Rev. Mary Katherine Morn Named New President and CEO of Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

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Jan Dragin, Dragin Communications, jdragin@gmail.com, 24/7 at (339) 236-0679
For Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOSTON/CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — Wednesday, May 16, 2018 — Rev. Dr. Lyssa Jenkens, chair of the board of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), announced the selection today of the Rev. Mary Katherine Morn as the human rights organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer.

“Rev. Morn is a true leader and visionary who will take us forward during this extraordinary time,” said Jenkens. “She has been one of our most respected and admired parish ministers with a long history of growing congregations and increasing institutional impact.

“Since 2014, she has done an extraordinary job as chief development officer at the Unitarian Universalist Association. She is a leader who listens, who reaches out, who acts. She has a warmth and collaborative style that touches all who know her.”

Morn will begin her duties in mid-June as head of the over 75-year old human rights organization, founded when Martha and Rev. Waitstill Sharp went to Nazi-occupied Europe to rescue Jews, dissidents and refugee children. Since then, UUSC has worked all over the world and within the U.S. to stand with the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.

“This is a great honor and great privilege,“ said Morn, “and a challenge I relish at a time when human rights, human dignity and human lives are at risk around the world. We have much to accomplish at UUSC, in cooperation with our grassroots partners, and I am confident we will continue to advance the social justice causes that are so critical to our values.”

Rev. Morn was chosen after a several month search process, headed by former UUSC board chair, Martha Easter-Wells. “We were truly blessed with a large number of extraordinarily qualified candidates,” said Easter-Wells. “Their commitment to the UUSC human rights mission and their respective life experiences were heartening to the search committee. We are thrilled that Mary Katherine Morn was chosen and has agreed to accept the position.”

Morn comes to the UUSC from thirty years of serving progressive values and working for justice through her leadership in Unitarian Universalist congregations, community organizations, and for the last four years with the Unitarian Universalist Association. She served congregations and communities in Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia before becoming the Chief Development Officer and Special Advisor to the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2014.

“Her leadership has been anchored in our commitment to the work of justice and focused on building teams and resourcing a transformative mission through partnerships,” said UUSC board chair Jenkens.

Morn said she is inspired by the history, vision and talented leadership at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. “I’m honored and joyful to be taking on the role of President and CEO and furthering the cause of international human rights.”

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