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HCEF Annouces the Election of Two New Members to the Board of Directors
11-Dec-00
Contact: Robert Younes, M.D.
301-983-3022, 301-871-9222
younes@hcef.org
The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) announces the election of two new members to the Board of Directors: Father Drew Christiansen, previously on the Advisory Board of HCEF, and Dr. Robert Younes. Don Kruse was elected Executive Vice President and Dr. Younes was elected Secretary of the Board of Directors. The addition of two new board members reflects the growing American interest in, and concern for, the suffering of Holy Land Christians, Rateb Rabie, HCEF president said in announcing the new members of the Board of Directors. In addition, Paul Zurkowski resigned his position on the Board of Directors.
Father Drew, who is known throughout the world for his work for peace and justice, will bring new strength to HCEF's commitment of advocacy and support for the Christians of the Holy Land. Father Drew was the former Director of the Office of International Justice and Peace of the US Catholic Conference. Father Drew brings a depth of experience in both religious matters and Middle East affairs. Father Drew studied theology at the Woodstock College, where he is presently a fellow. He received his Ph.D. in religious social ethics from Yale University in 1982. He has a distinguished academic career first as a research associate at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University and on the Faculties of the University of Notre Dame, the Jesuit School of Theology and the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley. From 1982 to 1986, he was the Director of the Center for Ethics and Social; Policy at Berkeley and was a founding member of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Father Drew was with the US Catholic Conference, the coordinating organization for the US Catholic Bishops, for nearly eight years. He acted as policy advisor for the Middle East and he continues to serve as a counselor to the USCC on Middle East affairs. Father Drew is the author of more than 70 articles on ethics, Catholic social teaching and public policy.
Dr. Younes, who recently retired from medical practice to devote his full energies to the issues of peace and justice, is deeply committed to improving the living conditions of Christians in the Holy Land. Dr. Younes is a 1963 graduate of McGill University, Faculty of Medicine. He received a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University in 1968 and a Masters in Business Administration from Virginia Tech in 1994. He received his medical training at Cook County Hospital and Boston City Hospital in Boston Massachusetts. He served as a Peace Corps physician in Tunisia from 1964 to 1967. He is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Medical Administration. Before coming to Washington D.C. in 1986, he was Director of Pediatrics at Carney Hospital. While he was practicing in Boston, he was active in health planning for the city, participated in the establishment of neighborhood health centers in several Boston neighborhoods, and was an advocate for lead poisoning prevention legislation and legislation mandating car seats for children and seat belts for adults. After moving to Washington, he was appointed Regional Medical Director for Group Health Association, MetraHealth and United HealthCare. He is a member of the Board of Governors of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Board of Directors of the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities in Memphis, Tennessee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Rene Moawad Foundation. Dr. Younes served as the Chairperson for the Second National Conference of the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation.
Other members of the Board of Directors are: Rateb Rabie, KHS, President, HCEF, Donald Kruse, Executive Vice President, Rev. Lynne Faris, Vice President William Mapes, Jr, Treasurer, Rev. Peter Ruggere, M.M. and George Khoury,
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* The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation is a tax exempt, non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of Christians in the Holy Land by developing bonds of solidarity with Christians in the United States. HCEF, PO Box 6687, Silver Spring, MD 20906. (301) 871-9222, Fax (301) 871-2277. www.hcef.org. email:rabie@hcef.org
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