Distinguished Advocates for Representation
A cohort of nine thought leaders, from diverse religions and professions, who advocate for improved representation of faith in media.
Asma T. Uddin
Asma T. Uddin is a professor, author, and lawyer specializing in religious liberty. She has published two major books—When Islam Is Not a Religion (2019) and The Politics of Vulnerability (2021)—as well as numerous scholarly articles on depolarization and the U.S. Supreme Court. Uddin is currently a Research Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for the Constitution, and previously taught law at Catholic University and Harvard Law School. A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, she served as Legal Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, litigating religious freedom cases including at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Uddin is also a Fellow with the Freedom Forum Institute and the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, where she developed data-driven strategies to reduce Muslim-Christian polarization. Her work has been supported by leading national foundations. She served as an advisor to the OSCE, was a CFR term member, held Harvard and UCLA fellowships, and sits on Notre Dame’s Religious Liberty board. A widely published commentator, she has contributed to The New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and more, and was named a faith “reformer” by Deseret Magazine. Uddin also founded and edited altMuslimah, executive produced the Emmy-nominated Secret Life of Muslims, and pursues interior design in her spare time.
Uddin is also a Fellow with the Freedom Forum Institute and the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, where she developed data-driven strategies to reduce Muslim-Christian polarization. Her work has been supported by leading national foundations. She served as an advisor to the OSCE, was a CFR term member, held Harvard and UCLA fellowships, and sits on Notre Dame’s Religious Liberty board. A widely published commentator, she has contributed to The New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and more, and was named a faith “reformer” by Deseret Magazine. Uddin also founded and edited altMuslimah, executive produced the Emmy-nominated Secret Life of Muslims, and pursues interior design in her spare time.
Craig Detweiler
Filmmaker and author Craig Detweiler, PhD, is President of the cultural investment organization, the Wedgwood Circle, and Dean of the College of Arts and Media at Grand Canyon University. After graduation from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, he wrote the screenplays for The Duke, the comedic road trip Extreme Days, and directed the award-winning documentary Remand, narrated by Angela Bassett.
His acclaimed books include iGods: How Technology Shapes Our Spiritual and Social Lives, Selfies: Searching for the Image of God in a Digital Age, Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue, and his newest release on Honest Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Detweiler’s cultural commentary has been featured on ABC’s Nightline, CNN, Fox, NPR, and in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Variety honored Detweiler as their 2016 Mentor of the Year.
His acclaimed books include iGods: How Technology Shapes Our Spiritual and Social Lives, Selfies: Searching for the Image of God in a Digital Age, Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue, and his newest release on Honest Creativity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Detweiler’s cultural commentary has been featured on ABC’s Nightline, CNN, Fox, NPR, and in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Variety honored Detweiler as their 2016 Mentor of the Year.
Rabbi Elan Babchuck
Rabbi Elan Babchuck is Executive Vice President at Clal, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and Founding Director of Glean Network. Ordained in 2012 with an MBA, he is completing his PhD by 2026. A recognized thought leader, he co-authored Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership After Empire (2024) and Meaning Making: 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations (2020), and has upcoming titles including Move Slow and Fix Things (2026) and Tech in Search of Meaning. He has delivered keynotes from the Pentagon to TEDx, contributed to outlets such as The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, The Guardian, The New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, and Religion News Service, and writes a column for The Wisdom Daily.
Rabbi Babchuck is a Founding Partner of Starts With Us, a movement countering toxic polarization in America, and a founding board member of Springtide Research Institute, which explores spirituality, mental health, and Gen Z. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his wife and three children, and enjoys rock climbing and gardening in his spare time.
Rabbi Babchuck is a Founding Partner of Starts With Us, a movement countering toxic polarization in America, and a founding board member of Springtide Research Institute, which explores spirituality, mental health, and Gen Z. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his wife and three children, and enjoys rock climbing and gardening in his spare time.
Elonda Clay
Elonda Clay is the Library Director at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, where she draws on her expertise as a librarian, scholar, and ethicist to explore intersections of digital religion, digital inclusion, and environmental justice. Her librarianship emphasizes instruction in information, digital, and AI literacies, and she is deeply committed to equity-driven, critical pedagogy. Clay’s research focuses on digital religion, the ethical and ecological dimensions of emerging technologies, and the environmental costs of generative AI, working collaboratively to promote just, sustainable digital futures.
She holds an MLIS from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a Master’s in Theological Studies from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and a Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary. Her leadership roles include principal administrator for the AAAS/DoSer Questioning Science with Good Faith grant, co-lead for the AUC Data Science Initiative’s Religion and/as Big Data project, and collaborator on the Henry Luce Foundation’s Future Humans, Human Futures. Clay is also a founding member of the Technology, Ecology, Religion, and Art (TERA) Collective. Her forthcoming book, Artificial Intelligence, Real Faith: AI Ethics for Churches, offers guidance to pastors and congregations navigating the ethical questions around emerging technologies.
She holds an MLIS from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a Master’s in Theological Studies from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and a Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary. Her leadership roles include principal administrator for the AAAS/DoSer Questioning Science with Good Faith grant, co-lead for the AUC Data Science Initiative’s Religion and/as Big Data project, and collaborator on the Henry Luce Foundation’s Future Humans, Human Futures. Clay is also a founding member of the Technology, Ecology, Religion, and Art (TERA) Collective. Her forthcoming book, Artificial Intelligence, Real Faith: AI Ethics for Churches, offers guidance to pastors and congregations navigating the ethical questions around emerging technologies.
Katrina Lantos Swett
Katrina Lantos Swett is President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, founded in 2008 to honor the legacy of her father, Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor elected to Congress and former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Under her leadership, the Foundation has become a leading advocate for human rights worldwide, championing the rule of law, freedom of religion and belief, Internet freedom in closed societies, and fighting antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Lantos Swett formerly served as Chair and Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and teaches Human Rights and American Foreign Policy at Tufts University. She currently co-chairs the boards of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) and the Tom Lantos Institute in Budapest, and serves on advisory boards for UN Watch, the annual Anne Frank Award and Lecture, and the Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership, and Public Policy. Additionally, she is Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit, launched in 2021, and remains deeply engaged in the global fight for justice and human rights.
Lantos Swett formerly served as Chair and Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and teaches Human Rights and American Foreign Policy at Tufts University. She currently co-chairs the boards of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) and the Tom Lantos Institute in Budapest, and serves on advisory boards for UN Watch, the annual Anne Frank Award and Lecture, and the Warren B. Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership, and Public Policy. Additionally, she is Co-Chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit, launched in 2021, and remains deeply engaged in the global fight for justice and human rights.
Dr. Lipi Roy, MD
Dr. Lipi Roy is a physician, international speaker, media personality, entrepreneur, and host of the YouTube series Health, Humor and Harmony. In 2023, she founded SITA MED, a health speaking and training company focused on stress-related conditions such as addiction, mental illness, and sleep disorders. Dr. Roy has trained professionals across various fields and served on the frontlines during the pandemic as Medical Director of COVID Isolation and Quarantine Sites for Housing Works in NYC, while also treating opioid use disorder in the Bronx. She currently practices at Greenwich House Center for Healing and is a clinical assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
A former Chief of Addiction Medicine at Rikers Island, Dr. Roy oversaw substance use treatment for one of the nation’s largest jail complexes, and previously served Boston’s homeless population, was an attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and faculty at Harvard Medical School. She holds an MD and MPH from Tulane University and completed her residency at Duke University Medical Center, where she also serves on the DukeNY Board.
As an MSNBC & NBC Medical Contributor, Dr. Roy has made 350+ live appearances, written for Forbes, and been featured on CNN, CBS, and in major outlets like The New York Times and Oprah.com. Her mission is to educate and empower the public to make healthy decisions.
A former Chief of Addiction Medicine at Rikers Island, Dr. Roy oversaw substance use treatment for one of the nation’s largest jail complexes, and previously served Boston’s homeless population, was an attending physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and faculty at Harvard Medical School. She holds an MD and MPH from Tulane University and completed her residency at Duke University Medical Center, where she also serves on the DukeNY Board.
As an MSNBC & NBC Medical Contributor, Dr. Roy has made 350+ live appearances, written for Forbes, and been featured on CNN, CBS, and in major outlets like The New York Times and Oprah.com. Her mission is to educate and empower the public to make healthy decisions.
Lynn Swain
Lynn Swain is a TEDx speaker, Master Neuroplastician, and respected expert in authentic leadership and corporate transformation. With over 20 years of experience in consulting, coaching, and leadership development, she is recognized for guiding organizations through complexity using social cognitive neuroscience. Lynn is the founder and CEO of Symbiota Leadership Institute and holds a Master of Science in the Neuroscience of Leadership from Middlesex University, UK. Bridging academic depth with practical impact, she designs interventions that foster trust, emotional regulation, and psychological safety in high-stakes environments.
Her credibility is further grounded in her personal story of overcoming severe adversity, fueling her dedication to authentic, human-centered change. Lynn was a finalist in the Woman of Stature Awards (Mentoring and Coaching category), and her work has been featured in the International Journal of Educational Management and the Australian Journal of Pharmacy. She is also a sought-after guest on radio, TV, and podcasts. Communicating with clarity and compassion, Lynn combines neuroscience expertise with lived experience to empower others. She lives with her husband, Michael Swain, enjoying their blended family of three daughters.
Her credibility is further grounded in her personal story of overcoming severe adversity, fueling her dedication to authentic, human-centered change. Lynn was a finalist in the Woman of Stature Awards (Mentoring and Coaching category), and her work has been featured in the International Journal of Educational Management and the Australian Journal of Pharmacy. She is also a sought-after guest on radio, TV, and podcasts. Communicating with clarity and compassion, Lynn combines neuroscience expertise with lived experience to empower others. She lives with her husband, Michael Swain, enjoying their blended family of three daughters.
Robert P. George
Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He has also taught at Harvard Law School. He has served as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He has also served on the U.S. President’s Council on Bioethics and as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Science and Technology. He was a Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States, where he received the Justice Tom C. Clark Award. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Swarthmore College, he holds the degrees of JD and MTS from Harvard University and the degrees of DPhil, BCL, DCL, and DLitt from Oxford University, in addition to twenty-three honorary degrees. He is a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Citizens Medal, the Honorific Medal for the Defense of Human Rights of the Republic of Poland, and a Barry Prize for Distinguished Scholarly Achievement of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters, among many other awards. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Of Counsel to the law firm of Robinson & McElwee.
Simran Jeet Singh
Simran Jeet Singh is Assistant Professor of Interreligious Histories at Union Theological Seminary and author of the national bestseller The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life (Riverhead, Penguin Random House, 2022). He is Senior Advisor for the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, where he previously served as Executive Director. Simran is the host of Wisdom & Practice, produced by The Aspen Institute and PRX, a contributor for TIME, and a columnist for Religion News Service.
Simran is a historian of South Asian religions, with graduate degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Columbia University. He is a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations and an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Columbia University. He has authored multiple children’s books, the latest of which, A Vaisakhi to Remember, came out this spring. He is currently working on new books for Penguin Random House and for Oxford University Press.
Simran lives in New York City, where he enjoys reading, writing, and chasing his young kids.
Simran is a historian of South Asian religions, with graduate degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Columbia University. He is a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations and an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Columbia University. He has authored multiple children’s books, the latest of which, A Vaisakhi to Remember, came out this spring. He is currently working on new books for Penguin Random House and for Oxford University Press.
Simran lives in New York City, where he enjoys reading, writing, and chasing his young kids.
Get Involved.
The strength of the Faith & Media Initiative™ comes from a passionate, global community of bright minds and stellar organizations. There are a myriad of ways for media members, faith leaders, business executives, and community members to get involved.
Let's go.
™ is a nonprofit that connects and provides resources to a global, diverse network of media members, content creators, faith leaders, and community members to ensure accurate, balanced representation of all faiths in news and entertainment.