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The Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies
956 Dulaney Valley Road, Baltimore, MD 21204
410.494.7161 / fax: 410.494.7169
email: Info@icjs.org
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ICJS Staff

Dr. Christopher M. Leighton is an ordained Presbyterian minister who has served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies in Baltimore, Maryland since its inception in 1987. Dr. Leighton is a graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary and Columbia University where he did his doctorate in Philosophy and Education. He has studied at the Baltimore Hebrew University, the Jewish Theolog-ical Seminary in New York, and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. In addition to his work at the ICJS, he has been an Adjunct Professor at the Johns Hopkins University and the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University. After co-editing Talking About Genesis: A Resource Guide for the Bill Moyers series, he conducted a variety of educational programs which ex-plored the challenges of reading and interpreting Genesis with public and independent high school students, individuals in retirement homes and a maximum security prison, as well as a diverse cross-section of churches and synagogues. [E-mail: leighton@icjs.org]

Dr. Rosann Catalano is the Associate Director of the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies as well as the staff's Roman Catholic Scholar. From 1980-1991 she was Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, she is Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary's Seminary & University, Baltimore; and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at the Weekend College, The College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore. A systematic theologian, Dr. Catalano did her doctorate at the University of St. Michael's College, Toronto, where she did her major work on the theology of God and the poetry of suffering in the book of Psalms. She is a member of a number of professional societies and ecumenical and interfaith organizations. She lectures widely to Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic audiences on theological and interfaith topics. [E-mail: catalano@icjs.org]

Rabbi Joel H. Zaiman is the Consultant/Jewish Scholar at the ICJS. He is Rabbi Emeritus at Chizuk Amuno Con-gregation of Baltimore, where he served for twenty-three years. He received a Bachelor of Sciences Degree from DePaul University, Chicago, and a M.H.L. and ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He has done graduate work at the Hebrew Uni-versity in Jerusalem, and Jewish Theological and Union Theological Seminaries. Rabbi Zaiman taught at Brown University, Providence, (Adjunct Lecturer) and teaches at Loyola College, Baltimore, (Associate Faculty). He served as President of the Synagogue Council of Amer-ica, Chair of the Commission of Jewish Educators of the United Synagogue of America, and co-chairs consulta-tions between the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Council of Synagogues. [E-mail: joelzaiman@comcast.net]

Janis L. Koch is an Associate Scholar at the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies. She received a B.A. from Goucher College with a major in Russian language and lit-erature and spent twenty-seven years teaching Russian to children and adults. Ms. Koch received an M.A. in Theology with a concentration in Jewish-Christian rela-tions from the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD. Her Master's thesis is entitled Christology and Covenant: Covenantal Perspective and the Centrality and Function of Jesus Christ. Ms. Koch's primary interest is the Apostle Paul, and she teaches the ICJS Mini-courses called Rescuing Paul and Rescuing Romans 9-11.

Laura Riger is the Director of Administration at the ICJS. Ms. Riger is responsible for the implementation of ICJS programs and oversees all ICJS administrative functions. Ms. Riger’s background includes community organizing, educational and health care administration, and public/private school teaching. Prior to her tenure at the ICJS she was Vice President of Administration at the Traditional Acupuncture School in Columbia, Maryland. She holds Masters Degrees in Education and Health Care Administration. [E-mail: riger@icjs.org]

Nancy J. Hagner is the Director of Development at the ICJS. She is responsible for fundraising, leadership development, and increasing member and community awareness of the work of the ICJS. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Hagner was Director of Programs, Ste-wardship, and Education at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Owings Mills. Prior to that she was a Vice President for Private Client Services at Bank of America. She has a B.A. in History and Economics from Wellesley College. [E-mail: nhagner@icjs.org]

Karen Willis is the Administrative Assistant, responsible for keeping the ICJS office functioning smoothly.

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The Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies
956 Dulaney Valley Road, Baltimore, MD 21204
410.494.7161 / fax: 410.494.7169
email: Info@icjs.org