Leadership

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service’s board of directors sets the organization’s mission goals and ensures that we have the resources, leadership and oversight necessary to carry them out. A leadership team composed of our president and vice presidents guides the day-to-day operations of the organization as we work toward achieving our mission goals with integrity, courage and fiscal responsibility.

Board Members
The board is composed of 15 representatives of our three supporting church bodies:

  • one director from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and one director from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS), each representing the appropriate program unit of the church bodies
  • one director each from ELCA and LCMS representing a social ministry agency or institution
  • one director who is a representative of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (LELCA)
  • 10 directors at large having knowledge of and commitment to refugee and immigration matters—six from ELCA, three from LCMS and one a former refugee who is a member of a participating church body
  • the LIRS president is an ex-officio member of the board


Executive Committee

    • Board Chair — Bishop E. Roy Riley (ELCA), ELCA New Jersey Synod, Hamilton Square NJ
    • Board Vice Chair — Ruth Henrichs (ELCA), Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Omaha NE
    • Board Secretary — The Rev. Jotham Johann, J.D. (LCMS), Center for Asian Missions & Evangelism, Silver Spring MD 


At-Large Members

    • Kathi Anderson (ELCA), Survivors of Torture International, San Diego CA
    • Richmond Appleton (ELCA), Will Steger Foundation, St. Cloud MN
    • The Rev. Dr. Stephen Bouman (ELCA), ELCA Congregational and Synodical Mission, Chicago IL
    • Sen. Betty Boyd (ELCA), State Capitol, Denver CO
    • Elaine Richter Bryant (LCMS), Tucson AZ
    • The Rev. Dr. Gary Danielsen (LCMS), Lutheran Services of Georgia, Atlanta GA
    • Dr. Judith A. Diers (ELCA), UNICEF, New York NY
    • Christine Grumm (ELCA), San Francisco CA
    • The Rev. Carlos Hernandez (LCMS), LCMS World Relief and Human Care, St. Louis MO
    • Randel K. Johnson (LCMS), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington DC
    • The Rev. Yohannes Mengsteab (LCMS), The Lutheran Foundation, Fort Wayne IN
    • The Rev. Dr. Kristine Suna-Koro (LELCA), Xavier University, Cincinnati OH


Leadership Team Members

  • President — Linda Hartke
  • Executive Vice President — Annie Wilson
  • Vice President for Finance and Administration — Jane Anthon
  • Interim Vice President for Protection and Programs — Nancy Arnison 
  • Vice President for Mission Advancement — Stacy Martin