Our Team
Institute Board
John B. Cobb, Jr. - Founder
John B. Cobb, Jr. taught theology at the Claremont School of Theology from 1958 to 1990. In retirement he lives at Pilgrim Place in Claremont. In 1973, with David Griffin, he established the Center for Process Studies. Throughout his career he has contributed to Whitehead scholarship and promoted process programs and organizations. In recent years he has given special attention to supporting work toward the goal of China to become an ecological civilization.
John Fahey - Board Chair
John Fahey is a Graduate of the Starr-King School for Ministry, a member school of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. John received his Master of Divinity Degree from the Starr-King School and studied Philosophy and Religion as an undergraduate student at Colgate University. John has held a number of counseling and leadership positions in a variety of non-profit organizations, including Unitarian-Universalist Congregations and Addiction-Recovery Centers. John is also a retired technology industry sales executive where he led sales and marketing teams for a variety of information technology companies. John has a passion for education and is a partner in Reading Ways, a company designed to ensure high quality literacy instruction in all content areas for a school system. Reading Ways believes that all students should leave secondary school able to use reading and writing to participate effectively in society in a variety of roles, be it as a private individual, citizen, or employees. John and his wife Cyndy live in Claremont CA and are the proud parents of four adult children and one Bernie-Doodle puppy “Bernie”.
Meijun Fan - Treasurer
Meijun Fan, Ph.D., is the Program Director at The Institute for Postmodern Development of China, and the former Vice-Chair and Professor of the Philosophy Department at Beijing Normal University, China. She completed doctoral studies at Beijing Normal University, specializing in Chinese traditional aesthetics and aesthetical education. She is the author of six books, and a co-author of six books. Her book, Contemporary Interpretation of Chinese Traditional Aesthetic, was granted the “Excellence Award in Philosophy and Social Science” in China in 1998.
John Gingrich - Educational Development Leader
John Gingrich completed his Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University in 1973, having studied with John Cobb as his academic mentor. Earlier, he received his M.Div. from Bethany Theological Seminary, and is ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Most of his career was spent at the University of La Verne, where he began as the Campus Minister, and gradually moved into full-time teaching and administration. He served the university as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for sixteen years and retired in 2005. During his tenure as Dean, he helped to shape the general education curriculum at ULV that included various Process themes. He also worked with Dr. Cobb and the Center for Process Studies to sponsor joint conferences centering on Process-related themes at ULV. He and his wife Jacki, served as the Directors of Brethren Colleges Abroad – an academic exchange program – in Marburg, Germany at Phillips Universitat, during the 1979-80 academic year. In addition to his academic work, John was a professional choral singer for 16 years as a member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Roger Wagner Chorale. John is pleased to be working again with Dr. Cobb as a member of the Cobb Institute board.
Ronald Hines - Secretary & Meeting Coordinator
Ronald Hines is a United Methodist ordained elder in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. He served as pastor at Seattle First Church (associate), Prosser, Tacoma Asbury, Puyallup First, and Yakima Wesley. He was Superintendent of Seven Rivers District from 2001 through 2009. Under supervision of United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, he served as pastor at Knox UMC, Manila, and the ecumenical University Church on the campus of Philippine Christian University and Union Theological Seminary, where I served on the faculty from 1986-94. He received an M.Div. from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, in 1970 and a Ph.D. in Personality and Religion, focus on education, from School of Theology at Claremont, California, 1976.
Kathleen Jacobson - Spiritual Integration Leader
Kathleen Jacobson is a writer, artist and published poet. She is completing her Master of Divinity and will be ordained as an interfaith minister in early 2021. She has been active in interfaith peace and is a member of the Inland Valley Interfaith Working Group for Middle East Peace. She is the Vice President of the Upland Interfaith Council and held leadership positions in Unitarian Universalists congregations. She is a student of Japanese tea ceremony through the international Chado Urasenke Tankokai associations of the Urasenke school in Kyoto, Japan. Her community interfaith ministry led her to volunteer with Syrian refugees as they settled into their new country. Her deep connection with one special family is captured in her series of stories she wrote for the Huffington Post. Kathleen has trained in Restorative Practice. she follows an earth-based religion and belongs to The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids. She is working on ways to bring process philosophy to the spiritual but not religious through small group ministry.
Jay McDaniel - Board Consultant
Jay McDaniel is Willis Holmes Professor of Religious Studies at Hendrix College in Arkansas, and founder of the website Open Horizons, which focuses on exploring a process outlook on life and way of living in the world. Active in the development of process thought in China, he is a consultant to the China Project of the Center for Process Studies in Claremont, California, and a member of the advisory board of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China. His books include With Roots and Wings: Christianity in an Age of Ecology and Dialogue; Living from the Center: Spirituality in an Age of Consumerism; and Gandhi’s Hope: Learning from Other Religions as a Path to Peace.
Andrew Schwartz - Board Consultant
Wm. Andrew Schwartz is Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies and Assistant Professor of Process & Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology, as well as Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization. Dr. Schwartz earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion and Theology at Claremont Graduate University. He is the author of The Metaphysics of Paradox: Jainism, Absolute Relativity, and Religious Pluralism, and co-author of What Is Ecological Civilization?: Crisis, Hope, and the Future of the Planet and Putting Philosophy to Work: Toward an Ecological Civilization. His recent work has been focused on high-impact philosophy and the role of big ideas in the transition toward ecological civilization.
Michael G. Witmer - Community Collaboration Leader
Michael G. Witmer (JD/MBA, UCLA, 1984) Retired California Deputy Attorney General and current resident of Pilgrim Place, Claremont. He has 20 years’ experience in California administrative and constitutional law. His MBA training focused on finance and strategic planning. He worked for ten years in community development and conflict transformation in local, national, international and interfaith settings, including with the Reconciliation Institute of Santa Barbara and Reconcilers.net. His current passions and projects include Restorative Practices, sustainable urban agriculture, creative writing and wood sculpture.
Staff
Richard Livingston, Director of Operations
Richard Livingston received his PhD in 2015 from Claremont Graduate University in Philosophy of Religion and Theology. During his doctoral studies he worked at the Center for Process Studies as an IT Specialist. He holds a Master's Degree in Theology from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor's Degree in Near Eastern Studies from Brigham Young University. He is also an adjunct instructor in philosophy and religious studies at Riverside City College.