Faith Inclusion Network Speaker Bios

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Kathleen Bolduc

Bill Gaventa

That All May Worship Conference Speakers

Faith Inclusion Network was pleased to sponsor That All May Worship at the DoubleTree Hotel Virginia Beach on April 10, 2011.

Kathleen Bolduc

Kathleen Deyer Bolduc is a nationally recognized author and speaker in the field of disability ministry, concentrating on disability's impact on the family system, and the ways in which churches can welcome and support families that live with disability. She holds a Master of Arts in Religious Studies with an emphasis on family systems from The College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kathy is the mother of three sons, the youngest of whom has autism and moderate intellectual disabilities. She is the author of Autism & Alleluias (Judson Press, 2010), A Place Called Acceptance: Ministry with Families of Children with Disabilities (Bridge Resources, 2001) and His Name is Joel: Searching for God in a Son's Disability (Bridge Resources, 2001). Her articles have appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer, Guideposts, The Journal of Religion, Disability and Health, among numerous others magazines and e-zines. Her speaking ministry has taken her around the United States. Visit her website at www.kathleenbolduc.com

Bill Gaventa

William (Bill) C. Gaventa, M.Div.

Bill Gaventa serves as Director of Community and Congregational Supports at the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, and Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The Boggs Center is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey and is part of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

In his role at The Boggs Center, Bill works on community supports, training for community services staff and workforce development, initiatives in cultural competence, aging/end of life issues, supervision of a program in Clinical Pastoral Education, and inclusive congregational supports. He also coordinates a training and technical assistance team for the New Jersey Self Directed Supports Projects and a project in faith community leadership development in Pennsylvania.

Bill has served in a variety of professional and volunteer roles. Before coming to New Jersey, he was Coordinator of Family Support for the Georgia Developmental Disabilities Council. He moved to Georgia from New York, where he served as Chaplain and Coordinator of Religious Services for the Monroe Developmental Center. He is a graduate of Stetson University in Florida and Union Theological Seminary, New York City.

As writer and author, he served as Editor of the Journal of Religion Disability, and Health from 1996-2010. He has served editor of the newsletter for the Religion and Spirituality Division of AAIDD, Adviser for the Spiritual and Religious Supports Series-Exceptional Parent Magazine, and a columnist for Insight, the national newsletter of the ArcUSA. Writings include journal articles, book chapters, monographs, resource collections, booklets, and four edited books.

In volunteer roles, Bill has served as Executive Secretary for the Religion and Spirituality Division of the AAIDD (American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) since 1985. He has received both the Service Award and a Presidential Award from the AAIDD (formerly AAMR), and, in 2008, the COMISS Medal from the Congress on Ministries in Specialized Settings in 2008, a Unitas Outstanding Alumni Award from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and, in 2009, an Outstanding Alumni Award from Stetson University.

Bill Gaventa is married. His wife, Beverly, is Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. His son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Sarah, currently live in Princeton, where Matthew is attending Princeton Theological Seminary and Sarah is Associate Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church.