GGN Launch Committee: Steve Cobble, Institute for Policy Studies; Marie Dennis, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; Alison Giffen, Open Society Institute; Julia Greenberg, American Jewish World Service; Peggy Huppert, Iowans for Sensible Priorities; Tony Kireopoulos, National Council of Churches; Susan Shaer, Women's Action for New Direction; and Geoff Thale, Washington Office on Latin America.
STEVE COBBLE, Institute for Policy Studies
Associate Fellow
Steve Cobble is an associate fellow at IPS, focused on antiwar work, voting rights issues, and efforts to force the G-8 to cancel more debt for Africa and Latin America. His most recent project is AfterDowningStreet.org, which he co-founded to help lead the fight to bring the Downing Street Minutes to greater public exposure. Steve is a former political director and speechwriter for the National Rainbow Coalition, was the national delegate coordinator for Jackson for President ‘88, and directed the Keep Hope Alive PAC. He has worked on campaigns at every level, including Toney Anaya for Governor of New Mexico in 1982, and Carol Moseley Braun for U.S. Senator from Illinois in 1992. He worked with Nader for President in 2000, served as a strategic adviser to Dennis Kucinich in 2003-04, and was heavily involved in the post-election struggle over the suppression of African-American votes in Ohio in 2004. In 1991, Steve conducted election training workshops for the African National Congress in South Africa, and in 1990 he served as a fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics. Steve has also served as the director of the Campaign for a Progressive Future, the director of the Arca Foundation, and a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy.
www.ips-dc.org | 703.531.1183 | stevemollylizjulie@juno.com
MARIE DENNIS, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Director
Board member of the International Relations Center, the Washington Office on Latin America, Sojourners magazine, the Religious Task Force on Central America and Mexico, the Latin America Working Group, the Maryknoll Center for Mission Research and Study, and Equity Trust. Chair of the Religious Working Group on the World Bank and IMF, a U.S. coalition of Catholic and Protestant organizations and institutions, which has given particular focus to the debt crisis and the impact of structural adjustment programs. Dennis is also a member of Assisi Community, Washington DC, a Catholic community of religious and lay women and men, families, and single people who are intentional about simple lifestyle and the work for social transformation. Co-author of Francis and the Foolishness of God (Orbis, Fall 1993), Say To This Mountain (Orbis, 1997), The Spirituality of Romero (Orbis, Spring 2000) and, with artist John August Swanson, St. Francis (Orbis, 2002). Author of A Retreat With Oscar Romero and Dorothy Day (St. Anthony Messenger Press); contributor to Sojourners magazine, numerous Pax Christi publications and other works.
http://home.maryknoll.org/maryknoll/ | 202.832.1780 | mdennis@maryknoll.org
ALISON GIFFEN, Open Society Institute
Policy Analyst
Alison Giffen is a policy analyst for the Open Society Institute/Policy Center. Her primary responsibilities include advocating for multilateral U.S. foreign policies and facilitating coalition efforts to monitor and advance U.S. support of UN reform initiatives, including the establishment of an effective and credible Human Rights Council. Giffen also helps to coordinate Connect US, a community of individuals, initiatives, and organizations that promote responsible U.S. global policy and action. Connect US is a joint foundation/NGO initiative supported by a donors' collaborative—the Connect US Fund. The fund supports effective collaboration and helps organizations working in the foreign policy arena to become better policy advocates.
www.soros.org | 202.721.5600 | agiffen@osi-dc.org
JULIA GREENBERG, American Jewish World Service
Director, International Programs
As the director of International Programs at American Jewish World Service (AJWS), Julia Greenberg is responsible for setting grantmaking and advocacy policies and strengthening AJWS' human rights and sustainable development programs . She spearheaded AJWS' HIV/AIDS program in Africa , as well as their work on child rights in India . From 1995-1997, she coordinated AJWS' progr ams in Russia and Ukraine, and from 1992-1995 she was the program assistant in the Jewish Life Program of the Nathan Cummings Foundation. Julia has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Literature, Language, and History from Wesleyan University.
www.ajws.org | 212.273.1640 | mgreenberg@ajws.org
PEGGY HUPPERT, Iowans for Sensible Priorities
Executive Director
Peggy Huppert is the director of Iowans for Sensible Priorities, a grassroots, nonprofit, and nonpartisan campaign aimed at educating Iowans about our national budget priorities and advocating for a change. Peggy has more than 20 years of experience leading nonprofits as an executive, communications, and development director. She serves on the boards of three nonprofits and has been a volunteer with many political campaigns ranging from school board to president.
www.sensibleiowans.org | 515.244.1207 | phupp1@aol.com
ANTONIOS KIREOPOULOS, National Council of Churches
Associate General Secretary, International Affairs and Peace
As associate general secretary, Tony Kireoploues has helped the NCC formulate its position on issues of peace, international issues, and U.S. foreign policy, especially in conflict and post-conflict situations. Particular focus has been on the Middle East , including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq . Primary initiatives have included maintaining relationships with Christian churches, councils, and other religious communities worldwide. Prior to his work with the NCC, Tony worked as the special assistant to the archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America with the United States Conference of Religions for Peace. During this time Tony represented the Greek Orthodox Church at the United Nations and at the U.S. State Department, and was the assistant to the chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, in the area of executive xommunications. Among his affiliations, he is currently the president of the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
http://nccusa.org/ | 212.888.2530 | tkireopoulos@nccusa.org
SUSAN SHAER, Women's Action for New Direction
Executive Director
As executive director of WAND, Susan Shaer chairs Win Without War, and has headed Project Abolition, the National Coalition for Peace and Justice, and other national projects on arms control and disarmament. She is part of the implementation team to reconstruct the peace and security community. Susan's efforts include chairing the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case to equalize educational funding, founding with Congressman John Olver the progressive tax lobbying group TEAM (Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts), and serving as president of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and on the national board of directors of the League. Susan is currently president of the Ford Hall Forum, the longest running public forum for the presentation of diverse discussion and debate. Susan also serves on the advisory board of Teen Voices magazine, Promoting Enduring Peace, and the Center on Peace and Liberty.
www.wand.org/wand_home.htm | 781.643.6740 | shaer@wand.org
GEOFF THALE, Washington Office on Latin America
Program Director & Senior Associate for Cuba/Central America
As program director, Geoff Thale consults with staff about all of WOLA's programs, from the Southern Cone to Mexico. In addition, he oversees the Central America and Cuba teams at WOLA. The Central America program follows issues of human rights and democratization in the region. The Cuba program works to improve relations between the United States and Cuba, as a more sensible and effective approach to strengthening human rights and democracy on the island. Geoff has been at WOLA since 1995; before that, he was the founder and executive director of the El Salvador Policy Project in Washington, DC. He holds a Masters degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin.
www.wola.org | 202.797.2171 | gthale@WOLA.org
