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Vy joined Week of Compassion in 2014, and continues leading the ministry in responding to the unique challenges of this time.
With a Master of Divinity from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in religious studies and environmental sciences from Texas Christian University, Vy served on the staff of Church World Service for more than five years before accepting the call to serve Week of Compassion as Executive Director. In 2014, Vy was awarded the Martin Luther King Jr Award, a recognition of great achievements for justice contributed by Disciples in the Northern California-Nevada Region. Vy brings many years of experience building relationships between churches, volunteers and partner organizations; and has a passion for bringing people together around the table. That passion for the table carries over into Vy’s home and family life, where he and his wife, Linh Bui, along with their son, enjoy gardening, cooking and sharing meals with friends and family. They live in the Bay Area of Northern California. About the work of Week of Compassion, Vy says, “The ecumenical landscape is changing, and the work we do in development, relief and refugee support requires greater collaboration with partners and churches. It’s an exciting time to serve in this ministry, and to continue to bring hope and care to those who need it most.” |
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Alexis comes to Week of Compassion as the Managing Director with a breadth of experience working for wholeness in a fragmented world. She holds a BA in Biological Anthropology from Duke University and a Master of Divinity from the University of Chicago Divinity School as a Disciples Divinity House Scholar. An ordained Disciples minister, Alexis has pastored congregations in the Washington, DC area and is one of the founding clergy of the Congregation Action Network, an interfaith organization dedicated to building community and political power for immigrant and refugee communities in the greater Washington DC area.
Prior to joining Week of Compassion, Alexis served as the inaugural Director of Racial Equity Initiatives at Interfaith America, where she developed programs that amplified the stories of interfaith cooperation within communities of color that have shaped American culture and policy. She also served as the social justice coordinator for the National Benevolent Association, where she convened one of the Peer Learning & Wellness Groups for Disciples leaders of color involved in contemporary ministry and social justice movements. Alexis lives in Chicago and enjoys watching tennis and Duke basketball, discussing television, walking outside, and being wherever exotic animals are. |
Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold
Associate Director for Domestic Disaster Response caroline[at]weekofcompassion.org 203-772-8597 |
Caroline's passion is connecting people with the creative, re-creative power of the living God through stories and faithful action, and she believes a life of faith is about becoming part of God’s ongoing work in the world. As the Associate Director for Domestic Disaster Response, Caroline helps Disciples in the United States and Canada prepare for and respond to natural disasters. She holds a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and a BA from Texas Christian University. Caroline is the author of Wonder Awaits! (Chalice Press, 2022), a book of beautifully diverse photos encouraging children to use all their senses and curiosity to soak up the wonders of the world around them. A portion of the proceeds benefits Week of Compassion, supporting children around the world. She enjoys rock climbing, reading, and exploring the many art galleries and museums in Houston, where she lives with her family. |
Rev. Grace Kozak
Associate Director for Immigrant & Refugee Response grace[at]weekofcompassion.org 317-561-0540 |
Grace comes to Week of Compassion as a community organizer and minister with a passion for working with the local church to build the power their communities need to reduce suffering and move toward wholeness for all of creation. Her work with Week of Compassion helps Disciples congregations engage and expand immigrant and refugee ministries to extend God’s boundless hospitality to all. She holds a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary, a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Social Work from Ball State University.
Previously, Grace served as the State Organizer for Indiana with Bread for the World, Interim and Student Pastor at Central Christian Church in Indianapolis, Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society, and Field Organizer for Clean Water Action. Grace lives in Indianapolis with her husband Chris and daughter Maggie and enjoys watching Minnesota Wild Hockey and Purdue Basketball, growing dahlias, and walking her dog around her neighborhood in Garfield Park. |
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Yvette is a minister in the Pacific Southwest Region. She is a co-pastor at Iglesia Cristiana del Este de Whittier (East Whittier Christian Church (DoC)), where she leads the music and young adult ministries. She is a chaplain in the California Air National Guard.
Yvette comes to Week of Compassion with training and experience in Emergency Management and Disaster Response through her service in the Air National Guard. She holds a BA in U.S. History from Chapman University and a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology. She is a native to Southern California, married 16 years to David Becerra, Jr., with whom she has two boys, James and Santiago, and a 15-year-old miniature poodle named Odie. In her free time, she enjoys running, hanging out with friends, and traveling. |
Rev. Courtney Richards
Communications & Development Manager courtney[at]weekofcompassion.org 317-203-9787 |
Courtney comes to Week of Compassion as a lifelong Disciple. Week Of Compassion was one of the earliest ways she knew a ‘church’ bigger than her own, and heard the ways God calls us to be active hope-bearers in every place and every way the world needs it.
A graduate of Angelo State University (BA) and Brite Divinity School at TCU (MDiv), Courtney’s work with Week of Compassion is an extension of her 25 years in congregational ministry: "to tell the church its own story" - the good news of Christ alive and at work in the world. It is the story of people of faith, working in partnership, bringing their unique gifts, for the restoration and flourishing of all God's beloved. Courtney is married to Brad Lyons (president & publisher at Chalice Press/Christian Board of Publication); their family lives in St Louis, a great place to launch an impromptu road trip, head out for the family's many National Parks adventures, and to relax at home with books, movies, college football, and new recipes. |
