Staff
Sumaya Abubaker
Sumaya Abubaker serves as project manager for the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. In this capacity, she manages many projects, including the Passing the Mantle Clergy and Lay Leadership Institute, a training and empowerment program for emerging African…
Marco Arizpe
Marco Arizpe is the video editor for the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, where he edits footage from CRCC events and research projects. Marco is an undergraduate at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, working toward his B.A.…
Sam Bush-Joseph
Sam Bush-Joseph, a USC Dornsife undergraduate, provides research assistance for the Los Angeles Dream Center project. The research project focuses on the social and community engagement of the Dream Center, a large-scale Pentecostal ministry, which reaches 40,000 people each month…
Hebah Farrag
Hebah Farrag is assistant director of research at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. She is a graduate from the American University in Cairo (AUC) receiving a Masters in Middle East Studies. She also holds a Bachelor of…
Richard Flory
Richard Flory (Ph.D.,University of Chicago) is associate research professor of sociology and director of research in the Center for Religion and Civic Culture and at the University of Southern California. He is the author and/or editor of Spirit and Power:…
Brie Loskota
Brie Loskota is the managing director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. In this capacity, she oversees the strategic planning and daily operations of an interdisciplinary research center that conducts 25…
Jon Miller
Jon Miller is senior research associate and research professor of sociology. As a comparative sociologist interested in organizations and religion, Miller has focused on the history of the international evangelical missionary movement, using that movement as a lens for understanding…
Donald E. Miller
Donald E. Miller is Firestone Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California and executive director of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He received the Ph.D. degree in Religion (Social Ethics) from USC in 1975. Professor Miller…
Cecil L. Murray
Rev. Dr. Cecil “Chip” Murray joined the faculty of USC. After retiring from his post as pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME), he was appointed as the John R. Tansey Chair of Christian Ethics in the School of…
John B. Orr
John B. Orr is senior research fellow of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture. In 1996, Orr co-founded the center with Donald E. Miller, and was co-director until 1998. He has had a distinguished career at the University of…
Napah Phyakul Quach
Napah Phyakul Quach is the director of finance for the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. She holds a Masters of International Business degree from Pepperdine University. Her graduate work included an international component, consisting of coursework at the…
Timothy Sato
Timothy Sato serves as communications director and senior editor for the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He has conducted research and co-written reports on community organizing with Donald Miller. His work has appeared in GenX Religion, (Flory and…
Najuma Smith
Rev. Damali Najuma Smith is the program manager of the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement. A native of Southern California, Najuma became a member of First AME Church in Los Angeles in September of 1989, a move that…
Nick Street
Nick Street is the senior writer at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He studied religious ethics at Oberlin College and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. After a decade working as an editor in the…
Mark Whitlock
Rev. Mark Whitlock is the executive director of the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement. He also serves as the pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, which started with five members and has grown to over…