The Board
Meet the Interfaith Action Board and Members of our Leadership Team
Rev. Jeffrey Hubers
President of the Board
Rev. Jeffrey Hubers, originally from South Dakota, holds a B.A. in Communication and Religion from Northwestern College and an M.Div. from Western Theological Seminary. He was ordained in the Reformed Church in America and served as Associate Pastor in Mitchell, South Dakota, before becoming the Senior Minister at First Congregational Church of St. Joseph, Michigan, affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Since 2022, he has pursued a doctorate at Chicago Theological Seminary focused on political theology, Christian Nationalism, and religious pluralism. Passionate about interfaith engagement, Jeffrey has actively supported Interfaith’s mission, fostering relationships centered on dialogue, justice, and peace. Jeffrey, Carly, and their son, Rhys, are grateful for the diverse network of persons that make unity and care of creation, democracy, and each other possible.
Michael Nixon
Board Member and Co-Director
Michael is a lifelong Seventh Day Adventist and is a proud father of his daughter, Noa. Michael began serving as Beacon's Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in May of 2023. He received his law degree from University of Illinois-Chicago Law School in 2013 and his Bachelors in Political Science from Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Michigan) in 2009. He also worked as a Civil Rights Law Clerk for the Council on Islamic American Relations in Chicago. Prior to working at Beacon, he served as the Vice President for University Culture, Diversity and Inclusion at Andrews University for six years. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with Noa who is currently in the 4th grade.
Tatiana Reinoza
Tatiana Reinoza is an art historian based at the University of Notre Dame where she teaches Latin American and Latinx art histories. She was born in El Salvador, and immigrated with her parents to the US during the Salvadoran Civil War. In her teaching and scholarship, she is passionate about art that reflects on faith and social justice. She is the author of Reclaiming the Americas: Latinx Art and the Politics of Territory (2023) and co-editor of Self Help Graphics at Fifty (2023).
Jharony Elisabet Fernández-Gibbs
Ma. Guadalupe
My name is Ma. Guadalupe Sanchez, I was born in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. I came to Michigan in 2004, I am an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church - Hispanic community in Niles.
I belong to the migrant ministry, visiting farm workers for more than 10 years, providing them with basic needs.
I'm currently an organizer in Southwestern Michigan with We The People Michigan. Organizing the Hispanic community to obtain driver's licenses for all regardless of immigration status, seeking dignity and integrity for all in our migrant community.
Laura Kovnat
I moved to St. Joseph in 2016. I am married and have two children. I spent six years working as a reading and math interventionist in the local schools, but recently took a position at a law firm as my oldest child transitioned to middle school. I am a member of Temple B'Nai Shalom and have served on their board for several years. My family are active members of a local ATA Taekwondo program and my favorite hobby is crocheting.
Nevine Khalil
Nevine Khalil grew up in Egypt and the UK, and traveled around the world as a political journalist for a Cairo-based newspaper. She now lives in the US and is interested in moving forward conversations on social justice, equity and religion. As a Muslim, she encourages dialogue about her faith and is keen on building bridges between different faith communities.
Leadership Team
If you would like to contact a member of our team, please email us at swmichinterfaithaction@gmail.com with the team member’s name in the subject line.
Kate Bensen
Co-Director
Kate Bensen is living her portfolio life, focused on service, faith, family and personal development. She serves on the boards of the Admiral at the Lake, a nonprofit continuum of care community, as well as MicroMetl Corporation, a leading USA manufacturer of HVAC accessories and equipment. Prior to that, Kate served as CEO of The Chicago Network for 10 years, where she guided the transformation of the organization to one that successfully empowers women to lead.
Earlier in her career, Kate led strategy for Conlon Public Strategies and was a corporate and public finance partner at the law firm Schiff Hardin LLP (now known as ArentFox Schiff).
Kate holds an AB in economics from the University of Chicago and a JD from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Eugene (Gene) Schoon
Co-Director
Eugene (Gene) Schoon is a lawyer with over 40 years of experience, 37 with the international law firm Sidley Austin. Gene is a member of the Shiver Center on Poverty Law board of directors and participates in other organizations focused on racial and economic justice. He dabbles at farming his 80 acres in Buchanan. Gene has a BA degree from Calvin University, an MA in history from Indiana State, and a law degree from Valparaiso University. His wife and he attend services at First Presbyterian in Benton Harbor.
Steven Slaubaugh
Operations Coordinator
Steven Slaubaugh has worked for a variety of non-profit organizations in Michiana and beyond since receiving his M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2017. Steven enjoys working with religious leaders, educators, and community leaders to promote awareness that leads to faith-based action. He and his partner Samantha are the parents of two wonderful kids.
Clark Gilpin
Lead Advisor: Promoting Pluralistic Democracy
Clark Gilpin is the Margaret E. Burton Professor, emeritus, at the University of Chicago Divinity School, where he served as dean from 1990 to 2000. He lives in Stevensville and attends the Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where he and his wife Nancy co-chair the Social Justice Committee. Clark studies the history of modern Christianity, especially in relation to literature, and he recently published Religion Around Emily Dickinson(Penn State University Press). His most recent writing project explores the letter from prison as a genre of religious literature, The Letter from Prison: Writing Resistance in Early Modern England.
Vicki Schroeder
Lead Advisor Gun Violence Prevention
Vicki has been part of Interfaith Action of SW Michigan since moving to Berrien County a few years ago. She provided leadership on Gun Violence Prevention efforts and was the Co-Leader for The Common Good. She is one of the founders of Episcopalians of SW Michigan Committed to Social Justice. She is an advocate for social justice especially in the area of gun safety. She has a career in national healthcare including strategy, policy and leadership development.
Pat Robinson
Lead Advisor: Anti-Racism and Communities
Pat Robinson serves as Superintendent of Buchanan Community Schools. She has worked in the field of education for almost 25 years. Her career began in Benton Harbor Area Schools as a first-grade teacher at Stump Early Childhood Center in 1997, and her last position with the school district as assistant superintendent in early 2020.
Rob Burgess
Treasurer
Rob is a supporter of Emergency Shelter Services, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen and Berrien Immigrant Solidarity Network. He is a retired CFO of Lakeshore Public Schools, Opinion writer for the Herald Palladium, and Coordinator of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for Berrien and Cass Counties.
Nevine Khalil
Lead Advisor: Interfaith Collaboration & Action
Nevine Khalil grew up in Egypt and the UK, and traveled around the world as a political journalist for a Cairo-based newspaper. She now lives in the US and is fully invested in moving forward conversations on social justice, equity and religion. As a Muslim, she encourages dialogue about her faith and is keen on building bridges between different faith communities.
Bobbie Gaunt
Lead Adviser - Inclusion & Participation
Bobbie Gaunt was the first woman to enter Ford Motor Company’s Sales & Marketing Management Program in 1972. Twenty-nine years later she retired as a corporate vice president and President & CEO of Ford of Canada, a 16,000-employee global affiliate where she was the first woman at Ford to lead a national operation.
Since retiring almost 20 years ago, Gaunt has relished her renewed “gift of time”. She enjoys living in Saugatuck where she and her husband Bob, before his death in June of 2020, have been able to advocate for the importance of the ideas of ‘leadership that is at the same time courageous and tender;’ ‘thinking globally and acting locally.’
Zahid Saleem
Co-Facilitator
Zahid is a member of the Islamic Society of SW Michigan.
Rosalie Plechaty
Coordinator - Van Buren County
Rosalie Plechaty moved to South Haven in 2009 with her husband, Walt. A cradle Catholic, she always dreamed of walking to church, but never imagined she could walk across the street to attend St. Basil's Catholic Church. Fast forward to today, she describes herself as a wandering (wondering?) Christian, comfortable attending many churches. She discovered and fell in love with Interfaith Action a couple of years ago, and with a heart of social and restorative justice, looks forward to this new county wide role.
Lou Price
Co-Facilitator
Lou is a lifelong member of The First Hebrew Congregation. As his father before him, he has served as a Board member, Vice-President, and President of FHC. He often leads religious events at the synagogue, and has served as assistant Cantor since he was sixteen. He is a teacher of drama and communications with Mattawan Consolidated School for the last eighteen years, and has taught for 37 years. He is active in local community theatre in the Kalamazoo area, and has performed professionally on stage and local commercials. Lou is the father of Sam Price and Rachel Miller-Price, and has two grandsons, Gabriel and Hunter.