Rev. Bud Heckman is the convener of the Interfaith Funders Group, as well as an independent consultant in the field of interfaith relations. Rev. Heckman served on the Interreligious Cooperation Task Force for President Obama through the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. An ordained Christian minister who has long been appointed in the field of interfaith relations, Rev. Heckman has served formerly as: executive director of the International Shinto Foundation, director of outreach and the Mosaic Initiative at El-Hibri Foundation; senior advisor to Religions for Peace USA; executive director of Religions for Peace USA; director for external relations for Religions for Peace International; and chief development officer of Hartford Seminary. He has served in leadership and consulting positions with the Religion Communicators Council and the Religion News Foundation. A frequent speaker and writer on interfaith relations, Rev. Heckman is editor of an award-winning reference book for the field called InterActive Faith: The Essential Interreligious Community-Building Handbook (2008).