Leadership

Board of Directors

Pir Zia Inayat-Khan

Pir Zia Inayat-Khan, founder of Seven Pillars House of Wisdom, is the spiritual leader of the Sufi Order International, a mystical and ecumenical fellowship rooted in the visionary legacy of his grandfather, Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan. Pir Zia is also President of the Suluk Academy for esoteric studies. Pir Zia holds a doctoral degree in religion from Duke University, is a recipient of the U Thant Peace Award, and is a newly appointed Lindisfarne Fellow.

Halima Thea Levkovitz

Halima Thea Levkovitz is an environmental policy analyst, with extensive experience in nonprofit outreach, media, communication, and organizational development. She was the convener for the interfaith Partnership for Religion and the Environment for more than ten years, instituting public policy strategy and values-driven advocacy. Halima has a M.A. in Biology from Humboldt State University and served on the Board of Directors for the National Wildlife Federation. She is founding member of the Northwest Women’s’ Environmental Network and co-founder of Environmental Leaders Retreats. Halima lives in Seattle, Washington.

Dena Merriam

Dena Merriam is the founder and convener of the Global Peace Initiative of Women. Dena has worked to engage women in peace-building activities in conflict and post-conflict regions around the world. She has also organized major international interfaith events and has built a network of renowned women spiritual leaders. Dena is a Partner and Vice Chair of the Ruder Finn Group, a global communications company. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and has served on the advisory boards of the Harvard University Center for the Study of World Religions, the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, and the Manitou Foundation. www.gpiw.org

Deepa Patel

Deepa Patel is an experienced producer and leader in three separate but connected fields: culture and creativity; diversity and equality; and young people. Her past roles have included work as a music education producer for the BBC, a campaigner on HIV/AIDS, and as a Managing Director of Creative Partnerships (a national UK  Government Initiative on creativity in schools).   She  currently facilitates  programs on the art of collaboration and conversation and is Co-Director of Slow Down London, a campaign on how to appreciate and enjoy life at a different pace. Deepa is a member of the Seven Pillars Board of Trustees and lives in England.

Terry Fazl Peay

Terry Fazl Peay is President of Augustine Homes of Maryland, LLC, a custom homebuilder in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, and President of Bannockburn Development Services, Inc., a private investment company. He has served on the Board of Advisors/ Directors for the Joseph Campbell Foundation, the British American Repertory Theater of Santa Fe, and the Mendocino Woodlands Association, as well as the President of Action 29 Corporation, which coordinated the public/private funding of the $ 100 million New York Avenue metro station. He is presently on the Board of Directors of the Sufi Order International, and has been a student of Sufism for close to forty years.

Deborah Rabia Povich

Deborah Rabia Povich, Seven Pillars' Board Chair, is a seasoned public policy and nonprofit professional, with broad experience in social justice, poverty alleviation, organizational development, communications, and resource development. Currently she co-manages a national initiative designed to strengthen state policies that support the economic advancement of low-income working families. She has been a student of Sufism for over 30 years.  Deborah lives in the mountains of Virginia and holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland.

Staff

Jennifer Alia Wittman

Jennifer Alia Wittman, Seven Pillars’ Director, has a background in public service and volunteerism, founding, directing, and supporting governmental, nonprofit and small business entities. Jennifer founded and directed the Maryland Youth Service Action Committee, led the nonprofit Hands on Baltimore, and served for four years as the General Manager of the independent publishing house and bookseller, Omega Publications. Jennifer now lives in New Lebanon, New York.

Joshua Hall-Bachner

Joshua Hall-Bachner serves as Seven Pillars’ Special Projects Manager, working on technology-related projects and general assistance. Josh has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Bard College and has spent the last several years providing organizational support and technical services to a variety of non-profit organizations, artists, and local businesses. josh@sevenpillarshouse.org

Shams Kairys

Shams Kairys is Seven Pillars’ General Editor of online and print media, with a special emphasis on crafting language for a general audience. Shams is a group facilitator, freelance editor, and writer who has worked with innovative organizations and projects dedicated to helping heal the world, including Berkeley Area Interfaith Council, Meeting of the Ways, Creating Our Future, Seva Foundation, Reaching Out Project, EarthSave International and Youth for Environmental Sanity. Shams lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.