Fireside Chats: Doing God's Work in a Divided America - A Call to Justice and Compassion

Josh Herman

Rabbi and Executive Director

Hillel Milwaukee

Rabbi Joshua Herman joined the Hillel Milwaukee team in March of 2023.  Born and raised in Milwaukee, Josh spent his first year of college at UW-Milwaukee where he was treasurer of the Hillel Student Board.  He then transferred schools and received his BA from UW-Madison and his MA and rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati. After ordination, Josh served as a rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, Texas and then made aliyah and served as the rabbi for the Year-in-Israel Program at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem. After several years in Israel, Josh moved back to Milwaukee and spent two years as a senior educator at The iCenter, focusing on Israel education. 

 

Ahmed J. Quereshi

Executive Director

Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee

Ahmed J. Quereshi is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, a position to which he was appointed in 2023. Previously, he represented the Islamic Society of Milwaukee on the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee’s board of directors and served as an officer on its Executive Committee. He is a past President of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, the largest Islamic organization in Wisconsin, a position in which he served from 2009 to 2017. By education and profession, Mr. Quereshi is an attorney. He is a graduate of Marquette University Law School.

The Rev. Elizabeth E. P. McCord is Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life at Carroll University in McCord

University Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life

Carroll University

The Rev. Elizabeth E. P. McCord is Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life at Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Prior to relocating to Wisconsin for this position, Elizabeth served as Associate Dean for Vocations at San Francisco Theological Seminary. She also worked in Christian education and hospital chaplaincy with a focus in oncology. Elizabeth grew up in Appalachia and claims Hungry Mother State Park in Virginia as her childhood home. It was her collegiate experience working as a circuit preacher and Vacation Bible School director in rural West Virginia that led Elizabeth into ministry. Elizabeth is ordained in United Church of Christ and has standing in the Presbytery of Milwaukee.

Lisa Bates-Froiland

Pastor

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Lisa Bates-Froiland grew up in central Minnesota and earned her undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College in Speech/Theatre and Political Science before completing master’s and doctoral degrees in Speech Communication/Rhetorical Studies at Indiana University. After a career in academia, she answered a longstanding call to ministry, earning a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 2011. Since then, she has served as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee, a congregation that has tripled in size over 14 years and is nearing completion of a $6 million renovation. Located near Marquette University and Wisconsin’s largest homeless shelter, Redeemer’s ministry navigates the intersection of poverty and privilege, making it both challenging and deeply engaging. Rev. Bates-Froiland is passionate about renewing vital communities and fostering collaboration among those dedicated to the common good.