National Issues Forums Institute (NIFI) Directors

Verdis LeVar Robinson

Acting President
Verdis LeVar Robinson (he/him or they) comes to NIFI with a specialization in community college civic learning and democratic engagement.
Kara N. Dillard

Kara N. Dillard

Board Chair
Kara N. Dillard is the Associate Director of the Madison Center for Civic Engagement and Assistant Professor in the School of Communication Studies at James Madison University.
Leslie Garvin

Leslie Garvin

Vice Chair
Leslie Garvin is the Executive Director of North Carolina Campus Engagement.

Patty Dineen

Secretary & Treasurer

Patty Dineen has been convening and moderating National Issues Forums (NIF) in Pennsylvania and other states since 1994.

David Allred

Director
David Allred is the lead pastor of High Places Community Church in Oak Ridge where he has served for 31 years.

Maggie Commins

Director
Dr. Maggie Commins is the Shelton Professor of Political Science at Queens University of Charlotte.
Hollie Cost

Hollie Cost

Director
Hollie Cost serves as the Assistant Vice President of Auburn University Outreach and Public Service.

Bob Frigo

Director
Bob Frigo is the Assistant Dean of Campus Life and Director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life at Elon University.
Derrick Hammond

Derrick Hammond

Director
The Rev. Derrick M. Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church, is a native of Birmingham, Alabama.
Windy Lawrence

Windy Lawrence

Director
Windy Lawrence serves as both professor and as the founding director at the University of Houston – Downtown Center for Public Deliberation.

Erin Oeth

Director
Erin Oeth is a community practitioner and consultant equipping communities with the tools they need to navigate conflict, address important issues, and bridge divides with others through democratic processes and skill building.

Alberto Olivas

Director
Alberto Olivas, M.Ed., is the Founding Executive Director of the Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service at Arizona State University.
Marie Pyko

Marie Pyko

Director
Marie Pyko is the director of public services at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka Kansas.

Patty Robinson

Director
Dr. Patty Robinson serves as the Faculty Director, Civic and Community Engagement, at College of the Canyons.

Marian Royston

Director
Rev. Marian Royston is driven by a commitment to foster welcoming communities for all.

Linda Seals

Director
Linda Seals is a Regional Extension Educator at the University of Florida IFAS Extension.

J. Cherie Strachan

Director

Dr. J. Cherie Strachan is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.

Michael Wolf

Director
Chair and Professor of Political Science at Purdue University Fort Wayne.