Caroline Blosser is a Chaplain at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, where she teaches Humanities and Religious Studies courses. She graduated with her M.Div from Yale Divinity School in May 2024, where she studied Christian theology, imagination, and spiritual care. Caroline also graduated from Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary at Yale, and is in a process to discern ordination as a priest. She has previously worked as an interfaith hospital chaplain in Oregon; a monastic intern at Redwoods Monastery in California; a Teaching Fellow at Yale College; and a middle school English teacher in northern Japan.

Emma Bornstein is currently a Jewish and Interfaith Chaplain at Cedar Sinai Medical Center. She worked as a spiritual counselor for the last four years at Beit T’shuvah, an addiction recovery center. She graduated from the Academy of Jewish Religion in 2023 with her Master's in Jewish Chaplaincy and hopes to integrate her work as a Restorative Justice facilitator with her spiritual care work. She was a 2024 Newground Fellow and is inspired by community and collective care work.

Father Vincent Castaldi is a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He is currently pursuing a licentiate in systematic theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., while assisting at St. Joseph’s Parish on Capitol Hill. Fr. Castaldi is writing his thesis on the connection between synodality and Trinitarian theology. He has studied and lived abroad in Belgium, Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales. His interests include philosophy, theology, learning languages, preaching, faith formation, and preparing couples for marriage.

Christian Dollar is a PhD candidate at Concordia Seminary with a concentration in Doctrinal Theology. Christian earned a Master of Divinity from Concordia Seminary (2020) and a BA in Biblical Languages and Psychology from Concordia University Texas (2015). His current research is in the intersection of theology and human rights, with a focus on developing a Lutheran articulation of human rights language. He has also written and presented on Luther’s doctrine of the Three Estates as tools for navigating institutional evils, as well as the challenges posed by polycultural congregations.

The Reverend Edward C. Ford Jr. is an experienced community leader. He has had several years of public service, having served on the Middletown, CT City Council and School Board. He currently serves as the Chair of Performance Improvement at Community Mental Health Affiliates, which is the largest mental health authority in Central Connecticut. Reverend Ford is currently studying at Yale University to obtain a Master’s of Divinity, and holds a BA in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University. He also currently serves as co-leader of the College and Young Adult Ministry at Shiloh Christian Church in Middletown, CT.

Paige Harouse is a masters student in Jewish Theology at the University of Potsdam (Germany) and also a Masorti rabbinical student at the Abraham Joshua Heschel Seminary. She’s passionate about teaching Tora, whether to children at Fraenkelufer Synagogue or young adults through organizations such as Hillel Deutschland. A major academic interest of hers is the history and evolution of the prayer for the German state.

Tanja R. Helmert serves as a project coordinator for New Beginnings in Santa Barbara. Her current project involves housing assistance for people living in vehicles. Born and raised in southwest Germany, she studied theology at Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg and Yale Divinity School, recently earning her Master of Divinity. Alongside her studies, Tanja became a certified EMT, served as a hospital chaplain intern and began the ordination process for the Ministry of Word and Sacraments in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Tanja is passionate about bridging gaps between pastoral care, social services, and public health by addressing systemic injustices through community-centered approaches.

Jordan Taylor Jones will receive his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary this spring (2025). His area of study focuses on the role of spirituality in the formation of social justice movements. Jordan also serves as a minister at Metro Hope Church in East Harlem, NY and a community organizer with a grassroots organization called Faith In New York. Prior to seminary, Jordan lived in Medellin, Colombia where he taught English as a Fulbright Scholar and worked in journalism and the human rights sector. He received his BA in English and Spanish at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.

Charissa Lee Yi Zhen is a second-year Master of Divinity Student at Yale Divinity School. Born and raised in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, she seeks to explore the theoretical and practical implications of the intersections of religion, history, art, and education. Drawing upon her experience in government-related work, labor organizing, and organizational development, Charissa serves as a connecter of people and resources to enhance the mission of her communities. She hopes her scholarship, work, and prayer will result in a humble and exciting co-creation of gentle, loving, and just futures.

Frank Matovu, originally from Uganda, is a student in Texas pursuing both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theological Studies. He also holds a Master of Leadership in Global Christian Education from Prairie College in Alberta and a Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty University. With experience in Christian education and ministry, he currently serves as a graduate assistant in the Office of Spiritual Life at Abilene Christian University.

Mark J. Shimave is a Catholic priest of the diocese of Jalingo in northeast Nigeria. Prior to starting his doctoral studies at Boston College, he served as a school administrator as well as a pastor and was particularly engaged in the pastoral care of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)-victims of ethno-religious crises and Boko Haram insurgency. While caring for the IDPs, he was also actively involved in various local interfaith peace initiatives. As a graduate student in theological ethics with a minor in comparative theology (Islam and Christianity), his primary interest intersects the virtue of hope and theology of reconciliation.

Cecie Suknaic Saulnier (she/her) serves as Pastor of Spirit in the Hills Lutheran Church in Spicewood, Texas — a community nestled on the edge of the Central Texas hill country just outside of Austin; and  as Co-Leader and Founder of Gather:Austin, a collaborative, city-based young adult ministry. Through these communities, Cecie lives out her call to intentional, creative, and relational based ministry. She is grounded in feminist theology, stories, and storytelling, and is passionate about empowerment, accompaniment, justice, God's collective dreams for the future, and innovative ministry.

En De Tang, originally from Yangzhou, China, is a master's student in Religion and Culture at Humboldt University of Berlin and a student research assistant in the Sinology and Literature divisions at Freie Universität Berlin. Her research focuses on the concept of human dignity in Confucianism and Christianity, exploring its historical development and its relevance to contemporary political and social issues. Committed to the protection of human dignity, she seeks to bridge intellectual traditions, uncovering overlooked connections that offer new perspectives on contemporary social challenges.

Lauren Thurston is the pastor serving Mekoryuk Covenant Church in Mekoryuk, Alaska. She recently completed her Master of Divinity at North Park Theological Seminary and is also a proud alumna of Whitworth University. She is pursuing Ordination to Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Covenant Church.