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Council President and CEO,
Ambassador Robert A. Seiple
Ambassador, global leader, educator, Bob Seiple has spent the last three decades fashioning humanitarian solutions that endure. His international travels have been as extensive as the experiences and contacts developed through years of global involvement. Vulnerable lives, lived out in difficult places, have provided the personal challenge for Seiple’s work.
Prior to taking the position of President and CEO of the Council for America’s First Freedom, Seiple founded the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE), a “think tank with legs,” to develop sustainable environments for religious freedom worldwide, and to inspire and equip emerging leaders with faith-based methodologies of engagement. Seiple spent the previous two years in the State Department as the first ever U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. This position, created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, was charged with promoting religious freedom worldwide, promoting reconciliation in those areas where conflict had been implemented along religious lines, and making sure that this issue was woven into the fabric of the U.S. foreign policy.
Seiple spent the previous 11 years as President of World Vision, Inc., the largest privately funded relief and development agency in the world. In that capacity, he increased the annual income base of the organization from $145 million to over $350 million per year. Additionally, Seiple guided the organization towards an expanded involvement in advocacy in the worldwide struggle against poverty and hunger. At his leaving, World Vision was administering help to more than 70 million beneficiaries in over 100 countries of the world.
Seiple was born December 6, 1942 in the rural community of Harmony, New Jersey. He received an AB degree in American Literature from Brown University in 1965. From 1966-69, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps attaining the rank of Captain. He flew 300 combat missions in Vietnam and was awarded five Battle Stars, the Navy Commendation Award with Combat ‘V,’ 28 Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross. This experience motivated him to become an outspoken advocate for the healing of Vietnam’s relations with the United States.
Returning to his alma mater in 1971, Seiple held a number of administrative positions, including Director of Athletics and Vice President for Development. In his last position during a twelve-year tenure, he successfully directed the Campaign for Brown, the largest fund-raising campaign ever attempted at the University at that time. Seiple was President of Eastern College and Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1983 to 1987.
In 1994, Seiple was named, "Churchman of the Year" by Religious Heritage America. In 1996, he received World Relief's "Helping Hands" award. In 2004, he was awarded the "Good Samaritan Award" by Advocates International. He is the recipient of the National Award from First Freedom Center as well as the Religious Freedom Award from the International Religious Liberty Association, both received in 2005. That same year, Seiple also received the Brown University "Alumnus of the Year" given by the Ivy League Football Association. In April 2006 Seiple received The Abraham Kuyper Prize and Lecture at Princeton Theological Seminary. He also received the Distinguished Service Award from the International Center for Law and Religion at BYU in 2006. He is the recipient of eight honorary degrees as well as the Secretary of State's Distinguished Public Service Award.
Seiple chairs the Washington Coalition and co-chairs First Step Forum, two groups active in religious freedom issues. He is also chair of the Advisory Committee for the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University. In 2005, he joined the Board of Trustees, Denver Seminary.
Seiple is married to the former Margaret Ann Goebel and they have three grown children and three grandchildren.
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Isabelle Kinnard, JD, Ph.D.
Vice President for Education
Ms. Kinnard has served as Education Director of the Council for America’s First Freedom since May 2004. In this capacity, she is responsible for planning, developing and executing programs to increase the understanding of and appreciation for religious freedom.
Ms. Kinnard works with content experts and designers to develop and continually improve the substance, appeal and effectiveness of the First Freedom Center's permanent exhibits. Outside the Center, Ms. Kinnard works with a core curriculum for teachers, already been outlined by Constitutional scholars, historians and educators from around the nation. She works with educators to develop and deliver a range of educational outreach programs and services, including content workshops, instructional materials and Web-based resources.
Before joining the Council, Ms. Kinnard taught in the Department of Religious Studies at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. There she taught classes such as “New Testament Origins” and “History of Christianity.”
After graduating cum laude from the University of Chicago in 1985, Kinnard earned her law degree from DePaul College of Law. In 1988 she was admitted to the Illinois Bar and practiced law in Chicago for five years before beginning graduate studies at the University of Chicago Divinity School. In 2001, she received her Ph.D. in Church History.
Kinnard has volunteered extensively for various cultural, community service, legal aid and educational foundations in both Chicago and Williamsburg.
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Maureen Rosenbaum
Marketing Director
Ms. Rosenbaum joined the staff of the Council as Major Gifts Officer in May 2004. Her work included all aspects of fundraising. The following year, as staffing needs changed, Ms. Rosenbaum assumed responsibility for community relations in addition to her development work. Now as Marketing Director, Ms. Rosenbaum manages all communications, media relations, event planning, including the annual First Freedom Awards dinner, the annual fund and the Council’s web site.
Before joining the Council, Ms. Rosenbaum was the Director of Development and Marketing at the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond, Virginia. She was involved in all aspects of fundraising, event planning, program development, production of communications materials and editing the museum’s quarterly newsletter.
Prior to her work in non-profits, Ms. Rosenbaum hailed from Rochester, New York where she most recently was Director of Corporate Branding for Eastman Kodak Company. She developed new corporate brand and advertising strategies, which were presented worldwide and conducted training workshops to subsidiaries, marketing and key executives around the country to ensure compliance. Ms. Rosenbaum began her career at Kodak in 1979 and held a number of positions in the Finance, Legal and Marketing Offices.
A cum laude graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, Ms. Rosenbaum serves on the board of the Solomon Schecter Day School of Greater Richmond, is Vice President of Paul’s Fine Invitations, is a volunteer at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, is a member of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives and is involved in many other cultural and community activities.
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