Board Insights
The Interfaith Action board of directors is a dedicated, deeply engaged group of people who are passionate about reducing poverty in our community. Each month, in our InterActions e-newsletter, we share thoughts and insights from board members. Check back monthly!
BILL BRADY
Bill Brady, president of the board, has devoted hundreds of hours to Interfaith Action since retiring from U.S. Bank.
When and why did you get involved with Interfaith Action?
My wife and I started volunteering for Project Home through Corpus Christi Catholic Church. We used to do it with our children because we thought it would be a good way to instill in them a sense of community service. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was on the board.
What do you most value about Interfaith Action’s work?
I most value the “interfaith” nature of it. All of humanity’s important faith traditions teach us to serve our fellow travelers by giving of our talent and our treasure. I love learning about how that manifests among believers of all kinds, and I really enjoy working side-by-side with people from a variety of spiritual backgrounds.
What do you look forward to in your board leadership position this year?
I look forward to working with all of the amazing people on the board and on the staff of Interfaith Action to put the organization in the strongest possible condition to grow in its mission of alleviating poverty and addressing its root causes in Greater Saint Paul.
DR. JENNIFER MILLER
Jennifer is board secretary, professor at Normandale Community College, and member of Christ the King Lutheran Church in New Brighton.
When and why did you get involved with Interfaith Action?
I got involved in Interfaith Action in 2013. I had just started work as an English professor at Normandale Community College, where I saw a lot of students struggling with homelessness, poverty, and discrimination, and I saw in Interfaith Action another opportunity to work to fix these problems in society.
What do you most value about Interfaith Action’s work?
In a time when our country seems to be more and more divided, I greatly value the way that Interfaith Action works to bring everyone together, both in board leadership as well as in the organization’s staff and the people we serve. It gives me hope that our country can move in a more positive direction.
What do you look forward to in your board leadership position this year?
I’m looking forward to our speakers at the Annual Assembly, who will talk about education initiatives in prisons and how they can change the lives of those enrolled.
DIANE BENJAMIN
When and why did you get involved with Interfaith Action?
I first encountered Interfaith Action several years ago as a program officer with the Otto Bremer Trust. More recently, Randi Roth asked me to serve on the board of directors to contribute my non-profit and philanthropic experience.
What do you most value about the organization’s work?
I most value its vision of eliminating poverty, which it the interconnected root of so many problems. I really appreciate how the organization has integrated its programs under this framework. I also appreciate how Interfaith Action has engaged congregations in a more meaningful way than simply making a financial contribution by connecting volunteers to high-quality programs and educating them about underlying causes of poverty.
What do you look forward to in the coming year?
The board is going through a strategic planning process, and I’m excited to see what vision emerges for the future!