We are proud to introduce these nine individuals who dedicate their time and considerable talents to furthering the goals of Creativity for Peace.

Libby S. Pattishall (president) is an artist and retired master goldsmith. Her many interests include architectural design, horsemanship, and cooking. She believes that young people can contribute to peace, in their communities and in the world, through their personal relationships.

Jane Yohalem (vice president) is an appellate attorney who has practiced labor, employment, and civil rights law in New Mexico. A graduate of Columbia University Law School and Georgetown University Law School, she worked for more than a decade for the Mental Health Law Project in Washington, D.C.

Glenn Dickter (secretary) is a senior financial planner for Ameriprise Financial Services. He has been an active, long-term supporter and volunteer for the ManKind Project and for Kitchen Angels.

Lamia Faruki (treasurer) is an Albuquerque Realtor. She has a degree in management from Arizona State University, speaks French and Arabic, and serves on the Professional Standards Committee at the Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors. She does public speaking in an effort to further interfaith understanding and reconciliation.

Beverley Byers-Pevitts, President Emerita of Park University, retired as a higher education leader after 43 years in the academy. Her Ph.D. is from Southern Illinois University, with postdoctoral studies at Harvard. A playwright, writer and editor, she has lectured on issues from leadership and strategic planning to women in the arts and women’s health.

John Connell is a professional chef who, after many years in the restaurant industry, works for private clients. He was a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Kitchen Angels and has headed its Friday kitchen crew for nine years.

Rob Elliott is a retired river outfitter who guides four weeks a year on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. He has been a community activist much of his life, is blessed with three children and four grandchildren, and lives with his life-partner, Sharon Woods. He is an avid outdoorsman, photographer, and environmentalist.

Sam M. Hocking is the owner of a computer firm that outsources accounting services. He formerly worked for International Paper Company and International Business Machines. He served for five years on the Dallas United Way budget committee and was treasurer of the Dallas Shakespeare Festival. He and wife Gloria are long-time volunteers and supporters of Creativity for Peace.

Amyra Rasak owns and operates Grayling Group LLC, a sales promotion and promotional products company in Santa Fe. She has been involved in community services with a focus on women and their needs. Her interests include Eastern arts, outdoor activities, and cooking. She believes in the power of peace.

Joyce Testa Salhoot is a retired hospital administrator and social worker with a 45-year career in nonprofit healthcare and volunteerism. She sits on the Board of the New Mexico Governor's Mansion Foundation, St. Vincent Hospital Foundation and the Women's Resource of Houston.

Emeritus Board

Our Emeritus Board members are dedicated to our mission, provide financial and other support, introduce colleagues and friends to our work, and serve as special advisors in their areas of expertise.

Nancy Dickenson is a documentary film producer and philanthropist with an interest in animal welfare, children, and the arts. She was active in the civil rights movement, directed Case Western Reserve's art gallery, and owned Folkways Gallery in her native Cleveland, Ohio. Nancy was a Creativity for Peace board member from 2006 through 2011.

Paul Kovnat, a Santa Fe physician for 49 years, has a lifelong interest in social and political activism. A trip to Palestine in 2004 inspired him to concentrate on issues of the region. Paul was a Creativity for Peace Board member for four years, from 2006 through 2009.

Elizabeth A. Martin, JD, is a senior vice president in behavioral health at OptumHealth New Mexico. A graduate of Creighton University and Boston College, she has served on the Boards of the Permaculture Credit Union, Santa Fe Girls School, and New Mexico Women's Foundation. She was a Creativity for Peace Board member for four years, from 2006 through 2009.

Leslie Nathanson Juris runs a consulting business that advises corporations and family businesses on managing complex organizational change. She holds a Ph.D. from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University and serves on the Boards of Ameristar Casinos, Inc., The Chas. Levy Company, and the National Dance Institute of New Mexico. She was a Creativity for Peace Board member for five years, from 2006 through 2010.