Rev. Katie Sexton has served as Executive Director of Arizona Faith Network since 2019. Rev. Sexton comes to AFN with years of nonprofit experience specializing in ministry, leadership, interfaith work, and community organizing. She has a proven track record of building impactful communities that work to transform our world for the common good.

Before being hired as the permanent Executive Director of AFN, Rev. Sexton served as the Senior Pastor for Coolwater Christian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Before that, she worked in higher education for over a decade, managing key departments, establishing organizational processes, and cultivating community relationships.

Rev. Sexton has her M.S. in Nonprofit Management (2019), a Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in Christian Studies from Grand Canyon University. She is ordained with the Disciples of Christ church, and is a certified Community Organizer. She previously served as a member of AFN’s Board of Directors and has volunteered her service on multiple committees.

In addition to her role at AFN, Rev. Sexton currently serves as the Board President of the Justa Center, President of the Alumni Council of Lexington Theological Seminary, and sits on the Board of Directors for Bread for the World. She is also pursuing her Doctorate of Ministry at Lexington Theological Seminary; she anticipates graduating in June 2025.

Khalil Rushdan served 15 years before his conviction for Felony Murder was overturned for vindictive prosecution. With the help of the AZ Justice Project, the prosecutorial misconduct and vindictive motive of the lead prosecutor was exposed. Since his exoneration, Khalil has been an advocate and a mentor for formerly incarcerated Arizonans. He has served AFN as an At-Large Board Member since January 2019 and then joined the staff of AFN in September 2020. In addition to his involvement with AFN, Khalil is the Smart Justice Community Partnership Coordinator for the ACLU of Arizona.

Bhikkhu, Vasu Bandhu serves as Interfaith Manager for AFN, assisting in the development, coordination, and implementation of programs. He has been a volunteer in the interfaith movement since he was 18 years old, a founding member of the interfaith latino youth council “Fraternidad Interespiritual”, collaborating with the Parliament of the World's Religions among other interfaith organizations. He serves as representative for North America on the International Youth Committee of Religions for Peace International, and as treasurer on the North American Leadership Council of the United Religions Initiative (URI). He serves the Buddhist community as Bhikkhu (monk) in the Dhammapada Sangha, (Zen Buddhism), assisting in the practice and teaching of the principles, ceremonies and rituals. He is 28 years old; his studies are in Political Science and Social Projects from UnADM. He is Mexican and has immigrated to the United States to live with his husband, creating an interfaith family, since his husband’s practice is Islam, while his practice is Buddhism.

Rev. ellie hutchison serves as the Southern Arizona Community Organizer with AFN and is ordained by The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries in covenant with the SoutHwest United Church of Christ. They currently volunteer with St. Peter’s Episcopal Prison Ministry inside Arizona's only womxn's prison. They bring a wealth of experience as an educator, community co-creator, poet & writer, and theologian. Their ministry is based in Womanist Liberation Theology and interfaith engagement through the use of embodiment practices in and through the arts and humanities. They also work actively with the communities experiencing homelessness, those migrating to the United States, and those who are directly impacted by incarceration. ellie also spent 15+ years as a creative writing and poetry teacher throughout the Philadelphia and Phoenix communities. ellie previously served as a part-time Social Justice Coordinator with AZ Faith Network.

VaLaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, Hopi Tribal member, Founder and Executive Director of Honwungsi Consulting Services, LLC, CEO of Omauw Resource Center, 501c3, Associate with the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, Tribal Liaison/Study Coordinator for the Arizona State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Ad Hoc Committee and Director of Communication Engagement with ASU Research on Violent Victimization Lab. Implemented Arizona’s Missing Person’s & Trafficking Recovery Program. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from Northern Arizona University and Master’s in Criminal Justice with an Emphasis in Legal Studies from Grand Canyon University. With over 20 years of progressive experience augmented by a strong background in victim service program development and implementation, including policy development. Grant proposal writing and financial management. Effective in coordination and collaboration with Indigenous Leaders and Communities. Subject matter expert, educator, and trainer on victim service implementation, human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual violence, Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, and other related topics. Her partnerships expand throughout the United States and Alaska to assist with improvements of health and wellness of Indigenous People.

Medina Moore comes to AFN with social justice, faith-based initiative, voter rights and education, events planning, logistical administration, and criminal justice reform experience. As a family member of a formerly incarcerated individual, she has a heart for impacted families and individuals. Forging a strong belief in equality for all, her passion has been to educate her generation, Millennials, as well as younger generations about the importance of voting and knowing the laws within their state. Excited to take on the role as the Voting Rights Organizer she will be collaborating with faith-based leaders to build our faith communities in voter rights education and civic engagement. Medina was licensed to preach, as an Evangelist, in Phoenix, Arizona in 2018 through JGM Enternational Ministries and is currently serving in small groups at her local church. She owns a cosmetic line with her daughter, Me Ar Beauty www.mearbeauty.com. Expertly creating cosmetics for all skins type with focus on black and indigenous individuals and melanated skin tones as she saw the disparity in products in-store and online. She loves to share the gospel to others and most importantly the Love of God.

Before joining AFN, Arene Rushdan worked as an assistant nursing director. Before retiring from Riverside County, she worked in the inpatient mental health facility as a utilization review nurse and case manager. Arene is the youngest of 16 children and has always had a passion for serving others and education. She hold a masters degree in nursing education from California State University Dominguez Hills. Arene’s Faith background is Seventh Day Adventist/Christianity.

She first served as the cooling center organizer in 2021 and finds great joy serving others.

David Topping joined the staff of AFN in January, 2018 as Administrator of Communications, Database Improvement, and IT Support. He had previously provided technical support to AFN during his 10 years of service as the Computer Systems Manager of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, where AFN's office is hosted. David has served as a church music director since the 1970s and is married to a United Methodist clergy member. He sings professionally with the GRAMMY-winning Phoenix Chorale and operates a web-hosting and consulting business for nonprofits and musical artists.

Simra Maheen has been involved in many interfaith activities in the past couple of years. She has been interning with Multifaith Neighbors Network for the past year and has worked alongside many local and nationwide interfaith events, including a Global Faith Forum in Keller Texas earlier this year. She spends much of her free time at her local mosque, United Islamic Center of Arizona, as a youth committee leader as well as a Sunday School teacher. As a 2022 Flinn Scholar, she is pursuing her studies as a freshman at Barrett the Honors College at Arizona State University in Psychology and Religious Studies and plans to pursue faith-based counseling as well as interfaith research. She also recently became the first fellow for ASU’s Center of Muslim Experience in the United States and is currently pursuing research regarding Muslim and their role in the globalization of Phoenix.