Elyse Brazel grew up in Edmonton in a secular home but has always had a keen interest in religion. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts: Visual art and Design concentrating in painting, from the University of Alberta. In search of something deeper in her spiritual life, Elyse took an internship at Romero House, a multicultural faith-based community in Toronto that provides transitional housing to refugee claimants from around the world. This experience helped define her Christian faith. After returning to Edmonton, Elyse began classes in pursuit of a Master of Divinity at Newman Theological College. Before participating in the Faiths Act Fellowship, she worked with immigrant and refugee youth as a volunteer coordinator in the Host Youth Program at Catholic Social Services immigration and settlement department. Elyse has been a camp counselor, a human rights educator, a face-painter/balloon animal artiste and a Girl Guide leader. Elyse spent her year as a Faiths Act Fellow in Ottawa, hosted by Micah Challenge Canada.

Sara Eftekhar-Zadeh was born in Tehran, Iran and immigrated to Canada with her family at the age of seven. Sara has been involved in her community since the age of 14 by volunteering at local organizations and taking on leadership roles in her high school. She was selected as one of twelve students to be in the student leadership committee in North Vancouver, which is in charge of planning and hosting events for other youth on the North Shore. In 2007, Sara was awarded the Youth Enhancement Award by the mayor of North Vancouver. In her 19 years of life she has volunteered in an orphanage in Iran and has traveled to Ecuador to build houses with the money her and a group raised together; she has written a guide with a number of other students about sustainability in High Schools and her guide has been used by a number of high schools in Vancouver. More recently, she has worked with the homeless and marginalized population of Vancouver to research the effect that the 2010 Olympics would have on their well being. In her spare time, Sara enjoys playing saxophone, piano and painting. She is currently attending the University of British Columbia studying nursing and health sciences. Sara hopes to one day work as a nurse internationally providing health care to those in need. She believes that her Muslim faith inspired her to be compassionate and charitable to other people. During her tenure as a Faiths Act Fellow, Sara was hosted by the Micah Challenge Canada in Ottawa.

Areeba Jawaid grew up in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, Ontario, where she resides with her family. She is currently a student of The University of Toronto pursuing her Honours Bachelors of Science degree, consisting of a double major in Human Biology and Geography. She was first interested in community service after her experience volunteering at the HIV/AIDS Conference in 2006. Since then she has worked with the Centre of Community Partnerships and The Multi-faith Centre at the University, where she has served on various subcommittees, planning community service and interfaith events. Areeba has also served as the Director of Volunteers and Campus Relations at the University of Toronto's Meal Exchange, played a large role in initiating a campus group that focuses on Interfaith Community service, and has been involved as a member of the UofT's Students' Union Sustainability Commission. Areeba strongly believes in empowering youth and people of faith to make a positive difference in their communities. Areeba was hosted by the Multifaith Centre at the University of Toronto during her time as a Faiths Act Fellow.

Hilary Keachie is currently the Director of Children’s Education at Christ Church Deer Park in Toronto. As a Faiths Act Fellows hosted by the Canadian Centre for Diversity in Toronto, she mobilized youth of diverse faiths to dialogue and take action together to advance the Millennium Development Goals through educational workshops, fundraisers and volunteer projects,. Most significantly, Hilary coordinated the first ever youth delegation to the 2010 Religious Leaders’ Summit in Winnipeg which included hosting a multi-faith youth dinner and leading a panel discussion. Prior to this, she obtained a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts in World Religions, Political Science, French and Italian from McGill University. Hilary has extensive experience in interfaith cooperation and education, both in Canada and abroad. She volunteered for two months at a primary school devoted to reconciliation between Hindu and Muslim children in Hyderabad, India and spent a year studying Islamic geo-politics at an international and multi-faith university in Menton, France. She also gained exposure to national interfaith initiatives as a long term volunteer for the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism in Montreal and as an intern at the Canadian Centre for Diversity in Toronto. Hilary loves to travel and is fluent in French, and proficient in Italian and Spanish. Hilary is also an avid cook and Highland Dancer, though most often not simultaneously!

After having completed his term as a Faiths Act Fellow in Montreal at the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, Nick Pang is entering seminary in the Masters of Divinity program as a postulant for ordination in the Anglican Church of Canada. He holds an honours B.A. in Asian Religions and International Development and is currently serving a three year post on the "Partners in Mission and Eco-Justice (PMEJ)" standing committee of the Anglican Church of Canada. He is spending his first summer after the Fellowship working for a special needs summer camp for developmentally delayed and paraplegic children and adults. Nick is interested in the intersection of worship and justice and the many ways in which one can flow out of the other. He is rediscovering the joy of hiking and is looking forward to summer for the promise of ice cream that it brings with it.

Danny Richmond has worked and volunteered on 5 different continents. He has slept in the jungles of South America while teaching HIV/AIDS education through Youth Challenge International. In 2005, he worked in Northern Ghana providing arts education for an orphanage. His connection to his own heritage has been a major focus of his life, he has served as National Program Director of Canadian Young Judaea (CYJ), leading trips to Israel, Argentina, and New Orleans as well as founding Va'ad Tikun Olam, the new social action wing of CYJ. As a public engagement consultant for the Canadian Government, he has spoken to over 10 000 people about social activism and global citizenship. In 2006, He was asked to accompany Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada, as part of a 10 person Canadian delegation, on her State Visits to 5 African nations. Currently, he is a program manager at an innovative Jewish student and young adult centre called The House. Danny is Jewish, and spent his Fellowship year in Toronto at the Canadian Centre for Diversity.

Maya Maklan Smith was raised Jewish in Montréal, Québec. She received her B.A. cum laude in Philosophy from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. However, it was as a student at the at the University of King's College, in Halifax, that Maya first experienced the power of shared values to bridge religious diversity. Inspired by the words of the chaplain, "Tolerance is not enough, we need respect," Maya organized community service projects as part of the Anglican Chaplaincy's efforts to promote interfaith collaboration. Maintaining this same commitment as a transfer student at Wellesley, Maya served as the Hillel representative to the Multi-Faith Council, worked with refugees at the Boston JVS, and was a founding member of the Wellesley Sustainability Co-op. Since returning to Montréal as a Faiths Act Fellow, Maya has also initiated a young adults program at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom and serves on The Action Committee at the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre. Maya is currently enrolled at McGill University’s Faculty of Law. During her tenure as a Faiths Act Fellow, Maya was hosted by the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism in Montreál.

Erica Spracklin was born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. After finishing secondary school Erica moved to Toronto and worked at a Starbucks for six months. Erica then moved back to Saskatoon to start her undergraduate degree. In the third year of her studies, she took part in the University of Saskatchewan study abroad program and spent a year studying politics at the University of Essex. Erica graduated with a double honours degree in Political Studies and Religious Studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Erica joined the Unitarian Congregation of Saskatoon at a very young age and became heavily involved in the national Unitarian youth movement in Canada. Erica was hosted by the Multi-faith Centre at the University of Toronto during her time as a Faiths Act Fellow.

Bilal Hassam, born and raised in Leicester, is a final year Medical Student at the University of Nottingham. He has completed a degree in Bio-Medical Sciences and his dissertation on ‘Traditional Chinese Medicine in the UK' was presented both in China and Taiwan. For several years he has been engaged in a variety of Muslim Youth, Charity and Inter-faith projects. Bilal has run numerous events with the Islamic Society at his university including coordinating World AIDS Day for the University of Nottingham in 2007. His work with the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) has seen him coordinate nationwide faith-based charity projects as well as help organise numerous national tours with renowned Muslim Scholars and speakers from across the world. Bilal also has a keen interest in faith-based entertainment and his work in this field has recently opened up to an International level. A graduate of the Young Muslim Leadership Program run by the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies and the Princes Charities, Bilal is a strategic advisor to a national Muslim youth work organisation and a freelance consultant and speaker on issues pertaining to Young Leaders, Community Cohesion, Muslim Youth and Inter-Faith Dialogue.

Karem Issa, was born in Egypt, but has spent most of his life in Birmingham, UK. He read International Studies with Economics at the University of Birmingham, graduating with a BA and with the highest overall mark in the department. He went on to complete a Distinction level MA in International Studies at the same university, with a focus of Globalisation and Governance. He has a keen interest in issues of international development, particularly trade justice and fair trade. He presented a version of his undergraduate dissertation, "Would Adam Smith have advocated a World Trade Organisation?" at an international conference in 2007. He is also working on publishing his MA dissertation. It was entitled "Towards Re-conceptualising Adam Smith as the Father of Fair Trade" and included a case study on coffee farming in Yemen. Karem was on the British delegation for the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kuwait in 2008. He has also worked for Platform2, DfID's youth volunteering programme, as a volunteer development officer. Karem enjoys traveling, as well as football and squash. As the youth co-ordinator for the Midlands Egyptian Society, he has organised numerous events and trips, as well as regular sports activities for the local Egyptian community. Karem served his year as a Faiths Act Fellow in Blackburn hosted by Blackburn Cathedral.

Nadeem Javaid is a British Muslim who grew up in London's East End. He earned a degree in Information Systems with Business Management from the University of Westminster and a diploma in Development Studies at the University of London. Nadeem helped found MADE in Europe, a start-up organization devoted to engaging young Muslims in the fight against global poverty and climate change. After many years' experience volunteering, working, and traveling with humanitarian agencies, he now aims to use his technological background in making a contribution to poverty reduction. Nadeem served his year as a Faiths Act Fellow in London hosted by the Christian Muslim Forum.

Nicola Minford is a Christian who grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, though in 2005 crossed the water to begin studying an LLB in Law at the University of Sheffield. There she became involved in various student organisations and helped lead a Sunday School. She also worked as a Camp Counselor in America, experiencing the peculiar yet exciting world of a summer camp, and with Tearfund she provided aid and, much to her own surprise, managed to build a school in Tanzania. After graduating in 2008, Nicola moved to London and began working as an intern with CARE and was placed with Christian Solidarity Worldwide, lobbying for religious freedom in North Korea and China. Nicola is keenly involved in her church, the Alpha course, and assists with a number of social transformation projects in the London area. Each year she also helps to organise a creative arts festival, Forfey Festival, back in the homeland of Northern Ireland. During her time as a Faiths Act Fellow, Nicola was hosted by the Christian Muslim Forum in London.

Ushna Mughal is an Asian Christian living in Bradford who grew up in Pakistan and moved to England in her teens. She completed her degree in Psychology in 2008 from Leeds Met and has worked as the co-ordinator of United Faiths, the regional interfaith youth forum for Yorkshire and the Humber. She was involved in launching the forum and worked to create opportunities for interfaith activities and dialogue for young people between the ages of 16–25. Over the last few years Ushna has worked for a religious literacy programme Faith Matters, has sat on the national steering group for the Project Safe Space with the UK Youth Parliament, and has labored to create volunteering opportunities for young people in Leeds. Ushna was hosted by Blackburn Cathedral in Blackburn during her time as a Faiths Act Fellow.

Seán Rose is a Catholic Christian from London. He studied Environmental Geography and International Development at University of East Anglia, Norwich, during which he spent time learning from and working with remote communities in Kenya and Tanzania, East Africa. His undergraduate thesis, analysing the UK government's 'sustainable towns' policies, was highly commended and later published as a Research Paper. As a member of Sion Catholic Community, Seán has spoken at numerous Christian events across the UK, as well as in the Netherlands. In 2009 he was invited to present at the Fifth Parliament of the World's Religions in Melbourne, Australia. Seán has volunteered with a number of social justice and development NGOs including Oxfam, CAFOD, and Christian Aid.  Working as a Community Projects Officer for the non-profit Green Corridor in London, he  uses local environmental projects as a tool for intercultural exchange. Seán served his year in the Faiths Act Fellowship in Birmingham hosted by the Nishkam Civic Association.

Natasha Steele grew up in Greater London. She was brought up in an orthodox Jewish home and maintains a strong Jewish cultural identity. She attended St. Margaret's School, Bushey from the age of 7–18. Thereafter, Natasha went to study Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Birmingham where she will graduate later this year. Natasha previously has worked as a Creative Service Assistant for Granada Ventures, ITV. While at University, Natasha set up and was president of the Capoeira society (an Afro-Brazilian martial arts dance troupe) for two years. She is also one of the main organisers of Vale Festival, a non-profit, ethically-conscious, environmentally-friendly music festival, the largest student run event in the country. Over the past four years this project has raised over £100,000 for numerous charities. She also volunteers for the Tibetan Jewish Youth Exchange and has raised enough money to put on a summer camp in Dharamsala, Northern India for Tibetans living in exile. Natasha has a passion for travelling which was sparked by a month touring Israel learning about her Jewish heritage. Natasha spent her year as a Faiths Act Fellow in London hosted by Tzedek.

Myriam Volk graduated from the University of Leeds in 2009. She was born in Munich, Germany, and later moved with her family to Malvern in the United States, and finally to Liverpool when she was 12. Myriam was introduced to the Catholic Church by her family and her Christian faith still shapes her life and the morals by which she lives. At Leeds she is studying Mathematics and French. She particularly enjoys choosing modules that allow her to study the representation of inequality in Francophone culture, including the status of women in post-colonial Algeria and modern France. She has previously volunteered in a soup kitchen, for Oxfam, Christian Aid and Village-to-Village, as well as for Les Petits Freres des Pauvres in France. With experience of living abroad and travelling to foreign countries, Myriam has an avid interest in encountering new cultures and meeting people of every faith, nationality and background. Myriam works as a Graduate Fundraiser for the National AIDS Trust. During her Fellowship year, Myriam was hosted by Tzedek in London.

Michael Tweed is a Presbyterian from Larne, Co. Antrim. He graduated from the University of Warwick with a B.Sc. in Economics in July 2009. Michael has traveled and worked abroad, including a two-month internship in Nairobi, Kenya, working with a non-profit Management Consulting group and an extended backpacking trip to India in 2008, where he visited Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, and Nizamuddin's shrine on Muhammad's festival of birth. Michael is firmly rooted in his Presbyterian faith. He established a Christian discussion and outreach group in his university hall of residence and led the group every week for the term year by organizing Bible study and facilitating outreach events that encouraged faith discussions with non-Christians. In 2008, Michael won the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and was a UK Finalist in the Global Management Challenge. He works for Accenture in London as a Management Consultant. Michael was hosted by the St Philips Centre in Leicester during his time as a Faiths Act Fellow.

Pritpal Kaur is a Sikh from Leeds, UK. A graduate in History from Kings College, University of London, she is currently completing her PhD in Sikh Studies at the University of Birmingham. Pritpal has been a regular volunteer for the past six years at Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (a registered Charity and multi-faceted Faith Based Organisation working in UK, Kenya, and India), and a Non-Executive Board Member of its Nishkam Civic Association since 2008. Pritpal is also a certified Faith Guide, and a supporter of the Jubilee Debt Campaign. She was part of a Sikh delegation that visited Israel and Palestine in 2005 and has also represented the Sikh youth at interfaith events, including the inter-religious youth meeting hosted by the ‘Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue' at Assisi, Italy in 2007; the European Interfaith Youth Network religious encounter hosted by ‘Religions for Peace', at Rovereto, Italy in 2008; and the fifth Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions at Melbourne, Australia in 2009. During her tenure as a Faiths Act Fellow, Pritpal was hosted by the Nishkam Civic Association in Birmingham.

Hafsa Arain was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and raised close to Chicago in Westmont, IL, where she grew up with a strong connection to her very large family and her South Asian Muslim identity. She graduated from DePaul University in Chicago with a degree in English Literature and a minor in Religious Studies. Before being accepted as a Faith Acts Fellow, she served as an Interfaith Scholar on her campus, and as the Interfaith Coordinator for DePaul's Muslim Students' Association, United Muslims Moving Ahead. Hafsa was also a blogger for Washington Post and Newsweek's Faithbook, a conversation among college students about religion. She has previously served as the Leadership Intern with Interfaith Youth Core, where she was also a member of their original youth program, the Chicago Youth Council. During her time as a Faiths Act Fellow, Hafsa was hosted by the Islamic Networks Group in San Jose, CA.

Sarah Baker grew up in Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Calvin College, a liberal arts school in Grand Rapids, MI, in 2009. After spending a semester in Honduras, she decided to study International Development as well as Studio Art, with a concentration in painting and drawing. A self-proclaimed activist and informed by her Christian tradition, Sarah is a justice-seeker. This is evident in her many extracurricular activities including serving as an Resident Assistant, coordinating educational events through her internship with Calvin's Residence Life department, as well as volunteering her time at a local church during its weekly English as a Second Language program. Before the start of the Faiths Act Fellowship, Sarah worked on an organic farm in Ireland and now works with the Mennonite Central Committee in Managua, Nicaragua. Sarah served her year as a Faiths Act Fellow in Washington, DC, hosted by the Centre for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty.

Benjamin Bechtolsheim works as the Special Projects Coodinator for the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), an international development agency based in Washington DC. At CIFA, Benjamin manages a wide portfolio of projects, working closely with the Interfaith Programs Manager and Executive Director. Benjamin began his work with CIFA in 2009 through the Faiths Act Fellowship—a program run by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and Interfaith Youth Core. Prior to joining CIFA, Benjamin started and ran a community-based health education program in northern Uganda under the auspices of a grant from the Kathryn Wasserman Davis Foundation. He continues to consult to the project. Benjamin holds a degree in political science from Brandeis University and currently serves of the board of directors of the Jewish Reconsructionist Federation.

Tim Brauhn grew up in Franklin Grove, a small town in northern Illinois. He moved to the Chicago suburbs where he received his BA degree in English Language and Literature from Aurora University in 2006. In August of that year, he joined the staff of Aurora University as the 2006-2007 Wackerlin Fellow where he assisted the Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action in providing interfaith programming for the campus community. Tim moved to Denver in August 2007, to complete a Master of Arts degree in International Studies at the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies. His degree concentration is focused on the interplay of religion and politics in the Middle East and Central Asia. Tim has served as the Fundraising Coordinator for the 1010 Project, a Denver humanitarian organization working to break the cycle of poverty in the developing world. Tim is Roman Catholic, and enjoys biking, writing, languages, and tea. Tim spent his fellowship year in San Jose, CA, hosted by the Islamic Networks Group.

Mary "Jem" Jebbia is a Mahayana Buddhist. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and attended boarding school in Concord, NH. Jem studies Religion, Business Administration, Japanese, and International Relations at the University of Southern California. In the Fall of 2008, Jem joined the Interfaith Council at USC and had the opportunity to meet Tony Blair and learn about the Faiths Act Fellowship. On the Interfaith Council, Jem also coordinated an interfaith fashion show called "Faith in Fashion" in which four women of different faiths spoke about the influence of their faith in the fashion they wear. Besides the Interfaith Council, Jem is a member of the Latino Business Student Association, works in the Center for Investment Studies on campus, and tutors students in Japanese. After presenting a workshop at the World Youth Congress in Turkey during Summer 2010, Jem returns to USC to finish her undergraduate degree and serve as a member of the Fellows Alliance. During her year as a Faiths Act Fellow, Jem was hosted by Interfaith Action in Sharon, MA, and Harvard Hillel in Cambridge, MA.

Randa Kuziez was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Saint Louis University in 2007 as SLU's Woman of the Year, with degrees in History and International Affairs and a focus on American intellectual tradition and Islamic history. She also studied Arabic at the University of Damascus, Syria. Locally, Randa has been involved in her community as a youth group leader and has organized numerous events, fundraisers, and service projects. After receiving her black belt in Tae Kwon Do in 2004, she has continued to assist in training young students in the sport. She has served as the Vice President and former Treasurer the of Muslim Students' Association of the United States and Canada, as well as a Muslim Advisory Board Member for Malaria No More, with whom she travelled to Mali on a bednet campaign. Randa is also the co-founder of Maded, an organization dedicated to providing resources to those who have been in serious physical accidents to help them maintain quality in their lives. Prior to the fellowship, she was working as the Manager of Interfaith Education and Dialogue at the Interfaith Partnership/Faith Beyond Walls of St. Louis, as well as a medical interpreter for Arabic-speaking refugees. She received a Master's degree in the International Affairs Program from Washington University in Saint Louis. Randa served her year as a Faiths Act Fellow in Washington, DC, hosted by the Malaria Policy Center.

Amy McNair is a Christian from Redlands, CA, and completed her degree in Political Science with an emphasis in Public Policy and Law from Seattle Pacific University. She has been heavily involved with the HIV/AIDS community in Seattle and Africa and spent the previous summers with religious and secular organizations in various African countries assisting with community development, health, and education projects. Through work with the International Justice Mission in Washington, DC, her commitment to social justice for marginalized people was further solidified, along with her belief that people of faith can make a difference. Amy's successful leadership and student involvement in Acting on AIDS and The Refugee Project at Seattle Pacific contributed to her desire to work on an interfaith basis for the furthering of the MDG's and bettering the lives of those impacted by malaria. During her tenure as a Faiths Act Fellow, Amy was hosted by Inner-city Muslim Action Network in Chicago, IL.

Rebecca Oyen received her BA in Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies from Amherst College in Amherst, MA. Originally from Orlando, Florida, Rebecca served as the president of the Amherst College Multifaith Council during her senior year and as a past president of Amherst Hillel. During her junior year, Rebecca studied abroad in the Netherlands and connected deeply with her Muslim home-stay family during a short trip to Turkey. Inspired by her interfaith experience there, Rebecca chose to work with the Interfaith Youth Core as a member of the Fellows Alliance. She served her Fellowship year in Chicago, IL, hosted by Inner-city Muslim Action Network. Rebecca now attends Northwestern Law School.

Miranda Rosenberg grew up in Palm Beach, Florida. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Government. Her senior thesis examined the interaction between Church and State in Germany throughout the 20th century and the failure of a religious revival in post-Communist East Germany. While at Harvard, Miranda was active in a variety of extra-curricular activities including serving as the President of Harvard Students for Israel and the Editor-in-Chief of Make It Happen Magazine. Miranda enjoyed volunteering in the Boston and Palm Beach communities and is currently running for State Senate in Florida's 25th District. During her year as a Faiths Act Fellow, Miranda was hosted by Interfaith Action in Sharon, MA, and Harvard Hillel in Cambridge, MA.

Avi Smolen graduated from Rutgers University in 2009 with a BA in Political Science and minor concentrations in Jewish Studies and Psychology. He grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and New Milford, New Jersey. Raised in a Conservative Jewish family, Avi has taught Hebrew School and has also worked as a counselor at Camp Ramah in Nyack, New York. Having served as President of Hillel at Rutgers, Avi has also initiated award-winning interfaith and social justice programs within the University. In addition, he has participated in the Abraham's Vision Fellowship, a comparative conflict and coexistence program for Jewish and Palestinian students, as well as the Germany Close Up program, helping North American Jews to experience modern Germany. He worked as a Faiths Act Fellow in Washington DC at the Malaria Policy Center, where he focused on engaging college students in multi-faith global health activism. He has now moved to New York where he is a Goldman Fellow at the American Jewish Committee's Belfer Center for Pluralism and he is looking for a full-time job in the field of human rights and international development.

Katie Myers is a Christian who grew up on the continents of Europe, Africa, and North America. She studied International Community Development at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA, and enjoyed her year as a Faiths Act Fellow working at the Micah Challenge US office in Portland, Oregon. Katie hopes to participate in building God's kingdom on this earth by living justly and showing mercy and is excited to learn from others what motivates them to alleviate poverty. She will be working as an intern with Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) specializing in lowlands agriculture in Ft. Myers, Florida for the next year.

Erin Toolis grew up in the small town of Lisbon, Ohio. She received her B.S. in psychology from Denison University. In college, she was primarily interested in interfaith work and identity development. She moved to Seattle, Washington after graduation to join the Lutheran Volunteer Corps, where she worked in an art center for homeless youth and focused on service, intentional community, and simplicity. As an engaged Buddhist, Erin reveres the power of humanity to liberate one another from suffering. Her faith and passion for social justice led her to become a Faiths Act Fellow. After traveling to Mali to learn from Project Muso's work to empower women to combat malaria, she was placed with the Micah Challenge in Portland, Oregon, to foster local interfaith collaboration around the global issue of malaria. Erin studies the role of narrative in identity development within a cultural context while pursuing her master's degree in psychology from the University of Chicago.