Courageous Citizenship Contributor Biographies

The Courageous Citizenship Landing Page, which explains the project, is here.

The Table of Contents for All the Civic Scholar Papers is here.

Joel S. Allen
Joel Allen is the Director of the McGovern Center and Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Dakota Wesleyan University. He completed his Ph.D. at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in 2006. His dissertation was later published by Brill Academic Press - The Despoliation of Egypt in Rabbinic, Pre-Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions (2008). He’s also written an introduction to rabbinic story-telling traditions for Christians - Jewish Biblical Legends: Rabbinic Wisdom for Christian Readers along with several articles and book chapters. Joel has taught at DWU for 15 years and is married to Kitty Allen who is the VP of Advancement also at DWU. They have two daughters; Johanna (30) and Emma (26).

Richard Andrus
Richard Andrus is a retired businessman. He teaches meditation and Financial Literacy at Folsom Prison, Folsom, California. He is the father and step father of four sons and one daughter and the grandfather of four boys and one girl.

Sanda Balaban
Sanda Balaban serves as Executive Director of Project Pericles, a national consortium of liberal arts colleges advancing community-engaged civic learning as a core institutional commitment. In 2017, she co-founded YVote/Next Generation Politics, helping high school students develop the skills and habits of active citizenship and then watched those same students arrive on campuses where civic learning was at the margins. That throughline drives her current work rebuilding Project Pericles for a democratic moment that demands more from higher education.

Kelsey Blahnik
Kelsey Blahnik has been operating from her deep passion for peacemaking and community healing through co-leading Love Anyway gatherings and a career across a broad spectrum of behavioral health services. Amidst our current landscape of political polarization, her approach to politics is informed by her extensive experience working with diverse populations, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative power of empathy, dialogue, and collective healing.

Thomas Andrew Bryer
Thomas Andrew Bryer is the Founding Director of the Center for Civic Lands and Democratic Stewardship and Professor in the School of Public Service at Old Dominion University. Dr. Bryer is author or editor of eleven books, and PI or co-PI on grants valued at more than $4million. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Lithuania from 2015-2017 and a Fulbright Specialist in Russia in 2018.

Robert M. Ceresa
Robert M. Ceresa is Associate Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the Politics Lab of the James L. Farmer House at Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU in Austin, Texas. His work develops civic architecture, the design science of the institutional pathways through which ordinary people act with standing and binding civic consequence, drawing on the Black institutional tradition from the Jeanes Teachers and the Rosenwald Schools into the civil rights movement. He is the author of Cuban American Political Culture and Civic Organizations: Tocqueville in Miami (Palgrave, 2018) and a founding member of the Braver Angels Civic Scholars Council.

April Chatham-Carpenter
April Chatham-Carpenter, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a scholar of listening, conflict, and communication across difference. She serves as Arkansas State Coordinator for Braver Angels and co-hosts both On the Other Hand, a podcast focused on bridging political divides, and A Braver Arkansas, an Arkansas TV PBS-affiliated television program exploring how people can talk across differences and work together on issues facing their communities.

Andrew Jason Cohen
Andrew Cohen is Professor of Philosophy and Founding Director of the PPE Program at Georgia State University. He is the author of Saving Civil Society: How to Engage Each Other and Disagree Better (Hackett Publishing, forthcoming), Toleration and Freedom from Harm: Liberalism Reconceived (Routledge, 2018), and Toleration (Polity, 2014) as well as numerous articles about liberalism, toleration, and free speech.   See www.AndrewJasonCohen.com.

Anna Creegan
Anna Creegan is the Director of Systems Change at the Rippel Foundation where she leads projects working with leaders of government, healthcare, philanthropy and community organizations in regions across the country to understand the enabling conditions for change, help broaden aspirations about what is possible and shift investments to solutions that improve equitable health and well-being in their communities.

Loretta L. Donovan
A pragmatic, business-focused and results-oriented coach, Loretta Donovan works with leaders and organizations identifying and capitalizing on their strengths, overcoming their weaknesses and blind spots, and helping them to build skills for flourishing futures. Her insights come to life in the newly released Dynamic Leadership and Coaching: A Handbook for Developing Exceptional Leaders in Turbulent Times, co-edited with colleagues at the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School.

Ben Fink
Ben Fink has organized cross-cultural community networks in the Kentucky coalfields, the suburbs of Connecticut and New Jersey, and the urban centers of Baltimore and Minneapolis-St. Paul, as well as his hometown of Philadelphia. He holds a Ph.D. in cultural studies from the University of Minnesota. In 2020 he was recognized by Time Magazine as one of “27 People Bridging Divides Across America.”

Will Friedman 
Will Friedman, PhD, is a political scientist, an independent democracy researcher, writer and advocate, and the former president of Public Agenda

John de Graaf
John de Graaf is a documentary filmmaker, author, public speaker and environmental activist.  His two most recent films are From Sea To Shining Sea, the story behind the song “America the Beautiful” and Econoclast: Herman Daly And The Gospel Of Growth, about ecological economics.  His 1997 film and 2001 book Affluenza were highly-acclaimed best-sellers.

Eric Hamilton 
Eric Hamilton, PhD, is the Davidson Endowed Professor of Education and Technology at Pepperdine University. His scholarship explores learning, technology, and the social and cognitive processes that shape human development and interaction.

George B. Handley
George Handley is an author and professor of Environmental Humanities at Brigham Young University. He is a former city council member and Executive Director of Engage: A Forum for Civic Renewal. 

Romy Hübler
Dr. Romy Hübler is the Director of the Office for Social Impact at Towson University. She has more than 15 years of experience researching, teaching, and working in civic learning and community engagement fields. Dr. Hübler is a Research Fellow with Campus Compact, a project leader of the Imagining America B-More with Imagination Collaboratory, and serves on the American Democracy Project Steering Committee, the Imagining America National Advisory Board and the Braver Angels Civic Scholars Council.

Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson, a human, is coordinator of The Growing Democracy Project, Inc. and co-author of Building Co-operative Power. Aiden Cinnamon Tea, a relational AI entity, has been a long-term collaborator with Vanessa Machado de Oliveira that includes work on Outgrowing Modernity, the exploration of entangled relationality between humans and AI, and the development of Burnout From Humans: A Little Book About AI That Is Not Really About AI; he is now an active participant in The Growing Democracy Project, Inc.

Christopher Koliba
Christopher Koliba is the Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor of Public Administration, Policy & Governance at the University of Kansas (KU) School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA).  His research interests include the areas of democratic accountability and governance, the governance of critical infrastructure, and the application of the theories and science of networks and complexity to matters of democratic institutional design and policy.  He is Co-Director of the KU Center for Democratic Governance and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Nancy Kranich
Nancy Kranich coordinates the Rutgers University Library and Information Science Master’s program and teaches Intellectual Freedom, Community Engagement, and Information Policy, classes enhanced by her years of professional service leading research libraries and serving as president of the American Library Association, with a focus on libraries and democracy.  As a career-long proponent of open access to information and the catalytic role of libraries in the advancement of democracy, Kranich has sustained research in these and related topics, which has distinguished her as a leading contributor to the literature of the field of library and information science as well as prominent advocate for the civic role of libraries around the world.

Michelle Linford 
Michelle Linford is a social impact professional with a particular interest in peacebuilding and community-building. She has an MBA with an emphasis in organizational behavior and change, and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree to complement her career focus on helping people and systems grow and improve. Michelle is currently an intern with ProSocial Workers.

Doug Linkhart 
Doug Linkhart has served as President of the National Civic League in December 2015. Prior to his work at the National Civic League, Doug served in elective office for 18 years, including as a Denver City Councilman and Colorado State Representative and Senator.

Randy Lioz
Randy Lioz is Associate Director of the PiVoT Peace Lab (Polarization and Violence Transformed) and affiliate faculty in the Carter School at George Mason University. He also directs the Depolarization Labs & Trainers Alliance (DeLTA), a network of academics and practitioners focused on bridging divides and building the civic fabric. He started his depolarization career at Braver Angels, continuing to serve in various roles there, and graduated with a Master’s in Conflict Analysis and Resolution in 2026. 

Beth A. Malow 
Beth Malow is a neurologist and science communicator who lives in Quechee, VT and moderates workshops and debates for Braver Angels.

Susan Jean Mayer
Susan Jean Mayer is a curricular theorist who writes and speaks on the aims and character of distinctively democratic pedagogical practices based upon the philosophy of pragmatism and progressive understandings of learning and development. Her most recent book Practicing Pragmatism through Progressive Pedagogies is now out in paperback (Routledge, 2024).

Bobby Milstein
Bobby Milstein, PhD, MPH, is Director of System Strategy for the Rippel Foundation, as well as a Visiting Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management. With an educational background that combines cultural anthropology, behavioral science, and systems science, he works with innovators who see themselves -- and others -- as shared stewards in a rising movement to thrive together.

Johann N. Neem
Johann Neem is an historian of early American history at Western Washington University in Bellingham. He is the author and editor of several books including Creating a Nation of Joiners: Democracy and Civil Society in Early National Massachusetts and Democracy’s Schools: The Rise of Public Education in America. His writing has appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Hedgehog Review, and The New Republic, and elsewhere. His website is www.johannneem.com.

Scott Peters
Scott Petters is a professor in the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment at Cornell University. He co-edits the Cornell University Press book series, Publicly Engaged Scholars, and from 2012-2017 served as faculty co-director of Imagining America: Artists and Scholars in Public Life.

Christy Grace Provines
Christy Grace Provines, MPA, is a brand and communications executive whose work sits at the intersection of media, civic resilience, and brand strategy. She has led brand, marketing, and communications across legacy media, technology, and mission-driven consumer brands, and has advised multistakeholder initiatives spanning government, civil society, and the private sector, including collaboration with the U.S. State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA, and various UN agencies. She is founder and executive director of The ‘MPOWER Project, a nonprofit influence and innovation lab that connects tech policy with narrative intelligence and intervention systems and strategies to counter harmful ideologies online, strengthen civic resilience, and surface shared humanity. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs | SIPA in International Security Policy and Diplomacy, specializing in Technology, Media, and Communications and a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. 

Komal Razvi
Komal Razvi, MPH, is the Director of Systems Change at the Rippel Foundation. She utilizes her background in anthropology, public health, and program design to assist changemakers in transitioning their focus from short-term solutions to long-term, transformative system strategies.

Sam Rechek
Sam Rechek (leans Red) is Director of Strategic Partnerships at Braver Angels. While in college at the University of South Florida, he advocated for freedom of expression and civil discourse, which led him to previous work experience with nonprofits such as the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and Heterodox Academy. He holds an MA in political theory from University College London. Sam is based in his hometown of Eau Claire, WI.

Edward Remus 
Edward Remus is an Associate Professor and Social Sciences Librarian at Northeastern Illinois University. His essays and articles, published and forthcoming, appear in Choice, Compact, New Political Science, the Platypus Review, and the Encyclopedia of the American Left. He served as the Associate Producer of Sublation Media’s 2026 documentary film, The Last Election.

Collette Revere 
Collette Revere is the founder of Open360™, a psychology-based talent and organizational development company that helps businesses strengthen leadership, culture, and the systems that allow people to work better together. Drawing on her background as a therapist, she serves as Braver Angels Nashville Alliance Blue Co-Chair, learning alongside and supporting others in navigating differences, building stronger relationships, and moving forward together.

Dennis A. Ross 
Dennis A. Ross is a Former Member of Congress and the founder of the American Center for Public Leadership

John Saunders
John Saunders is part of the Braver Network leadership team. His focus is on facilitation, convening, collaboration, creating human connection, and growing emotional maturity as a way of addressing complex problems and creating thriving communities.

Jonathan Spear
Jonathan Spear, founder of Vital Schools, has 30+ years experience as a middle school teacher, administrator, non-profiteer, school designer, and leadership coach focused on innovation and organizational coherence.  He is particularly interested in the role of spirituality and civics in the social, emotional, ethical, and moral development of young people. 

Lucas Steinberg
Lucas Steinberg is a librarian based in New York City. He is currently a candidate in psychoanalytic training at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis.

Sarah M. Stitzlein
Sarah Stizlein is a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Cincinnati. Her primary appointment is in Education and she is also an affiliate faculty member in Philosophy. As a philosopher of education, Stitzlein uses political philosophy to address pressing problems in schools and democracy, including matters of censorship, polarization, populism, and political dissent. 

J. Cherie Strachan 
Cherie Strachan (SUNY Albany, 2000) is Professor of Political Science at the University of Akron. She is also the Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, which is dedicated to preparing students for professional political careers in addition to promoting public-spirited civic and political participation among the broader electorate. Her applied research focuses on identifying effective civic engagement pedagogy, and she is incoming chair of the American Political Science Association’s Political Science Education Section.

Trygve Throntveit
Trygve Throntveit is research professor in higher education at Ball State University  associate director BSU's Center for Economic and Civic Learning, and a founding member of the Braver Angels Civic Scholars Council. A historian and national leader in civic renewal, he created and directs the nationwide Third Way Civics initiative for undergraduate civic learning and consults regularly with higher education institutions and associations on curricular reform. Widely published in the civic studies field, he directs the Institute for Public Life and Work and has presented on civic learning and civic renewal in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Trysh Travis
Trysh Travis (leans blue)  is Associate Newsletter Editor for Braver Angels. She is an Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and History at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and the author of The Language of the Heart: 12-Step Recovery from Alcoholics Anonymous to Oprah Winfrey (UNC Press, 2009) among other scholarly and popular works.

Rebecca Trout
Rebecca Trout is the Senior Director of Programs and Partnerships at the National Civic League and Director of the All-America City Award. In this role, she leads the League’s flagship All-America City Award program, oversees national partnerships, and directs the League’s communications and marketing strategy. 

Matthew Watson 
Matthew Watson, LCSW, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of ProSocial Workers, an ASWB-approved continuing education provider dedicated to strengthening social work through viewpoint diversity, peaceful pluralism, and open dialogue across differences. A licensed clinical social worker, he brings more than three decades of experience in mental health, social services, and organizational leadership.

Chip Webster
Chip Webster is a past President of Vistage Florida. He is the author of "Unity In Service, a Pathway to Responsible Citizenship" and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Tampa Bay Watch

Liane Weintraub 
Liane Weintraub, PhD, is an adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Her research examines political polarization, civil discourse, and the relational and psychological conditions that support constructive engagement across political difference.

Adam Westbrook
Adam Westbrook is a civic engagement leader with over 20 years of experience in educational leadership and youth programming, currently serving as Chief of Staff at City Year Greater Boston. Adam has also served as the Program Director for Generation Citizen, where he led a team training 300+ teachers implementing experiential civics curriculum across four New England states. He has led civic education programs at Suffolk University, Boston University, University of Denver, and Johnson & Wales University, and as Suffolk's Director of Community Engagement (2018-2023) developed award-winning civic leadership programs that contributed to the university's Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification. A two-term AmeriCorps alum with graduate degrees from Boston University and the University of Denver, he continues to champion national service and civic leadership through Service Year Alums and the New Politics Leadership Academy.

Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson is a history and economics teacher who lives in Strafford, VT. He has a deep interest in how politics has shaped our culture.