Green Alliance. In 1996 he co-founded Irish AIDS Outreach to help break the silence on AIDS. Brendan was a leader in efforts to include openly LGBTQ Irish in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade. In 1999, he began the 'St. Pat's for All' parade in Queens. The parade is known for its diversity, hospitality and puppets. Brendan has been a leader in the movement for marriage equality since 1996. In 2003 he co-founded The Civil Marriage Trail Project bringing couples across borders for civil marriage, including Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer whose US Supreme Court case (2013) led to the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Brendan’s film work includes Remembering Mychal (2021) and Saint of 9/11 (2006), documentary films about Fr. Mychal Judge, the FDNY Franciscan chaplain who died in the World Trade Center attack on September 11, 2001. His award-winning film about pioneer gay priest John McNeill (1925-2015), Taking a Chance On God has been translated into Polish, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Brendan has a B.A. in Theology from Maynooth University (Ireland) and an M.A. from St. John's University. Brendan taught in New York Catholic high schools and community colleges. He has facilitated retreats and workshops in Ireland, Poland, England and the U.S. Brendan lives in Astoria, New York with his spouse Tom Moulton.
Rev. Elder Diane Fisher (she/her) is a proudly Canadian queer activist who describes herself as "a retired lesbian Christian pastor of Metropolitan Community Church, and a mother of a fabulous daughter, Karli, and married to Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos, who delights my heart.” In MCC, Diane has been a local church pastor, a district coordinator, an elder, and the Clerk of the Governing Board. She cares deeply about MCC and strongly believes that there is an ongoing need for a queer church in the world. Her passion is working to change systems that encourage or reinforce marginalization of those who have been caught “outside the system.” She is known internationally as the “Lesbian Bishop,” a title bestowed upon her by the Romanian press for her justice ministry with LGBTQI people, especially in Eastern Europe and Africa. Rev. Elder Fisher was presented with MCC’s Human Rights Award in 2010 and has been the recipient of many other National and International Awards for her tireless Human Rights work. She currently serves on the steering committee of Maine Unitarian Universalist Social Action Network (MUUSAN). In her off time, Diane plays with various stringed instruments, creates stained glass pieces, and enjoys camping with her wife Kharma, dog Kady (a Shih-poo), and cat Téa (Maine coon). Along with two beloved “foster-failure kittens,” Annie and Tobert, they all live in Lisbon, Maine.
Scott Haldeman, Ph.D. (he/him) is Associate Professor of Worship at Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. Specializing in the history, theology and practice of US Protestant worship, he is also interested in the less formal ways human beings ritualize themselves in relation to various categories of identity, such as gender and sexuality. Examples of his recent work in queer religious studies include: “In the name of …: baptismal incorporation in a gender-fluid age” in Call to Worship 53.3, November 2019; “The Queer body in the wedding” in Stephen Burns and Bryan Cones (editors), Liturgy with a Difference: Beyond Inclusion in the Christian Assembly (London: SCM Press, 2019), 61-78; “Sacraments and Queer Theory” in Martha Moore-Keish and James Farwell (editors), T & T Clark Handbook of Sacraments and Sacramentality (New York: T&T Clark, 2023), 390-404; and, "‘Holy Abomination, Batman!’ Questions about ordination from a gay lay scholar” in Bryan Cones (editor), Queering Christian Worship (New York: Seabury, forthcoming).
Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw (he/him) is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. He is the coordinator of the Transgender Roundtable at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies and a faculty member of the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. Jakob received his M.Div. and Certificate in Sexuality and Religion from the Pacific School of Religion and his M.A. in Ethics and Social Theory from the Graduate Theological Union. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Christian Theology and Spiritual Direction from St, Michael’s Theological College, Cardiff University in Wales, UK, and a BA in Religious Studies with an emphasis on Christianity and Islam, from the University of South Florida. Jakob participated in transgender and queer activism and advocacy throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Central and Eastern Europe. Jakob’s favorite thing in life is being a dad! He lives in Tampa, Florida, with his husband, Allan, and their two children.
Joel L. Kushner, Psy.D. (he/him) was appointed the Director of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in 2013. He also founded the HUC-JIR Institute for Judaism, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity in 2005. Dr. Kushner continues to consult with a variety of Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, locally and nationally and has lectured on LGBTQ education and inclusion across the country. Previously, he sat on the National Religious Leadership Roundtable of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Executive Board of California Faith for Equality and Nehirim. He has also consulted with the staff and boards of JQ International and A Wider Bridge. Dr. Kushner was trained in counseling, clinical and organizational psychology and holds graduate degrees in counseling and clinical psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. Additionally, he holds certificates in Intensive Case Management and in Human Resources Management. In 2013, Dr. Kushner completed a half unit of CPE at Cedars-Sinai and in 2017 completed training as a Spiritual Director in the Morei Derekh program of the Yedidya Center for Jewish Spiritual Direction. Beginning in 2013, Dr. Kushner has successfully developed and produced a biennial event called, Jewish Wisdom & Wellness – A Festival of Learning that explores the themes of Judaism, health, and healing.
Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski (he/him) has been active in LGBT liberation since his early days in Dignity in Detroit and New York City in the 1970's. He was ordained in MCC in 1983, where he retains the title Elder, and also has ministerial standing in the Disciples of Christ/Christian Church, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, where he is recognized as a Bishop, and the United Church of Christ. His pastorates have included MCC New York, MCC San Francisco, MCC in Guerneville California, City of Angels, New Spirit Community Church, MCC of the Rockies in Denver, Cathedral of Hope UCC in Dallas, Congregational Church of Needham, Mass., and Peace UCC in Duluth, Minnesota. He now serves as pastor of Congregational Church of Belmont (California). He has been a senior denominational executive for MCC, staff member and adjunct faculty at the Pacific School of Religion (PSR), and was the Program Coordinator for the Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center at the San Francisco Public Library. He has a B.A. in Religion from Columbia University, an M.Div. from Pacific School of Religion, was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard Divinity School and was awarded an honorary doctor of sacred theology from the Starr King School for the Ministry.
Monique Moultrie, Ph.D. (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Georgia State University where her scholarly pursuits include projects in sexual ethics, African American religions, and gender and sexuality studies. She earned a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University, a M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School, and a B.A. from Duke University. Her research has been supported by a Harvard Divinity School Women’s Studies in Religion Program Fellowship, a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, an American Academy of Religion Individual Research Grant, several Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning grants, and a GSU Dean’s Early Career Award. She is a former Chair of the Women in the Profession Committee for AAR and former co-chair of the Religion and Sexuality group of AAR. She has published Passionate and Pious: Religious Media and Black Women’s Sexuality (Duke University Press, 2017) and A Guide for Women in Religion (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). Her forthcoming book is a study of black lesbian religious leadership and faith activism.
Rev. Roberto Ochoa (el, him) is the Minister for Ethnic Inclusion and Congregational Support for Rural and Small Churches in the National Setting of the United Church of Christ. Roberto serves congregations by providing UCC and ecumenical resources for congregational assessment, support, and advancement, especially for rural, ethnic identified and congregations of Color. Prior to his call to the UCC National Setting in 2018, Roberto pastored Lake View Congregational Church, UCC for seven year s in Worcester, Massachusetts, and has been active in the UCC since 1999, serving as Sunday school teacher, church council member, delegate to the General Synod and on various boards and commissions within the historical Mass. Conference of the UCC. In addition, Roberto has served as part of leadership teams of the Colectivo de United Church of Christ Latinx Ministries (formerly Hispanic Ministry Council), the UCC Council on Racial and Ethnic Ministries (COREM), UCC Collaboration for Immigration and Refugees, and Ecumenical Rural Ministries Network (with the United Church of Canada). Roberto began his ministry working with those affected by HIV/AIDS, as buddy, crises hotline, meal delivery and spiritual guide, while a member of Metropolitan Community Churches in Los Angeles, California (1979-1990). Roberto earned his Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School (2017) where he was awarded the R. Dean Goodwin Award for Excellence in Communications Skills, with Certificates in Ethics and Social Justice; and in Spiritual and Pastoral Care.. Roberto lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his husband Jim of 25 years, ten of which they have been married.
Rev. Kori K. R. Pacyniak (they/them) is a non-binary Catholic priest and a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) at the University of California, Riverside, focusing on Queer and Trans Studies in Religion. Their dissertation examines the religious experiences of transgender Catholics. Kori leads workshops on trans inclusion and deconstructing gender binaries for various groups including churches, healthcare organizations, and non-profits. Much of Kori’s work and ministry focuses on making sure queer and trans people have the liturgical and theological resources to reclaim spiritual and faith traditions. Kori also serves on the anti-oppression task force of the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC) and on the steering committee of TransEpiscopal, an organization working for the full inclusion and support of transgender and non-binary persons within the Episcopal Church. Previously Kori served as pastor of Mary Magdalene Apostle Catholic Community in San Diego from 2017-2022 as well as in communications for church organizations and non-profits. Kori earned a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Harvard Divinity School, and a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) from Boston University School of Theology. They currently live in San Diego with their platonic life partner and four rescue cats. Kori is currently working on a co-authored book Paschal People: Trans Theology through the Liturgical Year, scheduled to be published in 2025. (photo credit: Susan Forsburg)