Leadership
American Diversity Report-New Beginnings executive leaders utilize their unique experience and perspectives to support the needs of our Branch Locations and move our mission forward with passion and determined focus.
The Board of Governors
Howard is pictured here with his friend Mickey Spillane
Howard Gerald Comen is Chairman of the Board of Governors and Director of Government Relations.
Howard is named after an Uncle and Cousin killed fighting for Freedom in World War 2. He has a Political Science Degree from the University of South Carolina. He resides in Charleston, South Carolina.
While at USC Howard developed a Student Marshall Program for the University to serve as a buffer between students, administrators, and law enforcement during riots. After three women were raped on campus Howard developed a Student Night Patrol and received a Carnegie Institute grant to publish his ideas on the Student’s Role in Handling Campus Affairs.
He has a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Private Detective License #30. He conducts investigations worldwide and has on the ground in South Africa, Nigeria, England, France, Canada, Mexico. Howard has investigated public officials from small town Mayors to the President of the United States.
In the 1990’s Howard established the Charleston Congress of Religions with Charleston Police Chief Reuben Greenburg. In the new millennium Howard and Richard Wellington developed Interfaith Partners of SC with University of South Carolina Religious Studies Chair Dr. Carl Evans, Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop Herman Yoos, and Governor Nikki Haley and her Father Ajit Randowa.
Richard Wellington
Richard has worked on several investigations with Howard Comen, in South Carolina, New York and Rhode Island; including traveling to Nigeria to consult on several security matters relating to the oil industry. Pictured with the team.
Richard Wellington is President and a Member of the Board of Governors
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a BBA, he worked in his family’s business, Wellington Home Products, a leading manufacturer of outdoor furniture accessories, and narrow fabric webbing, eventually becoming President.
After 30 years in the business community Richard has decided to dedicate himself to help promote Diversity, Equity and Acceptance to our schools and communities across America. “My experience in business and travels to all parts of the world have given me a unique perspective, I believe that only through spending time together can we achieve Diversity in America.”
Howard and Richard formed the International Conference of Religions in the 1990’s to bring a better understanding between religious groups. Pictured is W.D. Mohammed, a good friend and supporter, who spoke at one of our conferences.
Thiago Goncalves is Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Board of Governors
Thiago is our Chief Financial Officer. He is a University of Connecticut graduate and partner in the Danbury Upholstery Company with his father Vanderlei. He lends his unique expertise in public relations and finance to our organization. Working with the local law enforcement departments.
As a naturalized Brazilian immigrant Thiago brings a unique perspective to the organization.
Executive Leadership
Rabbi Bradley Bleefeld is Director of Faith and Culture and a member of the National Advisory Committee
Rabbi Bleefeld has been the rabbi of Beth Hillel∙Beth Abraham since 2001. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a B.A. in philosophy and has both a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and a Doctor of Divinity from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, having been ordained there in 1975. Before coming to BH∙BA he served as the Senior Rabbi at both Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park and Temple Israel in Columbus, Ohio and the rabbi of Temple Anshe Hesed in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2000 he received a gubernatorial appointment and served Pennsylvania under three administrations as The Governor’s Advisor on Academic and Economic Development.
His service on national and regional boards has included the Rabbinic Cabinet of Israel Bonds, the Jewish National Fund, the Association of Reform Zionists of America, the World Union for Progressive Judaism and the Institutional Review Board of Abington Memorial Hospital.
As a scholar and author in Talmud and Bio Medical Ethics and Strategic Applications, he has been invited to speak in the United States, Europe, Israel, the Middle East, Australia and the Pacific Rim and spent 7 months as the Scholar in Residence for our sister congregation, Temple David and the Jewish Community of Perth, Australia. Rabbi Bleefeld and Merrie, who reside in Dresher, Pennsylvania, have been married since 1970 and are the parents of Marshall and Amy, Herschel and Wendi, Rachel and Andy, and the grandparents of Benjamin and Max.
Doctor Daniel Fox is the Chair of the National Advisory Committee and Chair of the National Program Review Committee
Daniel brings 30 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience to our organization, and as a medical professional understands the connection between physical and mental well-being; that connection is a purpose-driven goal that he shares with other members and as such will contribute added value to our programs, with that unique skill-set.
- Retired Orthopedic Surgeon, Ohio
- Current President Congregation Temple Judea of Ft Myers, Florida
- Past President Yavneh Day School of Cincinnati Ohio
- Past President Omicron Deuteron Chapter Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio
- Past Chief of the Medical and Surgical Staff for Mercy Fairfield Hospital in Fairfield, Ohio
- Past Chief of Surgical Staff of Mercy Fairfield Hospital
Advisor's and Contributors
Gina Wellington is Advisor for Special Needs Children
I am pleased to be invited to join the team at New Beginnings. Having spent most of my professional life working in Early Childhood and Special Needs programming, over 20 years as Program Director at the YMHA in Bergen County New Jersey; it has always been a goal of mine to provide the most inclusive social and learning experience for children. Presently in a semi-retired situation I am working with a Denver, CO restaurant group. My responsibilities include but are not limited to onboarding and training new staff, collecting and reporting data to it’s management team as a basis for comparison location to location.
Sherry Suttles is a Member of the National Fundraising Committee and Grant Writer Administrator
Sherry Ann Suttles was hired as the first African American female city manager in the nation: Oberlin, Ohio, 1979. There she created the Oberlin Youth Council, implemented a major downtown improvement plan, including bringing a new tax-paying print company, wrote and allocated a $300,000 HUD grant for housing rehabilitation in the black community, and more. In 1989 Sherry was hired as Town Manager of Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
1972-1974: Asst. Director, ICMA, Environmental Protection Agency grant-funded project: organized and delivered Solid Waste Management training workshops attended by city managers in four-state regions: south, west, east, and central.
Between 1985 and 1994, Sherry served as Assistant County manager in Mecklenburg (Charlotte), NC and Guilford (Greensboro), NC – again, being the first female African American to attain those positions. Prior to these milestone positions, she was Assistant City Manager, Menlo Park, California, Assistant to the City Manager, Long Beach, CA, and Asst. Director International City and County Management Association, (ICMA) in Washington, DC. After retirement from NC posts, Sherry “discovered” right next door in South Carolina, Atlantic Beach, the Black Pearl, (Atlantic Beach, nicknamed “The Black Pearl” for its rich history and African American owned businesses, is in Horry County (pronounced OH-ree) in the northeast corner of South Carolina.) She then created the first of two non-profits, The Atlantic Beach Historical Society, about which she wrote the Arcadia published Images of America (2009). As president, she raised funds and wrote the Historical Marker there. And that is how she first learned about Gullah Geechee people and culture.
She served two years as an elected Town Council member. Due to her city manager skills and numerous trips to Africa, including co-author of Fielding’s Africa: South of the Sahara, she was recruited to found the Gullah Geechee Group, Inc. (GGG). The GGG has conducts grant-funded Heirs Property seminars and now Mediation services; Mende Film, Cultural, and Arts Festivals, and a special program for school age children, entitled “Bridge the Gap”, which is designed to increase grade average, decrease school to prison pipeline numbers – among disproportionately black males.
Aaron Vail is Advisor for The Collective Experience Programs and a Member of the National Advisory Committee
Aaron has worked in public education since 1994 and likes to say he’s done every job in schools except making the food and driving the bus. He earned his undergraduate degree from Evergreen State College, and an M.T. degree from Saint Martins University in Washington state. He earned his Education Masters degree from Bank St. College in New York City. He has also earned advanced LEAP and ALPAP certification and completed the course on therapeutic crisis intervention from Cornell. Aaron has also taught and studied in Europe and Asia.
Recently he has led professional development on the equity framework created by Doctor Ghouldy Mohammed. While Aaron lives in Danbury, he chose to work as a school administrator working in the Bronx, New York, because he believes, “my personal Mission to provide superior, holistic, and culturally relevant education to all students in my care, and I feel the children in the Bronx can benefit the most from my work in education”.
Robin Lebron-Anders is an Advisor for Theology and Faith Organizations
“As those of us who are passionate about Interfaith know, it is important to be open to new concepts and be willing to change our personal views to embrace others who believe differently than ourselves, to open our views, we must educate ourselves on beliefs that are different than our own. Only in this way can we change the way we see each other and move the discourse away from distrust and misunderstanding to peaceful dialogue. It is more than just tolerance, as tolerance suggests hesitant acceptance. But as we strive to find that important balance of honoring all humankind, and treasuring our own beliefs, the bridge is accurate knowledge of the other.” ~ R Lebron-Anders
Robyn has been a leader in Religious Understanding for many years and her experience is of unlimited value in our effort to bring acceptance and understanding among our children, in the Gatherings and Pathways programs. We are grateful for her support and guidance.
Robyn Lebron-Anders currently works as the Interfaith Advisor Consultant for ADR New Beginnings, a group who is working with the Council Against Hate. They created a “best practices” manual for cities to use to reduce hate crimes and foster peace in their communities.
In her spare time, she manages Interfaith Professionals on LinkedIn, has written articles for United Religions Initiative, Harmony Interfaith Initiative, The Interfaith Observer and has written several books on comparative world religions and Spirituality. She has appeared on radio podcasts for The Voice of Islam and The American Diversity Report.
Her World Religion books have been awarded 2018 Best in Class for DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Award for Excellence in Religious Communication, given annually by Religion Communicators Council. And her newest Book “Finding Common Ground between Science and Spiritually” was awarded the DeRose-Hinkhouse Award of Merit for 2019.
Branch Leadership
Bishop John Bulinda (Center) and his wife Mary
Bishop John Bulinda is Community Services and Projects Administrator for Seattle, WA
Bishop Bulinda and wife Mary Abondi, a former Deputy Head School Teacher, are humble missionaries from Kenya. They left their motherland with the noble calling of banishing HATE through Interfaith Harmony. They reside in Seattle, Washington.
In the United States, Bishop Bulinda used the sound of the Jewish Shofar to Pull Down Walls of HATE and Bring Peace & Harmony in Ferguson’s 2014 riots. They are World Council of Mayors Board members and US Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) Liaison.