Executive Staff and Global Support Office

Karen Volker was appointed Executive Director of URI and assumed her new role on March 1, 2025.

Karen started at URI in January 2023 as URI’s Director of Partnership and Violence Prevention, and she has delivered on all counts. After 25 years as a U.S. diplomat and ten years at the international nonprofit Cure Violence Global, Karen has earned the much-deserved respect of all her colleagues and the URI Global Council.

Prior to working at URI, Karen’s impressive career included serving as:

• Director of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) in the U.S. State Department, offering strategic guidance and management of a $530 million assistance program focused on promoting pluralistic and prosperous societies in the Middle East and North Africa.
• The U. S. Coordinator for the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, responsible for the development of U.S. policy toward the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe and the development of regional assistance programs in the Balkans.
• Vice President of Cure Violence Global, serving as the primary contact for the Board of Directors and introducing the health approach to violence prevention to several new countries and cultural contexts.

As URI’s new Executive Director, Karen will continue to build the strategic vision, collaborating with all URI stakeholders to mobilize resources and expand the contributions of newly integrated regional teams. She brings energy, enthusiasm, and a deep commitment to the purpose and principles of URI.

In Karen’s own words: “I am honored and excited to be taking on this leadership role at a critical time in URI’s history. As we celebrate URI’s 25-year anniversary, we will focus on growing our dynamic network and increasing our interfaith impact so that together we can achieve our vision of a world where peace, justice, and healing prevail.” 

Karen Volker was born and raised in California, currently lives

William E. Swing is the Founder and President Emeritus of the United Religions Initiative. Bishop Swing had the original vision of URI in 1993 in response to an invitation from the United Nations, which asked him to host an interfaith service honoring the 50th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter. Bishop Swing, along with 50 others, shaped the URI purpose (to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings). URI is currently the largest interfaith grassroot organization.

Bishop Swing Bishop Swing served as the 7th Episcopal Bishop of California from 1980 until his retirement in 2006. In that capacity, he was a national and international leader in response to the AIDS crisis, co-founded Episcopal Community Services to address San Francisco’s homeless problem, and co-founded Community Bank of the Bay to support local businesses and the economy.

He is married to Mary Taylor Swing and has two children and three grandchildren.

Books by Bishop Swing: A Bishop's Quest: Founding a United Religions and The Sacred and the Silly: A Bishop's Playful and Eventful Life. Both books are available on Amazon.com; the proceeds of book sales will benefit URI.

Larissa Abaunza serves as the Development and Communications Manager at the United Religions Initiative (URI), where she leads strategic communications and fundraising initiatives to support URI’s global work in interfaith cooperation, peacebuilding, and violence prevention.

With a lifelong commitment to human rights, Larissa first became involved in advocacy at the age of five, having grown up in the offices of Amnesty International, where her mother served as a director. Since then, she has dedicated her career to grassroots movements for social justice, gender equity, and systemic change.

Larissa holds a BA in International Relations from Claremont McKenna College, with a concentration in Genocide, Human Rights, and Holocaust Studies. Her award-winning thesis, "Rape and Sexual Violence Used as a Weapon of War and Genocide," reflects her deep commitment to elevating the voices of survivors and confronting injustice. In 2018, she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship through the U.S. Department of State, conducting field research in Eastern Hungary on the educational segregation and racial discrimination of Roma children.

She went on to earn her MA in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University, focusing on the intersection of gender and extremist violence. Her graduate research explored the motivations of women combatants in Nicaragua’s Sandinista movement and Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers, as part of her broader interest in how women and girls are central to peace and security efforts.

Larissa brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work, with expertise in development, open-source research, storytelling, policy analysis, and both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her areas of interest include Indigenous feminism in Latin America, gender and technology, post-conflict transitional justice, and racial disparities in maternal health care in the U.S.

Jennifer Balachow joined the URI Team with an extensive background in human resources compliance, project management, event planning, and executive support. She was influenced by a Fortune 500 culture for many years resulting in an inspired Diversity, Equity & Inclusion work ethic.

She is a single parent of her lovely daughter Ali, who brings her great pride and joy. In her younger years, she was an Olympic-grade swimmer; this instilled in her a love of body and mind health. Outside work, she enjoys hot yoga and meditation, making new friends, visiting lasting friends and family, and any outdoor activities.

Samira Fatma Baručija is from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and works as the Regional Coordinator for the URI Multiregion. She is an activist, trying to facilitate dialog, interfaith work, and reinforce the importance of living together for the sake of peace and security. Most of her work nowadays is focused on peacebuilding and creating cultures of peace. For the most of her nine-year-long experience in civil society, Samira has been an educator trying to use the platform of non-formal education to raise awareness, motivate and empower individuals and groups, reinforcing their role in the change they want to see. The work that Samira is doing locally is done through a youth led, youth founded organization called Youth for Peace. She is also a part of the UNDP’s Global Youth Programme as one of 16 young people from around the world, working toward fulfilling the UN’s 2030 agenda. Since 2014, Samira has been a Youth Leader for the United Religions Initiative. Samira loves traveling and cooking.

Isaac Campbell (M.A., University of Northern Iowa) is an artist, digital media producer, and communications scholar originally from Ottumwa, IA. In 2018, Isaac conducted research in Budapest, Hungary as a Fulbright scholarship recipient, where he began experimenting with historic photographs and the street art method of wheatpasting. Since then, Isaac has collaborated with hundreds of volunteers and garnered international media coverage from esteemed outlets such as NPR, CNN, The New York Times, Reuters, and the Washington Post. This recognition has humbly contributed to raising awareness, inspiring action, and making a meaningful impact on global causes. Through art and activism, Isaac strives to build communal understanding, spark joy and curiosity, and lift up the stories of everyday people.

After assuming many position at URI, María Crespo currently serves as the Director of Growth and Network Vitality from her office in Buenos Aires Argentina. She is connected to and supports connections in the network. María provides facts and vision to the development of strategies for intentional growth at different levels, designing guidelines and processes that stimulate, inform, and orient expansion. She works collaboratively with the Director of Learning and Impact Strategy, ED and others to identify needs in regional development and facilitate planning, budgeting and capacity building of staff and regional leadership teams. She offers input toward URI Learning Ecosystems and Impact Assessment aligned with Growth and Network Vitality.

Maria originally became involved with URI in 1997 when she was appointed as a Trustee in the Interim Global Council. She is very involved in the Roman Catholic Church in Argentina. She has contributed to the formation of children, parents and schoolteachers and professors for many years. She is a Lay Collaborator of the Episcopal Commission on Ecumenism, Relations with Judaism, Islam and Other Religions in Argentina. She has been involved in many interfaith activities and programs at the local, regional and global levels. She shares these experiences as work and travel permits as a Professor of Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue in Seminars. Maria is married and has five children.

Mary Dismore offers more than ten years of diverse industry experience within start-ups and behavioral health, where she has consistently provided invaluable support to C-Suite executives amidst agile and rapid-growth environments. Focused on enhancing efficiency and driving growth, her ability to maintain composure in high-pressure situations is her superpower, allowing her to tackle challenges while optimizing operations and preemptively addressing needs. Recognized for her growth mindset and dedication to productivity, Mary serves as a trusted ally in ensuring executive effectiveness and organizational success.

Beyond her professional commitments, she draws fulfillment from her role as a mother and indulges her passion for exploring new cultures through travel, yoga, and embodying a holistic approach to both life and work.

Other Job Titles: URI Representative at the UN (Africa office)  and the African Union, Former Ambassador

Ambassador Mussie Hailu is a peacebuilder who is working at national, regional, and international levels for peace, reconciliation, interfaith harmony, disarmament, the Golden Rule, world citizenship, right human relationships, and international cooperation for the preservation of the environment. He considers himself a Citizen of the World, believing strongly in the inter-dependence of human beings. He celebrates cultural diversity, seeing the differences in race, ethnicities, religions, politics, and nationalities as important elements of the one and indivisible humanity. He has served many national and international organizations, including the United Nations. Mussie also served as Diplomat in the rank of Ambassador and Special Envoy of the President of Burundi. Currently, he serves as URI Director of Global Partnerships, URI Representative at the United Nations and the African Union, and URI-Africa Regional Director. He is a founding member of URI.

Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo is a psychologist, psychotherapist, lecturer, activist, peacebuilder, and volunteer from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Currently, she is doing her Ph.D. in psychology at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, in Turkey. She was URI Youth Ambassador and, since 2013, she has been working as United Religions Initiative (URI) Europe CC Liaison Officer. Also, she is the co-founder of Youth for Peace, an organization that positioned itself as one of the most prominent youth-led organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, working in the field of peacebuilding. As she is very passionate about peacebuilding and interfaith work, she became a non-violent communication trainer, Learning to Live Together trainer, PPA and KAICIID fellow. In March 2022, Lejla joined the URI Global Staff team as the Individual Membership Coordinator.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Wanda Holsman discovered her passion for education at an early age as part of a Jewish youth movement. After volunteering in various community organizations, she graduated as a psychopedagogue. In 2015, she started working at Centro Ana Frank Argentina for Latin America, where she designed, managed and developed several projects aimed at creating learning environments for teaching human rights and genocide prevention, promoting inclusion and coexistence in diversity against all forms of violence. With an extensive background in youth coordination and training, she has also enjoyed creating meaningful experiences for educators and other adult audiences. She believes that when people come together and are willing to truly connect with each other, magic happens.

Wanda now lives in Tel Aviv and looks forward to getting involved in peacebuilding initiatives. She loves to travel, especially because it's always an excellent opportunity to meet new people and try new flavors.

Aida Iranzadeh studied Finance and Accounting in Malaysia and Business Administration at the University of Chicago Illinois. She worked several years as an accountant in the international tourism industry prior to moving to the US to further her education. She joined the URI as a Senior Accountant in December 2021 and is very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to a company whose core values are very well aligned with hers and to make a positive impact. She is fluent in Farsi, loves mountains, and enjoys painting, biking, and skiing. She had her first oil color exhibition in Oakland in 2016 and is currently working towards her passion for collage, abstract, and acrylic colors. Aida is a Bay Area resident and lives with her husband and 11 years old toy poodle.

Angie joined United Religions Initiatives in May 2024, where she supports the Learning and Impact Strategies team, overseeing the monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation of URI programs and network outcomes. With a background as a Doctoral Research and Teaching Assistant at the University of Massachusetts Boston, specializing in global governance and human security, her expertise includes research and administration, particularly in areas such as refugee camp education policy and peace education. Angie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution from the same institution.

Her previous experiences encompass roles as a Student Services Intern and Admissions Counselor at an international education provider, along with various internships in government, public services, and marketing. Angie also freelances as a Risk Intelligence Consultant, analyzing threats to national or local security and devising mitigation strategies.

In her leisure time, Angie enjoys teaching pilates and scoliosis rehab, finding fulfillment in serving others. Her passion for learning about different traditions and religions stems from her upbringing in Indonesia and nearly a decade spent in Massachusetts, USA, where she honed her practical skills in interfaith and intercultural communication, which she now applies to her professional endeavors.

Sarah began her journey with URI in 2016, working as the Youth Coordinator for the URI Southern African region. In this role, she designed and facilitated interfaith and leadership skills training programs with youth from Cooperation Circles across South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique. Sarah worked with CCs to develop the Girls Not Brides Campaign addressing early child marriage particularly in Malawi. In 2019, Sarah joined the Global Support Office, stepping in to coordinate the global youth network of URI. In doing so, she initiated projects of global connection for young people across the network, such as the URI Youth Connection Café’s, regional facilitator training programs, cross regional youth camps, and the youth capacity building and seed grant program. The aim being to enhance meaningful youth engagement and leadership across the network. In 2023, Sarah joined the Learning and Impact Strategies team, where she now serves in designing and facilitating collective learning experiences to advance our URI Purpose, with ongoing attention to URI's youth programming. 

As an experienced facilitator, Sarah is passionate about connecting issues of interfaith dialogue, youth leadership, peacebuilding and social justice. Locally in Cape Town, South Africa, Sarah volunteers with the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative, the African Climate Alliance and ChangeWays: Centre for Collaborative Justice - as a reminder that in a global network like URI, it’s important to always have one’s feet on the ground! 

Akidi Sharon Regina is a communications specialist with over 4 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Communication from Makerere University. Akidi specializes in communications for development, creative storytelling, advocacy, promoting and maintaining organization image, branding, and multimedia production. She is enthusiastic about using her skills to tell people’s stories of change, peacebuilding, youth empowerment, and the well-being of children. Akidi joined URI Global staff team in March 2022 as a Communications Officer. She looks forward to sharing her experience, and contribution to global URI’s mission. Akidi enjoys good conversations, photography, traveling, and learning about new cultures. She lives in Kampala, Uganda.

Reuben Shank (he/him; Patwin lands/Davis, CA) serves as the Director of Learning and Impact Strategies. He collaborates with the senior management team and the Global Programs Team to co-create innovative impact strategies that advance just peacebuilding and transformative healing across our religious, indigenous, ancestral, and cultural differences. He loves to co-design transformational learning programs and cultures of deep partnership and shared growth. Growing up in a minority Christian pacifist tradition (Mennonite) in Belgium, Reuben brings 25 years of deep commitment to the hard and rewarding labors of fighting for justice, building peace, and nurturing the learning, healing, and thriving of each and everyone, especially those most impacted by the intersecting painful crises of our times. He has facilitated collaborative learning and strategic projects at the grassroots level in South America, West Africa, and the US; in academic centers in the US and the UK; and in multi-sector national and international change-making organizations. In these projects, he invites all to courageously lean into our sometimes difficult differences, tend to our healing, and gently generate new powerful possibilities for ourselves, our communities, and our world. Reuben looks forward to speaking with you in French, Spanish, or English (and will try to learn any other language you speak). He loves the silence of wide open spaces as much as the inner soul, and renews himself by playing joyfully with his human and canine friends in high mountains, snow, and warm waters.

Bhavya Srivastava works as a catalyst for faith-based and social organizations. His experiences in the domains of journalism, social work, religion, corporate, and technology provide him an edge in shaping ideas and various initiatives. As a consultant and advisor to various religious-spiritual, and social organizations, Bhavya is behind many social initiatives and programs. He played a vital role in diffusing conflicts between communities, shaping harmonious views between varying factors, and bringing together the various parties by utilizing his communication skills and his more profound understanding of subjects. He traveled extensively and is connected to a vast network of faith organizations and social institutions.  As a student of sociology, social development, and the role of religion, he has developed strong relations with interfaith leaders and covered issues addressed by interfaith programs and seminars. 

He has attended several international seminars in the past and has written on religious issues for media groups. He manages a website of all religions and has been awarded by many social organizations for his dedication. He wants to change the perception of religious leaders from preachers to change-makers.

Sheetal Vaidya comes with over two decades of experience, prominently focused on social entrepreneurship and driving meaningful social change. Co-founder of Aashwast Services, revolutionizing elder care services in India. She has worked as an Associate Advisor at Jerry White Impact Strategies, LLC (JWIS) in fostering societal transformation. Her advisory work in philanthropy and social entrepreneurship underscores her passion for values-driven, purpose-based initiatives that bring about systemic improvements. Her life-changing experience is her solo journey in India- Bhav yatra in 2014, traveling across 11 states for 22,000 km in seven months. The yatra was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave’s philosophy of connecting heart to heart.

Raised in the Midwest, Lauren Van Ham's professional life began as a performing artist in NYC before attending interfaith seminary in California. After ordination (1999), Lauren served as chaplain in both healthcare and corporate settings, and seminary Dean at The Chaplaincy Institute. Her passion for spirituality, art and Earth's teachings construct her focus in eco-ministry, grief & loss, and sacred activism. She is a guest writer for “Progressing Spirit,” an online publication exploring theology, spirituality and public events. She holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Naropa University. Lauren is a spiritual director and serves as guest faculty for several schools in the Bay Area.

Susan Wong, our new CFO, resides in Orinda, California, near Berkeley, with her husband. She is thrilled to join the URI family. Most of her professional experience is in the BioTechnology, BioPharma, and BioManufacturing sectors, Susan has led finance, accounting, and operations teams, supporting companies through their startup phase, venture-backed growth, IPOs, and transitioning into audit-ready publicly traded organizations. She looks forward to applying this experience to scale URI’s financial operations as we continue to grow.

Susan and her husband have three children: two sons who live nearby in Lafayette and Berkeley, and a daughter in Irvine. In her free time, she enjoys cycling and climbing with her husband, as well as experimenting with new baking recipes.