Board of Advisors — Institute for Eastern Christian Studies

As President and CEO of Fast Graphs, Julie leads global investment operations. She champions innovation, digital transformation and client-focused solutions that help businesses unlock long-term value. Julie has been at the forefront of integrating generative AI and emerging technologies into investment offerings, reimagining how data, automation and AI can enhance quality, speed and strategic impact of investment services.

Julie serves on the Global Executive, the organization's most senior management body focused on strategy, execution and operations. She leads the Global Investment Executive Committee and is a member of the Global Practice Group.

Julie is a devout Catholic and has strong ties to the Byzantine Catholic community. She brings valuable insight on how to bring prayer and meditation into the workforce on a regular basis.

As an attorney, Leah brings a wealth of legal expertise and practical experience to the role, specializing in litigation, employment law, and administrative law. As a Major in the National Guard, she has a strong background in military trial defense.

Leah possesses unique insights into the risks and consequences of mergers and acquisitions, equipping her with a deep understanding of the intricacies of bringing organizations together with precision and empathy.

She is passionate about fostering a positive and supportive environment that facilitates personal growth with active learning about her faith. As a leader, she promotes a collaborative and inclusive work environment, encouraging open communication among team members and stakeholders, and values integrity, ethics, and professionalism in every aspect of her work.

His Beatitude, Archbishop +Michael Kirkland serves as Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the United States, and is a member of the Joint Synod of UAOC in the USA.

His participation on the Board of Advisors reflects the Institute's commitment to genuine collaboration between the Orthodox and Catholic traditions, bringing the perspective of the Orthodox episcopate to the work of uniting East and West.

As a businessman, Kevin brings to us a wealth of knowledge and business acumen. Kevin is the Chief Operating Officer of a national business that allows him to enjoy being semi-retired and focus on sharing the message of the Gospel with those whom he meets.

Kevin speaks about his experience and presents to audiences about the treasures of the Rosary and the relationship that we have with our Guardian Angel. He also shares his experience about using the prayer beads of the East (Komboskini or Chotki).

Kevin is a life-long Roman Catholic and sees the need to expand his knowledge about the Church and how we have both East and West. As Pope John Paul II said, "We have to breathe with both lungs, both East and West" (Ut unum sint, encyclical) — and Kevin reminds the faithful that to learn about each other more, we should "Be not afraid."

His Beatitude, Archbishop +Michael Wiest serves as Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in the American Diaspora and dependencies, and is a member of the Joint Synod of UAOC in the USA.

His presence on the Board of Advisors bridges the Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Orthodox traditions, embodying the very unity the Institute works to foster between East and West.

After serving for 10 years in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as a pastor, associate pastor, chaplain and other roles, Father Joel was totally engaged in the life of a Roman Catholic priest. Now Father Joel is a Byzantine Catholic married priest and is very versed in the Eastern Rite culture and liturgies.

This puts Bishop +Joel in the unique position of teaching Roman Catholic priests how to become bi-ritual like he is and to be able to enjoy the Catholic Church which is both East and West. As a leader of the Institute for Eastern Christian Studies, Bishop +Joel is working very closely with Roman Catholic priests and sharing with them the richness and opportunities of the East.

While being a Roman Catholic priest ordained in 2000, it was in 2019 when he became a Byzantine Catholic priest in the jurisdiction that Josyf Cardinal Slipyj established as sui juris and autocephalous that +Joel came to realize the importance and the honor it is to know both East and West.

"It is not possible to be fully Catholic until one is bi-ritual. There is no division in the Body of Christ and the schism of 1054 will end when we come to realize that it is okay to be different."