Staff
Jennifer Butler, Executive Director
Jennifer’s experience working on global human rights issues at the United Nations and around the world convinced her that faith leaders can play a powerful role leading their communities forward in the face of growing instability and divisiveness. Jennifer left her work at the UN to start Faith in Public Life and provide needed resources for faith leaders and the movement they represent to amplify their impact on public debates.Some of Jennifer’s favorite pieces of this work are the Q &A sections of our press conferences – seeing the “aha moments” or paradigm shifts in media coverage on religion and politics. She also loves watching the staff in action on rapid response. She says, “it’s like a (nonviolent) episode of “24”.
Jennifer served in the Peace Corps from 1989 to 1991 in a Mayan village in Belize, Central America. A graduate of Princeton Seminary, she holds a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University and Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary.
Jennifer’s weekends are spent helping her five year old defeat dad at “Peanut Butter and Jelly” or in deep conversations about superheroes.
John Gehring, Senior Writer and Outreach Coordinator
John spent almost ten years as an education reporter before leaving newspapers to blend his passion for writing, politics and faith. He joins FPL after three years at Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, where he helped broaden the media narrative about Catholicism and connected reporters with inspiring social justice leaders doing work that is too often ignored.Wise journalism professors at Columbia University and the Jesuits taught John to show up early, write clearly and challenge conventional wisdom. He believes that religion is infinitely complex and fascinating, especially when you throw politics into the mix. John enjoys helping faith leaders communicate in a sound-bite culture, and gets excited when poverty, immigration, health care and the environment are understood as moral issues that transcend narrow partisan agendas. The best part of his job is working with talented people of integrity.
When he is away from the office, John can be found going crazy at University of Maryland (Terps) basketball games, visiting family in Baltimore and traveling abroad with his wife any chance he gets.
Dan Nejfelt, Senior Writer and Editor
Dan works for FPL because he enjoys the opportunity to work strategically and creatively for the common good. Of his colleagues he says, “we’re a close, collaborative team; our work is fun and fulfilling.”Dan’s favorite part of the day is hitting the “send” button to mail out the FPL Daily News Reel to its thousands of subscribers. He’s also partial to blogging and promoting other people’s outstanding work in faith and politics.
Before he came to FPL, Dan worked at Sojourners magazine as part of his graduate study of journalism at the University of Missouri. Prior to that, he taught remedial reading and writing to 7th and 8th graders in rural Arkansas as a Teach For America corps member. Before teaching, Dan followed in Jennifer Butler’s footsteps at the College of William and Mary.
Dan enjoys writing and tries to get better at it. He also likes pizza, football, jogging, history and opinion journalism. Some day Dan will own a hypo-allergenic dog.
Beth Dahlman, Online Organizer
Beth came to Faith in Public Life in early 2007 because she was drawn to the unique mission and model of the organization. She loves working behind the scenes and the flexibility to jump on opportunities as they emerge.Becoming FPL’s online organizer has helped her embrace her inner nerd, and she loves finding new tools and applications that could help FPL or their partners increase their impact on public debates. Her favorite part of her day is corresponding with Faithful America members, most of whom she’s never met but whose passion and words of encouragement inspire her.
Beth first moved to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Associate Program at NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby. She is originally from Minnesota (and darn proud of it doncha know!) and graduated with honors in theology from the College of St. Benedict.
In her time off, Beth enjoys cooking and the occasional cable TV marathon.
Kristin Williams, Press Secretary
Kristin says Faith in Public Life is the perfect blend of things she cares about: politics, religion, and a wide range of issues. She says she loves that reading the news is part of her job, and that getting paid to do something you love is what a job should be.Kristin dreams religion can be a healthy part of the public square—one of many voices, but an animating force for good. She believes faith can stimulate our boldest visions and our most just policies.
The best part of her day is when a reporter calls and has a great question. She enjoys being able to be a resource, even more so when the person she’s talking with has a thoughtful, nuanced view of the issues.
Before coming to FPL, Kristin studied at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a B.A. in English and Political Science. In college, Kristin worked at Women’s Campaign International, an NGO that helps build the political capacity of women around the globe. She also interned at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, trying to absorb all she could of John Green’s knowledge of religion and politics!
In her off-hours, Kristin enjoys competitive games of ping-pong with her boyfriend and considers eighteenth-century British literature completely acceptable beach reading.
Nick Sementelli, Communications Associate
Nick joined Faith in Public Life because he believes that working for justice in the public sphere is the best way to put his faith into action. As communications associate, he appreciates the flexibility his position gives him to work in so many different program areas, but particularly enjoys writing for the Bold Faith Type blog.Before joining FPL Nick worked at Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. He first came to DC in 2005 to study at Georgetown University where he majored in Culture and Politics. While in school he worked as a research associate for the Berkeley Center for Religion, Politics and World Affairs and interned at Beaconfire Consulting, helping non-profit clients with web design and online campaigns.
Originally from the Dallas suburbs, Nick loves the sustainable accessibility of urban life, but occasionally finds himself daydreaming about scenic road trips through Texas hill country. An avid sports fan, he has adopted the Nats, Caps and D.C. United as his own, but refuses to abandon his Mavs and Cowboys.
Jacintha Wadlington, Office Manager
Jacintha loves being the first to arrive at the office each morning so that she can drink her coffee and start mowing down on her to-do list. Jacintha enjoys the positive atmosphere at FPL and providing support for those that are making difference in the political and religious sphere.Jacintha hopes that the use of religion is never a one sided conversation but a vital debate across all religious beliefs, allowing us all to arrive at a better understanding of ourselves and others.
Before arriving at FPL Jacintha worked part-time at Prudential Financial and went to school at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Katie Paris, Senior Advisor
Katie’s involvement with Faith in Public Life springs from her belief that faith can draw people together powerfully to change the world for the better.Katie was Faith in Public Life’s founding Communications and Program Director and served the organization for five years developing program and guiding the organization from a small start-up to a robust presence in the faith and politics landscape.
Some of Katie’s high points at FPL include organizing the Compassion Forum, in which religious leaders posed questions on issues like poverty, climate change and Darfur to then-Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and helping launch new coalitions such as the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, and We Believe Ohio. In her new capacity, Katie continues to provide Faith in Public Life with ongoing strategic guidance.
Katie has extensive professional political experience, having worked on Democratic gubernatorial, senatorial and presidential campaigns and as Research Director at Media Matters for America and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Katie graduated from Wesleyan University in 2001, where she studied government, economics and history.
