Chenele Shaw holds a B.A. in theology from Ave Maria University and is working towards starting graduate school for her Masters in Clinical Counseling. She is the host of podcast Ave Spotlight with Ave Maria Press, secretary for The Human Condition Community, and is a contributing writer to various Catholic publications including The Grotto Network, The Catholic Woman, and Our Sunday Visitor. Prior to her current work Chenele taught Theology and Catholic Social Teaching in New Orleans and spent a couple years as a Director of Youth Ministry in Denver Co. She currently resides in Florida and can usually be found searching for the best local ice cream, hosting friends at her home, and planning her next national parks trip. Chenele is a part of BGI because she believes that the church is in need of a revival and believes BGI can meet that need!

Maria Benes is a scholar of political science and an award-winning instructor who has taught classes in human rights, international relations and public policy. She is known for providing students with the tools to have civil and respectful conversations around controversial topics such as abortion, racism and immigration policy. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and a M.A. in international affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution from The George Washington University.

Prior to pursuing her doctoral degree, Maria served as a missionary for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), followed by a couple years as a high school youth minister at Pius X High School in Lincoln, NE. She and her husband, Mitch, have three children: Gemma (9), Gerard (6) and Morgan Frances (their baby saint in Heaven). She loves the Eucharist, spending time with her family, coffee with friends and traveling. Maria looks forward to advocating for the inherent dignity of every human person and bridging the political divide with our Lord at the center.

Louis Damani Jones is the Program and Mission Alignment Coordinator at Catholic Urban Programs. He is a graduate student of clinical social work at Washington University in St. Louis, and an EngageDemocracy Fellow at the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement. During his time at Washington University, he completed the Graduate Policy Scholars program. He hosts two podcasts, “Living Communion” on Catholic social doctrine and “This Civic Moment” on St. Louis- region civic and community leadership. He formerly served the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the Diocese of Belleville as an intern for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

In addition to serving with BGI, he serves on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Catholic Charities Young Professionals Board, and the Board of Directors of the Seeds of Justice Network. He is also active as a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus and in his local St. Vincent de Paul Society. He has published poetry and writing in America’s Future, America Magazine, the River Bluff Review, the Catholic Courier, and Black Catholic Messenger. He was named the recipient of the 2020 Cardinal Bernardin Award for New Leadership by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.His patron saints are St. Martin De Porres and St. Louis IX, King of France. His primary vocation is as a husband and father of two.

Santonio Hill, Maryland native, is currently a Vagabond Missionary in Pittsburgh working with inner city teens. He is an alum of Catholic University of America where he studied philosophy while in minor seminary. After preparing for the priesthood for four years, God called Santonio out of the seminary.

Santonio grew up as a cradle Catholic, however his faith was not much of a priority. His interests geared more towards sports and the arts. He took an unforeseen turn after high school to pursue seminary. While in seminary, Santonio had his first deep encounter with the Lord and ultimately, a great conversion. Before his current position with Vagabond, Santonio was a Theology teacher, FOCUS missionary, and Urban outreach specialist in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Santonio and his wife Kristen were recently married this past August on the feast of the transfiguration. When Santonio is not working you can find him working on his poems and playing basketball.

Natalie Alfaro Frazier grew up on the Central Coast of California in a Catholic Nicaraguan-American family. While studying Global Development Studies at Seattle Pacific University Natalie had a reversion to the faith. Natalie later returned to California and received her Masters in Public Administration from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Natalie is passionate about community-driven social change and radical hospitality and works in the public sector as a consultant, grant writer, and worker bee. Natalie now lives in the Nashville area with her husband and three children.

Hannah Gutierrez is a passionate advocate for justice and mercy. She has worked in education and Catholic ministry for the past eight years. While working as a missionary for The Culture Project, Hannah discovered her love for speaking to women about their goodness. Even though she isn’t in full-time ministry anymore, Hannah strives to remind everyone of their worth. Hannah holds a B.A. in theology from Ave Maria University and credits much of her Catholic formation to the university. She currently resides in Florida and can be found writing, talking about how much she loves being Puerto Rican or searching for the best gluten-free dessert. Hannah is a part of BGI because she wants to equip other Catholics with the tools needed to use their voice for good!

Janine Christiano brings together practical, applied knowledge of social justice, antiracism, nonprofit administration, and community development with a passion for discipleship through Catholic Social Teaching, commitment to the sacraments, prayer, the vocation of motherhood, and the arts. She is a parishioner of Christ the King Parish in Nashville, TN, and an active member of the Antiracism Ministry as a writer and workshop facilitator. Janine has a degree in Theater from U.C. Irvine and a Master’s Degree in Community Development and Action from Vanderbilt University. Professionally she oversees grantmaking and artist and organization development efforts and has developed and implemented programs related to arts leadership, racial equity, youth development, and restorative practices. She lives in Nashville with her husband and their two children. As an on-fire “revert” she knows firsthand the redemptive power of God’s love and mercy. She is committed to personal conversion, institutional change, collective action, and lifting up diverse voices.

Fr. Maurice Henry Sands is the Executive Director for the Black and Indian Mission Office in Washington, DC. Fr. Sands is a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He is a full-blooded Native American, growing up on a beautiful island known as Bkejwanong First Nation, located in the St. Clair River, just north of Detroit. He is a member of the Ojibway, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes, who are known together as Anishnaabe. Fr. Sands also serves as a Consultant to the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American Affairs, as a consultant to the USCCB AD Hoc Committee Against Racism, and as an ex-officio board member of the Tekakwitha Conference.

Fr. Sands work focuses on supporting ministry programs for African American Catholics and Native American Catholics in dioceses across the United States. He travels throughout the year visiting parishes, schools, diocesan ministry offices and national African American and Native American Catholic organizations. Fr. Sands has a strong interest in strengthening the Catholic schools that serve African American and Native American communities, as well as the evangelization outreach and ministry programs for the two communities.