Meet the Johnson County UNA Board Members
Barbara Eckstein
Barbara Eckstein is the President of the Johnson County Chapter. She joined the UNUSA Johnson County Board in 2019. She's a long-time member of Iowa City Climate Advocates and Citizens' Climate Lobby. She retired from the English Department faculty at the University of Iowa in 2019.
Brita Schnoor Loftus
Britta Schnoor Loftus is the Vice President of the Johnson County UNA. She grew up in Iowa City and is a graduate of The George Washington University, the UN-mandated University for Peace, and the University of Iowa College of Law. During law school, she interned for the UNDP in Washington, DC. Today, she is a practicing lawyer. Her day-to-day practice focuses on intellectual property law, while her pro bono practice has included representing asylum applicants and research relating to human trafficking.
Nittaya Burnham
Nittaya Burnham is the chapter treasurer. She is a long-time chapter volunteer and has served as Vice President and on the planning committee for Night of 1000 Dinner
Jim Olson
Jim Olson is the immediate past president of the Johnson County UNA. Prior to moving to Iowa he was Vice President for National Programs at UNA-USA and Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office.
Joyce Carman-Baldus
Joyce is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She moved to Iowa City from California in 1968. Joyce taught Jr.High School "Social Studies" classes in Iowa City from 1968 to 1997.
Dorothy Paul
Dorothy Paul is a former president of the Johnson County UNA Chapter. She has served on the Iowa UNA Board for many years and currently serves as Genral Chair. In 1999 Paul was one of the founder of the UI Center for Human Rights (UICHR).
Blake Rupe
Blake Rupe joined the JC UNA in 2019. She is currently the Program Director of the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative at the UI College of Law. Blake formerly served in other roles on campus, namely as the Sustainability Program Manager at the University of Iowa’s Office of Sustainability. Blake also teaches in the Department of Global Health.
Mercedes Bern-Klug
Mercedes Bern-Klug teaches in the School of Social Work and the Aging and Longevity Studies Program, including a course on “Global Aging.” Her area of scholarship is gerontology and she focuses her research on building ways for social workers to support older adults with advanced chronic illnesses and their families. She is a Fulbright Scholar who was appointed to the University of Guadalajara, Mexico in spring 2020.
Barbara Badovinac
Barbara Badovinac is a first-year medical student at the Univesity of Iowa. Born in Serbia, Barbara is passionate about refugee and immigrant health.
Jerry Anthony
Jerry Anthony is an Associate Professor at the School of Planning and Public Affairs, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Public Policy Center, both at the Universityof Iowa. Born in India, Dr. Anthony was a co-founder of the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County.
Suraj Moorjani
Suraj Moorjani is a member of the board and a student at the University of Iowa majoring in economics and finance.
John Fuller
Jean Paul Mugemuzi
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean Paul Mugemuzi is the Executive Director of the Refugee and Immigrant Association.
Meredith M. Gall
Meredith M. Gall is a board member with a special interest in human rights and gender inequality.
Stefanie Bowers
Stefanie Bowers is a board member and serves as the Director of Equity for the City of Iowa City and Human Rights Coordinator.
Bijou Maliabo
Bijou Maliabo is a community organizer and advocate for refugees and immigrants. She is active in the Iowa City Human Rights Commission, the Congolese Health Partnership, the Center for Worker Justice and other groups. A speaker of five languages, she works with the ICCSD, the county court system, and area law enforcement agencies as an interpreter.
Jiyun Park
Jiyun Park is an architect and art historian who founded studio involution. She recently completed her Masters in Religious Studies at the University of Iowa. She is collaborating to increase global unity through UN sustainable development goals.