2023-2024 Board of Directors

Jackie Simms (Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville)

Jackie co-founded the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville in 2001 and is currently president of the Board. She has been affiliated with the Ethical Society of St. Louis since 1978 when she enrolled her daughter in their Sunday School and is still a member to this day. Jackie is a retired educator and administrator, having spent over 40 years teaching deaf and hard of hearing individuals ranging from infants to adults. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors, listening to music, and dancing.

 

Wendell Bohannon (Ethical Humanists of Atlanta)

As a seeker of truth and transformation, Wendell accepted a Meetup invitation to learn more about Ethical Culture in March 2016 and has been a member of the Movement ever since. Wendell believes that it takes all of us to build an equitable society and he is more than willing to do his part. He was born and raised in New Jersey and is now living in Georgia close by to his two sons while raising two grandsons.

 

Carolyn Parker (Ethical Society of Austin)

Dr. Carolyn A. Parker is an Ethical Culturist and member of the Ethical Society of Austin. She is also an activist with experience in advocacy at local, state, and national levels. Carolyn’s education gave her a background in the liberal arts and social sciences, supporting her work in teaching, writing, and organizational management with an international perspective.

 

 

Khandra Sears (Baltimore Ethical Society) – President

Khandra’s relationship with Ethical Culture began as she pursued an undergraduate degree in microbiology and began to question what faith and the Bible meant to her. As she moved to Baltimore to earn a PhD in Microbiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), she started to attend Baltimore Ethical Society Platforms and went on to join them as a member. Currently, Khandra works at UMSOM as part of a research team that develops live oral vaccines primarily against non-typhoidal strains of Salmonella enterica but also against other enteric bacteria. Since gastroenteric infections are still a leading cause of illness and death in children in resource-limited regions, she takes pride in the fact that she is working to address this issue and ultimately improve human lives.

 

Eric Sandhusen (Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County)

 

 

 

Rita Wilson (Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture)

Rita has been a member of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC) for more than twenty-seven years. During that time, she has volunteered in different capacities such as a counselor/mentor of the Youth of Ethical Societies group, Board of Trustee Secretary, and Pledge Secretary. Currently, Rita serves on BSEC’s Sunday Committee and is an active member of the Lucy’s Children Racial Justice Group.

 

Ken Novak (Chicago Ethical Humanist Circle)

An Ethical Culturist for over 30 years, Ken is deeply involved in our Movement and plays an active role in planning and implementing Societal growth. He also attended and staffed Ethical Culture Summer School programs. Ken is a founding Board member and currently President of the Chicago Ethical Humanist Circle and served as a member of the AEU Board from 2014 to 2020.

 

Richard DiCecio (Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island)

Richard was a junior high school social studies teacher and a high school guidance counselor for 37 years. He was also an adjunct instructor of psychology and sociology for CUNY, the public university system in New York City. 

 

 

Murphy Lisch (Ethical Society of Mid Rivers)

Murphy (she/they) lives with her husband and three children in Wentzville Missouri, and attends the Ethical Society of Mid Rivers. She is passionate about raising her family in a community that reflects the values and morals necessary to create a sustainable and peace-driven future. In addition to raising children, Murphy comes from a social work background and currently works for the local library system.

 

Liz Singer (New York Society for Ethical Culture) – Treasurer

Liz has been a member of the New York Society for Ethical Culture for 10 years and is in her seventh year of serving on their board. Professionally, she is a Geriatric Care Manager and End of Life Specialist. Prior to her Geriatric business, Liz held executive positions at Federation Corporation, Associated Dry Goods, and Cansal USA.

 

 

Melissa Sinclair (Northern Virginia Ethical Society)

Melissa has been a member of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society (NoVES) for 18 years and is currently Board President. She was also the Education Director at both NoVES and the Washington Ethical Society, increasing enrollment in their education programs by 600% and 525% respectively over a four-year span at each.

 

Zia Durrani (Ethical Culture Society of Essex County)

Zia became a member of the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County after moving to South Orange in 2003. She was Board President from 2018-2021. Zia was born and raised in Kashmir, India where she was also a professor at a women’s college. After immigrating to Long Island to raise her three children, she went on to get a Master’s Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) which she taught in various community colleges in New York, Oregon, and New Jersey.

 

Stan Horwitz (Philadelphia Ethical Society)

Stan has been an active member of the Philadelphia Ethical Society for roughly 10 years and is serving his second term as an at-large member of their Board. He is a retired IT worker, having been employed at Temple University for over 20 years. Stan lives in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia with his cat Darwin. He is an avid bike-rider and welcomes the chance to ride with his fellow Ethical Culturists.

 

 

Thomas Raffaele (Ethical Humanist Society of Queens)

 

 

 

Jé Hooper (Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture) – Vice President

Jé Exodus Hooper, D.Min, Ph.D. is the President of the National Leaders Council (NLC) and has been their representative on the AEU Board for the past two years. They also serve as a Leader for the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC), Riverdale-Yonker Society for Ethical Culture, and consulting Leader for the Susquehanna Valley Ethical Society. Jé is also the Community Minister at the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis and the American Humanist Association’s Co-Director of Conference Planning. They have also produced projects including Moving Upon the Face of the Deep featuring Dr. Cornel West and NYSEC’s Ethics Unplugged series. Inclusivity is extremely important to Jé as they are passionate about making this Movement a space that those from marginalized communities not only feel welcome but can thrive in.

 

Ria Young (Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley)

Ria has been an Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley Board Director for over two years and was previously the chair of their Coffee & Conversation meeting series. She works in the field of psychotherapy with an emphasis on cultural competence as well as understanding and working with diverse populations. Ria is looking forward to bringing her perspective and insight as a young member of Ethical Culture and an Asian American woman to the AEU Board.

 

Anya Overmann (Ethical Culture Society of St. Louis) – Secretary

A life-long member of Ethical Culture, Anya has been a member of the Ethical Culture Society of St. Louis since kindergarten. She has gone on to represent the Future of Ethical Societies,at assemblies hosted by the International Humanist and Young Humanists International. Anya served as the President of Young Humanists International and as a Director on Humanists International’s Board from 2020-2022. Since 2020, she has been a “digital nomad”, working as a writer while traveling the world. Anya also hosts a podcast called “The Nomadic Humanist”.

 

Dorothy Dale (Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle)

Dorothy is a member of the Ethical Humanist Society of the Triangle (EHST) since 1994 and has served on their Board starting in 2009. Professionally, she has worked in information governance at GSK from 1990 to 2019. Dorothy’s time at GSK has provided her with extensive leadership experience including managing her department through two large corporate mergers.

 

 

John Daken (Washington Ethical Society)

John is a past President of the Washington Ethical Society and served as chair of the AEU Membership Committee from 2020 to 2023. This is his second year on the AEU Board. In the personal sphere, John works as a psychotherapist with a particular interest in extending high-quality services to his diverse community of Silver Spring, MD. Along with his family, he is also a founding member of a residential cohousing community dedicated to intentional and sustainable living.

 

Rhiannon Johnson (Westchester Community for Ethical Culture)

Rhiannon recently moved to the New York area and joined the Westchester Community for Ethical Culture to build a community that works together to serve others. She is currently the Director of Laboratory Science and Services at PDI. At work, Rhiannon serves on the Women’s Empowerment Network Mentorship Committee. She is also passionate about volunteering and has mentored professional scientists in the Association for Women in Science for the past three years. While living in Boston, Rhiannon was an active member of Boston Cares, participating in multiple volunteer groups over six years with an emphasis on food insecurity, the environment, and animal welfare.

 

Louise Jett (National Leaders Council Representative)

A lifelong learner and educator at heart, Louise is an assistant professor of computer graphics and web design at Lewis and Clark Community College. She is also an AEU Leader-in-Training, Creative Director at the Ethical Society of St. Louis and the Social Media Coordinator at the Secular Student Alliance. Louise considers herself a congregational Humanist and is truly inspired by people who are dedicated to empowering others. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with her family.

 

AEURandy Best (National Leaders Council Representative)

 

 

 

Julia Julstrom-Agoyo (Future of Ethical Societies Representative)

Julia grew up in Ethical Culture and serves as the Future of Ethical Societies Liaison to the AEU. Currently, she works for the United Nations’ Department of Peace Operations on a team tasked with analyzing their demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration processes. Previously, Julia worked as a Family Reunification Specialist for unaccompanied immigrant minors in her hometown of Chicago and assisted in the representation of detained non-citizens facing deportation in New York as a paralegal. 

 

Societies with a rotating representative include: Susquehanna Valley Ethical Society, Ethical Society of Northern Westchester

 

Staff

Greg BoninGreg Bonin, Director of Administration & Organizational Culture

Greg is an Ethical Culture Leader who specializes in institutional and organizational facilitation. Greg brings a praxis grounded in embodiment, humanistic interdependence, and reflective inquiry as a method for lifelong formation. Greg is also Candidate for ministerial fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association.

 

 

2023-2024 Board Meeting Dates

April: Saturday, April 13th, 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central
June: Saturday, June 15th, 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central
July: Saturday, July 13th, 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central
Please contact office@aeu.org if you would like information about an upcoming AEU Board meeting.