Meet the Johnson County UNA Board Members

 

Barbara Eckstein

Barbara Eckstein is the President of the Johnson County Chapter. She joined the UNUSA Johnson County Board in 2019. She's a long-time member of Iowa City Climate Advocates and Citizens' Climate Lobby. She retired from the English Department faculty at the University of Iowa in 2019.

 

Brita Schnoor Loftus

Britta Schnoor Loftus is the Vice President of the Johnson County UNA.  She grew up in Iowa City and is a graduate of The George Washington University, the UN-mandated University for Peace, and the University of Iowa College of Law.  During law school, she interned for the UNDP in Washington, DC.  Today, she is a practicing lawyer.  Her day-to-day practice focuses on intellectual property law, while her pro bono practice has included representing asylum applicants and research relating to human trafficking.

 

Meredith M. Gall

Meredith M. Gall is a the Treasurer of the Johnson County Chapter with a special interest in human rights and gender inequality.

 

Nittaya Burnham

Nittaya Burnham is the chapter treasurer. She is a long-time chapter volunteer and has served as Vice President and on the planning committee for Night of 1000 Dinner

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Jim Olson

Jim Olson is the immediate past president of the Johnson County UNA.  Prior to moving to Iowa he was Vice President for National Programs at UNA-USA and Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office.

 

Blake Rupe

Blake Rupe joined the JC UNA in 2019. She is currently the Program Director of the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at the UI College of Law. Blake formerly served in other roles on campus, namely as the Sustainability Program Manager at the University of Iowa’s Office of Sustainability. Blake also teaches in the Department of Global Health.

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Mercedes Bern-Klug

Mercedes Bern-Klug teaches in the School of Social Work and the Aging and Longevity Studies Program, including a course on “Global Aging.”  Her area of scholarship is gerontology and she focuses her research on building ways for social workers to support older adults with advanced chronic illnesses and their families.  She is a Fulbright Scholar who was appointed to the University of Guadalajara, Mexico in spring 2020.

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Jerry Anthony

Jerry Anthony is an Associate Professor at the School of Planning and Public Affairs, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Public Policy Center, both at the Universityof Iowa. Born in India, Dr. Anthony was a co-founder of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County.

 

John Fuller

 

Jean Paul Mugemuzi

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean Paul Mugemuzi is the Executive Director of the Refugee and Immigrant Association.

 

Stefanie Bowers

Stefanie Bowers is a board member and serves as the Director of Equity for the City of Iowa City and Human Rights Coordinator.  

 

Bijou Maliabo

Bijou Maliabo is a community organizer and advocate for refugees and immigrants.  She is active in the Iowa City Human Rights Commission, the Congolese Health Partnership, the Center for Worker Justice and other groups. A speaker of five languages, she works with the ICCSD, the county court system, and area law enforcement agencies as an interpreter.

 

Amy Brewster

Amy Brewster is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  She is drawn to the effort to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is Director of Operations in the UI International Programs office.

 

Farnaz Fatahi

Farnas Fatah is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  A graduate student at the UI School of Planning and Public Affairs, she is passionate in promoting peace, sustainability and Global cooperation.

 

Wangui Gathua

Wangui Gathua is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  She has always been passionate about global issues and has always had a keen interest in the role of the United Nations in addressing these concerns.

 

Donna Hirst

Donna Hirst is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  She is active in many Johnson County community activities including the Johnson County Interfaith Coalition.

 

Lucie Mordecai

Lucie Moredecai is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  She is the founder and CEO of Abbas International Healing Center which works to improve the mental health of people in Congo, Burkina Faso and Rwanda.

 

Sanaa Sebaaley

Sanaa Sebaaley is a member of the Board of the JCUNA.  A journalist and communicator, she is the co-president of the International Women’s Club of Iowa City.