Rev. Bethany Hull Somers
Executive Director
Rev. Bethany Hull Somers is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American (ELCA). She has worked as a pastor and community advocate for over 20 years. Bethany earned her undergraduate degree in 2000 from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA and her Master of Divinity degree in 2004 from Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC. Bethany brings a deep commitment to interfaith cooperation, civic engagement, and compassionate public leadership to her role at ISAA. Throughout her career she has worked at the intersection of faith and public life, especially through advocacy related to housing insecurity, violence prevention and community care for unhoused neighbors. She has partnered with nonprofits and civic leaders to expand shelter access and strengthen harm-reduction initiatives across the city. In addition to her community advocacy, Bethany is a thoughtful public voice on faith and social justice, regularly participating in civic conversations and interfaith gatherings throughout San Antonio. She has served in visible leadership roles at public events, including offering clergy leadership for citywide gatherings and blessings for public officials. As our city continues to grow and change, the need for meaningful interfaith relationships and courageous public partnership has never been greater. Bethany is committed to help Interfaith San Antonio Alliance in its work of cultivating understanding, cooperation, and shared responsibility across our diverse communities.
Board of Directors
Rev. Garrett Vickrey
Garrett Vickrey is the senior pastor of Woodland Baptist Church where he has served for over ten years. He has served churches in North Carolina and Texas. Garrett has been active in interfaith dialogue and social justice advocacy.
Garrett is committed to acting justly for the good for all of San Antonio. Just as he and his wife Cameron seek the best for each of their three extraordinary daughters, they work for the best for every child in our community.
Board Chair
Rev. Lora East
A Texas native, Rev. Lora brings extensive interfaith and community building experience (most recently serving as Associate Pastor at Brentwood Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles) and advanced theological education, including a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
She envisions our faith community as a place of relationship and inclusive action, modeling God’s love for our world.
Board Secretary
Waheeda Thawerbhoy Kara
Waheeda Thawerbhoy Kara received World Affairs Council International Citizen of the Year Award in 2023. Her accolades include being recognized globally and by the State of Texas, Bexar County Commissioner’s Court and City of San Antonio for her humanitarian work. Waheeda is a council member for Ismaili Council for the Southwestern USA and serves on University of Texas Health Science Center Mays Cancer Center’s Advisory Board and San Antonio Food Bank’s Interfaith Committee.
Board Member
Dr. G.P. Singh
G.P. Singh, a native of India and a Sikh, is a civic leader devoted to the well being of San Antonio's people. G.P. is also known as an innovator, entrepreneur, and research scientist and as a man of faith who champions tolerance and understanding. He has served on numerous boards providing and promoting care for those in need.
Board Member
Lori Peery
Lori Peery is Vice-Chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, as well as serving as the Interfaith liaison for the archdiocese. She is the mother of three wonderful grown sons, has two beautiful daughters-in-law, four grandchildren and is a civil and canon lawyer. Her appreciation for the importance of inter-religious dialogue continues to grow through involvement in the ISAA.
Board Member
Mehmet Oguz
Mehmet Oguz, a native of the Kurdish people of Turkey, is a Muslim leader in San Antonio. He served as volunteer Executive Director of the Dialogue Institute of San Antonio between 2011-2018, establishing interfaith and intercultural connections in the San Antonio community. He serves as a board member of Raindrop Foundation, SoL Center and Dialogue Institute of the SW. Additionally, Mehmet is employed as a data scientist and holds a MA in International Relations with a focus on conflict transformation.
Board Member
Lukin Gilliland
Mr. Lukin T. Gilliland, Jr., is a native San Antonian, a businessperson and a founding member of Interfaith San Antonio Alliance. Active in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and in civic affairs, Gilliland has led numerous boards for the public good. His current civic service includes the Brackenridge Park Conservancy Board, and the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame Board.
Board Member
Sharon Mullen
Sharon Mullen is an educator, community leader, and longtime advocate for religious freedom, education, and social justice.Â
In addition to teaching, Sharon served as Director of the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio. Sharon continues to serve as a docent at the museum as well as on the board of the National Council of Jewish women – San Antonio where she is vice president of programming.
In recognition of her leadership and service, Sharon received the Women of Valor Award from the Jewish Federation of San Antonio in 2025.
She believes strongly in the power of education, interfaith understanding, and respectful dialogue to bring people together, confront prejudice, and build a more just and compassionate community.
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Board Member
Antonio Frietze
Antonio Frietze serves as Director of Renewal and Outreach at Oblate School of Theology, where he leads program development for community-facing education and serves as the school's liaison to San Antonio's interfaith community. He has partnered with Interfaith San Antonio Alliance and the City of San Antonio to organize the 2024 and 2025 Interfaith Summits, and co-organized the 2025 Festival of Faiths at the University of the Incarnate Word. Antonio has supported the Archdiocese of San Antonio's commitment to the Laudato Si' Action Platform and continues to engage in environmental organizing across faith communities. He holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Oblate School of Theology, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston College, and a Diploma in International Relations from the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid, Spain.
Board Member
Don Larsen
Don Larson is a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served in leadership positions for more than 30 years, including as Young Men’s President, Bishop, and Stake President in the San Antonio and West Texas areas. He attended Brigham Young University–Idaho, where he met his wife of 43 years. Together they have six children and 20 grandchildren, with another on the way.
In his current Church responsibilities, he connects faith leaders in San Antonio with LDS leaders in an effort to build relationships that lead to stronger communities. He also coordinates disaster relief, welfare, and self-reliance efforts for his church. He is blessed to work closely with ISAA, building faith in our communities and providing the opportunity to love one another and fulfill the second great commandment to love our neighbor.
Board Member
Dr. Lisa Epstein
Board Member
Rabbi Samuel Stahl
Rabbi Samuel M. Stahl is one of the founding members of Interfaith San Antonio Alliance and Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El, in San Antonio, where he served as Senior Rabbi for 26 years. He previously was a U. S. Army Chaplain, and Rabbi of Temple B'nai Israel (The Henry Cohen Memorial) in Galveston. He has devoted his rabbinate to strengthening ties among faith communities.
Board Member Emeritus
Rabbi Steve Gutow
Rabbi Steve Gutow, a Texan by birth, is one of the founding members of Interfaith San Antonio Alliance. He is motivated by a deep commitment to people suffering from persecution and economic scarcity. He is a Visiting Scholar at The Wagner School of New York University focusing on helping communities around the country create broad multi-faith leadership organizations.
Board Member Emeritus