General Board of Church & Society announces staff realignments

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), announces that John Hill, director of Economic & Environmental Justice, is promoted to Assistant General Secretary with responsibility for Advocacy & Grassroots Organizing. Two other advocacy directors are assuming additional responsibilities as Special Assistants to the General Secretary.

Hill will retain his portfolio for Economic & Environmental Justice, and will add supervision of other advocacy work areas and the board’s relatively new grassroots organizing program, according to Henry-Crowe.

The three staff changes will enhance the mission of GBCS to accomplish the mandate of the denomination’s highest policy-setting body, the General Conference, to seek implementation of the Social Principles and other commitments on Christian social concerns.

The Rev. Cynthia Abrams, who directs the agency’s Health & Wholeness work area, will become a Special Assistant to the General Secretary. Abrams will continue in her role as director of Health & Wholeness. She will have an enhanced focus on initiatives involving legislation by both Congress and the White House.

Mark Harrison, director of the agency’s Peace with Justice Program, will become a Special Assistant to the General Secretary on relationships with Congress and the White House. He will retain his responsibilities as Director of Peace & Justice. In his expanded role, Harrison will draw on his many years in Washington, D.C., and the “outstanding connections and relationships” that he has formed as a result.

John Hill
“John has distinguished himself as a director of advocacy since Earth Day 2002,” Henry-Crowe said. “Initially, his responsibilities at the agency were to advocate for environmental justice; economic justice was added to his portfolio a year later.

“John’s leadership in his work area, administrative issues of GBCS itself, and his deep commitment to the ministry of The United Methodist Church through the work of justice, advocacy and reconciliation make him well-suited for additional leadership.”

A native of Florida, Hill has lived in Washington, D.C., for more than 20 years. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, and was awarded a teaching fellowship at a public boarding school in England.

In prior experience, Hill worked on Capitol Hill for seven years beginning in 1993 as legislative aide to two Florida members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

As director of Economic & Environmental Justice, Hill serves on several boards, including the National Farm Worker Ministry, Interfaith Worker Justice and Creation Justice Ministries.

Hill is an active member of Foundry United Methodist Church, where he has taught Sunday School for more than a decade.

Cynthia Abrams
A clergy member of the California-Pacific Annual Conference, Abrams began working at GBCS 12 years ago. She previously served under extension appointment as the Executive Director of the National United Methodist Native American Center since 1999.

Abrams was born and grew up on and near the Cattaraugus Reservation of the Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree at the California State University at Long Beach in Broadcast Journalism and her Master of Divinity at the Claremont School of Theology. In 1984, Abrams participated in an Ethnic Local Church Young Adult Internship at GBCS.

In her role as director of Health & Wholeness, Abrams serves on the boards of Faithful Reform in Health Care, U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance, Faith United Against Tobacco, and Stop Predatory Gambling Now.

Mark Harrison
Mark Harrison began at GBCS in June 1991 as Economic Justice program coordinator. He became Director of the board’s Peace with Justice Program in 2003.

Harrison has an undergraduate degree in Urban Studies from Morgan State University and a graduate degree in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University.

As director of Peace with Justice, Harrison serves on the boards of Churches for Middle East Peace, International Labor Rights Fund and Interfaith Peace Builders, among others.

Harrison also served as a Mission Intern in Botswana for the General Board of Global Ministries.