Who is Bridging Boundaries International?
Bridging Boundaries International’s mission is to promote and encourage shared ideals through cultural communication and education leading to improved coexistence, tolerance, and mutual respect. BBI also promotes the empowerment of students.
BBI is about bringing kids together to prepare them to improve their world – their homes, their schools, their communications and much more.
BBI is a 501(c)(3) in the United States and an NGO in Bosnia. It is a unique program that endeavors to promote and spread tolerance and acceptance through tomorrow’s leaders. We believe there are ways to build bridges across chasms of culture, religion and ethnic differences that will encourage peaceful coexistence.
BBI has Student Councils in both Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Richmond, Virginia that organize summer workshops for teens in Mostar and Richmond. The workshops are unique in that students from Mostar attend Richmond workshops and students from Richmond attend Mostar workshops. The Richmond Student Council which is made up of five Sister Schools participates in community service projects such as Richmond Hill and the Trash Patrol. The Student Councils holds Speaker’s Forums at the various Sister Schools” with themes that are consistent with the mission of BBI.
Success will breed success and because success is infectious, BBI will become a model for Richmond and other cities and countries undertaking a similar program that attempt to sow accord where there are discords
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2007Feburary - Launch New BBI Website
2006Shafer Court Connections Article .
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Our Board of Directors
Dr. Bert B. BeachBert was born in Switzerland of American parents. He has spent more than half of his life in Europe, in various positions connected with the administration of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since 1980 he has worked at the World Headquarters of the SDA Church, for fifteen years as Director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty. Currently he is general secretary of the Council on Inter-Church/Faith Relations. He holds an earned doctorate from the University of Paris (Sorbonne) and an honorary doctorate from Poland. For 32 years (until 2002) he served as secretary of the Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions. He served for 15 years as secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association and is now Secretary general emeritus. He has written over two hundred articles and six books. He speaks fluently in 5 languages and is the Secretary of BBI.
Christine O. Bridge
Christine Ober Bridge is a government relations executive with extensive experience at the local, state and federal levels. Her work in legislative and political circles, along with demonstrated skills in public skills in public and advocacy, provide her with an informed perspective on a wide range of public policy issues. She is a graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and has served as a senior advisor to local, state and federal elected officials, as well as private sector leaders and organizations. These officials include Governor of Virginia and State Senator.
Douglas J. Burford
Not being the brightest star, I had to work hard. As a kid, Officer Sneaky Pete pulled me aside and told me that being a member of the Ocean View Aces was not going to enhance my career. So I enrolled in RPI (now VCU). Got a BA in advertising. Got lucky. Ad Week selected us as one of the top three creative agencies in the South East. I got to be “Ad Man of The Year” and was elected to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. But what I am most proud of is being blessed with a phenomenal wife, three fantastic kids two ugly dogs, “Masai Warrior Beads” (given to me by an African Chief), and the “Fire In The Gut” award (given to me by my Seal Team PT instructor for being too stupid to quit).
Dr. Wallace R. Johnston
Wally is a columnist, radio commentator, author and speaker on work and workplace issues. His columns and commentaries are syndicated through Media General and his commentaries are carried on Public Radio, WCVE, in Richmond, 88.9 FM. He is a graduate of The George Washington University and holds Emeritus status at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Catherine A. Mueller
Catherine is the Executive VP with Peoples Income Tax. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.S. Degree in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration. Catherine is licensed as an Enrolled Agent to practice before all administrative levels of the IRS and is a member of the National Association of Enrolled Agents. She is the Treasurer of BBI.
Carol O. Negus
Carol is the President of Bridging Boundaries, International. She served with the Council for America’s First Freedom from 1984 – 2002 as Volunteer, Trustee, President of the Board, Executive Director, and President of the Corporation. She closed her business of 18 years to open the Council’s office. She was the first woman honorary life member of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and was named the Outstanding Woman in Richmond by the YWCA in the religion category. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, she serves on the Boards of VCU of Alumni Foundation, Memorial Child Guidance Clinic, and the Dayton Peace Accords Foundation.
William H. Poarch
Bill is a Long Term Care Insurance Specialist with General Electric Financial Advisors. He is President Elect of the Petersburg Rotary Club, and is also a vestryman and Senior Warden of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Petersburg, Virginia. Bill is a career Naval Aviator, and is retired with the rank of Commander, United States Navy and is also a retired Continental Airlines International and flight test pilot. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He is currently taking a leave of absence.
Daniel C. Smith
Dan teaches World Religions and Global Ethics at Virginia Commonwealth University. Before a 26 year business career (in franchising, domestic and international), Dan earned a graduate degree in Middle East Studies (University of Wisconsin), then lived and studied in Israel and Egypt, where he concentrated on Arabic and Islamic history, culture and politics. Even in business (His Ph.D. is in Business Administration), Dan has long been building bridges between Muslims and Christians, Arabs and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis.
Dr. Jeffrey B. Spence
Dr. Spence was educated in the White Plains, New York Public School system. A graduate of Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, he received his Master of Divinity from Drew University. He was ordained a Christian minister in the United Church of Christ in 1974. After serving two churches, Dr. Spence became Executive Director of the Kansas City Region of the NCCJ and later the Virginia Region of the NCCJ. In 1993, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Virginia Union University in the areas of Applied Ethics becoming the first caucasian male to receive an earned doctorate from this historical black university. He lives in Goochland County and is married to his wife of more than thirty years, Laura M. Spence.
Warren A. Stewart, Ed.D.
Warren is a retired superintendent with business and military experience. He has worked with the Bosnia-Hercegovina Initiative since its beginning, and now serves as Virginia AARP’s State Advocacy Coordinator. Dr. Stewart has a BA from Guilford College, MA from Old Dominion University and Ed.D from the University of Virginia, and currently lives in Norfolk with his wife, Nancy. He is the Chair of BBI.
The Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan
The Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan, Bishop Emeritus was the eleventh bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. In 1960, he received a degree in Canon Law from the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and became Secretary of the Diocesan Tribunal in May of that year. He was installed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Richmond on July 19, 1974. In September 2004 Pope John Paul II accepted his resignation as the eleventh Bishop of Richmond but he continues to be active in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. Bishop Sullivan is a national leader of the religious community’s involvement in the work of justice and peace. For years Bishop Sullivan has been a member of Pax Christi, USA and has been active in the Catholic Peace Movement, having also served as Bishop President of Pax Christi, USA. He has been active in the Pro-Life movement and concern for the poor and disadvantage.
Our Advisory Board
Joy Hakim
Joy Hakim is the author of A History of U.S., a ten-volume storyteller’s history of the United States. Those books led to a television series and a handsome companion book, Freedom: A History of U.S., with George and Laura Bush writing the introduction and Tom Hanks as the voice of Abraham Lincoln. Joy is now at work on The Story of Science, which will be published by Smithsonian Books in 2004.
W. Taylor Reveley, III
Taylor Reveley is the current Dean and Professor of the William & Mary Law School from 1998 to date. He was Managing Partner of Hunton & Williams from 1982-1991. He is currently a Trustee of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, JSTOR, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Board President 1996-99); Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, Presbyterian Outlook Foundation and Book Service (Board President 1993-95); The Richmond Symphony Council (President 1995-99), and Trustee Emeritus of Princeton University, Virginia Historical Society.
Taylor Reveley is the current Dean and Professor of the William & Mary Law School from 1998 to date. He was Managing Partner of Hunton & Williams from 1982-1991. He is currently a Trustee of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, JSTOR, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Board President 1996-99); Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, Presbyterian Outlook Foundation and Book Service (Board President 1993-95); The Richmond Symphony Council (President 1995-99), and Trustee Emeritus of Princeton University, Virginia Historical Society.
Martin M. Selak
Martin Selak is the man behind “Progress through Technology” as this slogan so eloquently describes the drive behind a man with a dream. He was born in a small village in Bosnia. Living there during wartime was a struggle, but he persevered even through jail and Croatian concentration camps, and moved to Belgrade as a young Man. He graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn as Junior Mechanical Designer. In 1968 he established Selak Graphics. During the next five years, he claimed 3 of the 19 US patents he has acquired to date, that would bring him manufacturing success through today. He worked as a consultant for a new product-designing corporation in Skokie, Illinois. He formed Astro Machine Corporation in 1978 where he is presently Chairman of the Board. Under his direction the corporation produces state-of-the-art inkjet printers and related products, supplying companies worldwide. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the corporation’s success in business.
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