President Barack Obama announced the appointment of Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to be of service to the larger community in this way,” Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori said. “The ability to build partnerships between civic and religious bodies can only expand our capacity to heal a broken world.”

According to the announcement released today: “The President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships brings together religious and secular leaders as well as scholars and experts in fields related to the work of faith-based and neighborhood organizations in order to make recommendations to the government on how to improve partnerships. The President will announce additional members to this Council at a later date.”

President Obama said, “I am pleased to announce that these experienced and committed individuals have agreed to join this Administration, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

Advisory Council members

Also named to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships are:

Susan Stern, named as chair of the President's Advisory Council; Special Advisor on Government Affairs to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Andrea Bazán, President of Triangle Community Foundation.

Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Policy Link.

Brian Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Way Worldwide.

Bishop Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Assembly.

Archbishop Demetrios Trakatellis, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of America.

Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

Reverend Elder Nancy L. Wilson, the Moderator (Global Leader) for the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

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