ACR-GNY & CUNY Dispute Resolution Center at John Jay College present:
Bridging Divides:
Lessons Learned from Interfaith and Community Collaborations
Do Gooders is a collaborative of seasoned, diverse leaders with more than 100 years of combined senior experience across government, faith, nonprofit, and management. They partner with individuals and organizations to navigate complexity, accelerate impact, and build resilient, values-driven solutions for an uncertain world.
Formally known as UnityWorks, Do Gooders includes Pastor Gilford Monrose, Eileen Reilly, Mohammed Razvi, and Rabbi Bob Kaplan. Together they bring complementary perspectives and deep, on-the-ground expertise in community leadership, interfaith engagement, public service, and organizational strategy.
This presentation will provide the following:
- A concise overview of the collaborative’s initiatives and strategies developed and deployed over the past two decades.
- Firsthand accounts of the individual journeys and leadership lessons that shaped their community-building and bridge-building work.
- Concrete examples of cross-sector partnerships, crisis response, and values-driven program design that advanced resilience and measurable impact.
- Practical insights for organizations and leaders on navigating complexity, aligning mission with strategy, and sustaining long-term community relationships.
Attendees can expect a mix of storytelling, tactical takeaways, and strategic frameworks grounded in real-world practice—useful for practitioners, funders, policymakers, and civic leaders seeking proven approaches to collective impact.
(Left to right: Mohammad Razvi, Rabbi Bob Kaplan, Eileen Reilly, and Pastor Gilford Monrose)
MOHAMMAD RAZVI | RABBI BOB KAPLAN | EILEEN REILLY | PASTOR GILFORD MONROSE
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Mohammad Razvi is the Founder and CEO of the Council of Peoples Organization (COPO) in Brooklyn, New York. A pioneering leader in Muslim and South Asian community advocacy since the aftermath of 9/11, Razvi has established a crucial connection between Muslim-American communities and government agencies throughout New York City. Under his leadership, COPO has raised over $60 million and serves over 300,000 individuals annually, supported by 500 staff and volunteers. The organization offers vital services including immigration assistance, healthcare, mental health counseling, and women's empowerment programs. Razvi is also recognized for launching NYC’s first Halal Muslim Senior Center and co-founding citywide Iftar dinners. His impactful work has garnered international recognition, reflecting his belief in the power of community.
Rabbi Bob Kaplan is Senior Advisor at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York founding Executive Director of its Center for A Shared Society, which advances dignity, cultural humility, leadership in diversity, conflict prevention, and coalition-building across New York City. He serves as a Commissioner on the NYC Commission on Human Rights, co-chairs the Governor’s Hate and Bias Task Force, and participates on Bronx Community Board 8, the Mayor’s PATH Task Force, and the DOE Interfaith Advisory Committee. A clergy liaison to the NYPD Chief and chaplain to the MTA Police, Kaplan sits on boards including YouthBridge-NY, the Interfaith Center of New York, NYU Langone Family Health Centers, and Manhattan College’s Holocaust, Genocide and Interfaith Education Center. He has incubated numerous coalitions and fellowships locally and internationally and is a sought-after consultant on diversity, leadership, and community building.
Eileen Reilly is a strategic advisor specializing in sustainable, high‑impact programs across human services, economic development, and immigrant services. As Vice President at CAMBA, she led workforce development, small business services, and refugee resettlement serving over 50,000 people, including 12,000 refugees. She created initiatives such as the Immigrant Bridge Program and Cooper Union Retraining for Immigrant Engineers and forged workforce partnerships with NYC agencies. Her work spans organizational development, international capacity‑building, mutual‑aid training, and pioneering programs for HIV+ refugees. She is a co‑founder of We Are All Brooklyn and the We Are All New York Fellowship, a practicing Buddhist and active member of SGI-USA, a lay Buddhist organization committed to dialogue and nonviolence.
Pastor Gil Monrose (Dr. Gilford T. Monrose) served as Executive Director of the NYC Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships. Originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, he is lead pastor of Mt. Zion Church of God 7th Day in Brooklyn and founding president of the 67th Precinct Clergy Council, “The God Squad.” He is the founder of Clergy for Safe Cities, a national antiviolence organization. A prominent community and civic leader, Pastor Monrose champions youth mentorship, anti‑gun violence programs, and collaborative relationships among law enforcement, communities, and government. Former faith director for the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office under Eric Adams, he holds honors including graduations from the FBI and NYPD Citizen Academies nationally.
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
The Roundtable Breakfasts are online meetings via Zoom. The link will change each month and will be distributed to all registrants the day before and the morning of the event. All listed times for ACR-GNY events are for Eastern Time.
8:00 am – 8:30 am | Join call to network with attendees
8:30 am – 10:00 am | Presentation and discussion
About the Roundtable Breakfasts
The Roundtable Breakfasts are organized by ACR-GNY and the CUNY Dispute Resolution Center at John Jay College. They take place the first Thursday of the month and are ongoing since 2001.
Views expressed in connection with any Roundtable event publicity or at sessions are those of the speakers and participants and not of the CUNY DRC or ACR-GNY.
This program is supported by ACR-GNY's 365 Sponsor:
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