Dr. Sharon Azaria

Dr. Sharon Azaria, from Givat Washington College of Education in Israel, has pioneered a groundbreaking program in partnership with Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, to integrate Holocaust studies into the Polish education system. This innovative program, the first of its kind, is taught concurrently to education students in both Poland and Israel. It explores the history of the Polish Jewish community during the Holocaust, offering a deep, shared educational experience. Dr. Azaria’s initiative also fosters collaboration between Israeli and Polish educators. Through this program, she seeks to inspire understanding and connection among future generations of students from both countries.

Dr. Cheryl Craig

Dr. Cheryl J. Craig is a Professor and the Houston Endowment Endowed Chair in Urban Education at Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development. Previously, she served as a Professor, Coordinator of the Teaching and Teacher Education program, and Director of Elementary Education at the University of Houston. Dr. Craig’s research focuses on how school reform agendas impact the development of teachers’ knowledge and communities of practice. She examines the unintended consequences that reform initiatives and educational policies can have on student learning. Through her work, Dr. Craig provides valuable insights into the complexities of educational change and its effects on teaching and learning.

John D. Garr, Ph.D., Th.D.

Dr. John Garr has devoted over 50 years to serving the Christian church as a theologian, minister, presbyter, and educator. For the past 25 years, he has led the Restoration Foundation (Hebraic Christian Community) as its Founder and President, guiding this Atlanta-based, transdenominational, international organization focused on publishing and education. Dr. Garr’s work emphasizes educating Christians on the historical and theological foundations of Christianity’s Hebrew roots. His dedication to promoting understanding has fostered closer relationships between the global Christian and Jewish communities. Through his leadership, Dr. Garr continues to impact interfaith dialogue and enrich Christian education.

Dr. Gideon Greif

Dr. Gideon Greif is a distinguished Israeli historian specializing in Holocaust studies, with a primary focus on the Auschwitz concentration camp and the experiences of the Sonderkommando within it. He has dedicated his career to deepening the understanding of one of history’s darkest periods, conducting extensive research on the complex realities within Auschwitz. Dr. Greif’s work has contributed significant insights into Holocaust history, preserving the narratives of those who endured unimaginable circumstances. In the academic year 2011-2012, he served as a visiting lecturer in Jewish and Israeli History at the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. His contributions continue to impact the fields of Holocaust education and remembrance.

Maryann Gremillion

Maryann Gremillion is a writer and educator dedicated to building transformative communities within elementary schools, among teachers, and through nonprofit collaborations. With fifteen years of experience teaching in Houston, she developed a passion for creative writing and integrating fine arts across content areas. Maryann also served as a writer-in-residence and later as program director for Writers in the Schools (WITS) in Houston for twelve years. Her writing has appeared in The Ekphrastic Review, Glass Mountain, Teachers and Writers magazine, and several local anthologies. Recently, she co-authored a chapter in Developing Knowledge Communities Through Partnerships for Literacy, published by Emerald Publishing, and actively creates Holocaust education materials for the Holocaust Garden of Hope and HRA18.

Dr. Susanna Kokkonen

Dr. Susanna Kokkonen is an accomplished author and international speaker, addressing Christian, Jewish, and civic audiences worldwide on topics including the Holocaust, genocide, antisemitism, and contemporary Israel. She has presented her lectures in the parliaments of Canada, Finland, and Sweden, as well as at the European Parliament. Most recently, Dr. Kokkonen served as the Director of Christian Friends of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem. In this role, she guided Christian dignitaries, spoke to numerous Christian groups, and organized over 10 Christian Leadership Seminars with participants from more than 50 countries. Dr. Kokkonen’s work continues to foster education and dialogue on vital historical and current issues.

David Lawhon

David Lawhon is professor emeritus of American history and Holocaust studies at Texas A&M University at Galveston, where he also served as the Honors Program Director. The Holocaust holds a deep personal significance for him, as his father, at 18, was a World War II liberator with the American 49th Rainbow Division, helping to free Dachau concentration camp near Munich, Germany, and Mauthausen near Linz, Austria. Dr. Lawhon’s teaching and scholarship are profoundly shaped by his family history and dedication to Holocaust education. His work has inspired students to engage deeply with history and its enduring lessons. As a member of the Educational Advisory Council, he continues to promote Holocaust remembrance and education.

Avi Lipkin

Avi Lipkin holds an MA from Israel’s Conservative Jewish Seminary and has served as a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (reserves). He is also a former Senior Editor and translator for the Israeli Government Press Office under Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. Growing up in the liberal northeastern United States, Avi’s experiences and the history of the Holocaust influenced his perception of Jewish-gentile relations and inspired his decision to make “aliyah” to Israel, believing in the nation as the future of the Jewish people. Avi Lipkin is the author of several books, including Is Fanatic Islam a Global Threat?, Christian Revival for Israel’s Survival, Islamic Threat Updates Almanac #1, Israel’s Bible Bloc, and Islam Prophesied in Genesis. His work reflects his commitment to addressing issues of security, faith, and interfaith understanding in Israel and globally.

Marilyn Mann

Elizabeth Moreno Tolman

Elizabeth Moreno is a retired educator who taught junior high in Bay City for 20 years, inspiring generations of students. Her father served as a soldier in World War II and participated in the liberation of a concentration camp, a legacy that has deeply influenced her commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education. Elizabeth is also a published author, co-authoring My Dream of Freedom: From Holocaust to My Beloved America, the autobiography of Holocaust survivor Helen Colin. In addition, she has written several children’s books, including Sancho, the Silly Billy Goat. Through her teaching and writing, Elizabeth continues to share important stories that educate and inspire young readers and communities alike.

Dr. Zsuzsanna Ozsváth

Dr. Zsuzsanna Ozsváth, a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor, is the founder of the Holocaust Studies Program at The University of Texas at Dallas, where she served as a professor of literature and history and held the Leah and Paul Lewis Chair of Holocaust Studies. After 37 years of dedicated teaching, research, and writing, Dr. Ozsváth retired on September 1, 2020. Throughout her career, she published extensively on aesthetic and ethical issues in French, German, and Hungarian literature, exploring the complex relationship between art and totalitarian ideology. Since the 1980s, she has also engaged in translation projects and contributed to various branches of Holocaust Studies. Her work has had a profound impact on Holocaust education and the study of European literature and history.

Dr. Hily Rosenblum

Dr. Hily Rosenblum is the Head of the Art and Movement Therapy Program at The Academic College at Wingate in Netanya, Israel. Her work centers on the role of emotional integration within the professional development of educators and its positive impact on classroom teaching. Dr. Rosenblum’s research emphasizes the importance of nurturing emotional awareness among teachers to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Through her leadership, she promotes innovative approaches to teacher training that incorporate art and movement therapy. Dr. Rosenblum’s contributions are helping to shape more emotionally responsive and effective educational environments.

Dr. Thilo M. Schimmel

Dr. Hily Rosenblum is the Head of the Art and Movement Therapy Program at The Academic College at Wingate in Netanya, Israel. Her work centers on the role of emotional integration within the professional development of educators and its positive impact on classroom teaching. Dr. Rosenblum’s research emphasizes the importance of nurturing emotional awareness among teachers to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. Through her leadership, she promotes innovative approaches to teacher training that incorporate art and movement therapy. Dr. Rosenblum’s contributions are helping to shape more emotionally responsive and effective educational environments.