Leadership

David Roberson is the Treasurer on the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. He is responsible for overseeing financial matters and committees of RNF.

Deborah Caldwell serves as Secretary on the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. She plays a crucial role in overseeing policies and committees of RNF.

Won Kim is a dedicated member of the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. With his background in law and public service, Won brings valuable insights to the organization's legal and governance matters. He is committed to promoting the values of religious freedom and diversity. Won is a respected attorney known for his work in advocating for human rights and social justice. He is actively involved in several nonprofit organizations that aim to bridge the gap between different religious communities. Won resides in [Location] with his family and is deeply engaged in various community service initiatives.

John serves as the Executive Director of the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation, which includes Upper House—a Christian study center located at the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison—and Dottie’s Ranch—a leadership development and spiritual retreat house located near Oregon, Wisconsin. John previously served as Director for the Center for Integrity in Business at Seattle Pacific University; before that, he worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA as the National Director for Professional Schools Ministries, as well as campus minister at Harvard Business School and National Director for MBA Ministry. John is a graduate of Indiana University (Bloomington), holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University), master’s degrees in theology (MATH) and religion (MAR) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Seattle Pacific University in industrial and organizational psychology. John and his wife, Vanja, lived in Middleton, Wisconsin, with their daughter, Elena.

Deborah Caldwell serves as Secretary on the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. She plays a crucial role in overseeing policies and committees of RNF.

Ken Chitwood, Ph.D., serves as Vice Chair on the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. He is actively involved in overseeing policies and committees of RNF.

David Roberson is the Treasurer on the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. He is responsible for overseeing financial matters and committees of RNF.

Steven Waldman is a dedicated member of the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. With his background in media and communications, Steven plays an instrumental role in shaping the organization's media strategies and initiatives. He is a renowned journalist and author known for his work on religious and social issues. Steven is deeply committed to promoting religious literacy and understanding through responsible journalism. He resides in [Location] with his family and enjoys spending time exploring historical sites and reading about different religious traditions.

Tom Levinson is a respected member of the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. With his expertise in business and finance, he plays a crucial role in guiding the organization's financial decisions. Tom has a successful track record as a business leader and has been involved in various philanthropic activities. He is passionate about supporting initiatives that promote interfaith dialogue and understanding. Tom resides in [Location] and enjoys spending his leisure time exploring different cultures and cuisines.

Won Kim is a dedicated member of the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. With his background in law and public service, Won brings valuable insights to the organization's legal and governance matters. He is committed to promoting the values of religious freedom and diversity. Won is a respected attorney known for his work in advocating for human rights and social justice. He is actively involved in several nonprofit organizations that aim to bridge the gap between different religious communities. Won resides in [Location] with his family and is deeply engaged in various community service initiatives.

Dawn Araujo-Hawkins is a valued member of the Religion News Foundation's elected volunteer Board of Directors. With her background in journalism and media, she plays a key role in shaping the organization's media and communication strategies. Dawn's passion for promoting religious understanding and tolerance drives her dedication to RNF's mission. As a dedicated journalist, she has covered a wide range of religious and social issues, bringing important stories to light. Dawn resides in [Location] and enjoys spending her free time exploring different cultures and religious traditions.

Betsy is a writer and editor interested in stories about religion, faith, and social justice. She is associate editor at Sojourners magazine and serves on the board of the Religion News Association. Her freelance work—including stories about virtual reality Bibles, eco-nuns, and karaoke church—has been published in Religion Dispatches, Politics & Religion, and America Magazine. She holds an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. Betsy also is the Vice President of the Religion News Association Board of Directors, and, as of September 2020, is its president. She is based in Washington, D.C.

Shahed Amanullah is the Managing Director of Frost Capital, a Palo Alto-based private equity fund manager and investment advisor. He is also known for co-founding Affinis Labs, an award-winning social innovation firm that was acquired by Frost Capital in 2019. In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Shahed also co-founded Zakatify, a social impact fintech startup in partnership with the PayPal Giving Fund. His expertise extends to growth strategy consulting, as he served as Senior Vice President of Digital Products and interim Senior Vice President of Marketing at Frost & Sullivan from 2020 to 2023. Shahed's public service record is notable, having served in President Obama's administration from 2010 to 2014 as the Senior Advisor for Technology at the US Department of State. During his tenure, he worked under Secretary Hillary Clinton on various entrepreneurship and technology initiatives. In 1998, Shahed created Zabihah, the world's first global Halal restaurant guide, which was later acquired in 2023. He also founded Altmuslim, an online magazine with 2.5 million annual unique users, and served as its editor-in-chief until its acquisition in 2011. Beyond his professional pursuits, Shahed actively contributes to the community by serving on the boards of the Muslim Public Service Network and the Islamic Scholarship Fund. He also takes on the role of an Entrepreneurship Mentor at the Aspen Institute, providing valuable insights to Aspen Digital's Digital Equity Accelerator program.

Robyn Tomlin is the Chief News Officer for McClatchy, with responsibilities that encompass all news, opinion, and multimedia content produced across the network's 30 local news sites and affiliated brands. Before assuming her current role, Robyn served as the Vice President of Local News for McClatchy and held the esteemed position of President and Executive Editor at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, a newspaper under McClatchy's umbrella. Robyn's career boasts an impressive trajectory, as she previously worked as the VP/Managing Editor for The Dallas Morning News. Her contributions extend to the digital realm, where she served as the Chief Digital Officer and VP of Communications at the Pew Research Center. Additionally, Robyn led Digital First Media's Project Thunderdome and held executive editor positions at various local newspapers. In her commitment to the journalism community, Robyn currently serves as a faculty member and coach in Poynter's Media Transformation Challenge program. Her dedication to elevating media and news dissemination is evident through her extensive career in the field.