All Staff Directory

As campus rabbi of Columbia University, Yonah Hain guides the educational, interfaith and religious initiatives of Columbia/Barnard Hillel’s robust Jewish community. Yonah is passionate about Jewish thought, and specializes in text study and religious law in particular. He started at Columbia in 2007 and also worked for three years downtown at New York University. Yonah received his B.A. in Talmudic Literature and ordination from Jerusalem’s rabbinic court. He currently lives on the Upper West Side with his wife, Elana, and their two children, Azzan and Navon. Yonah is on campus full-time with an office at the Kraft Center. 

Rabbi Yonah Blum has spent the past 20+ years living and working on college campuses. He possesses the unique qualities of idealism, optimism, and genuine love of his fellows – qualities needed to thrive in a college environment.

Hailing from Potomac, MD, a Washington D.C. suburb, Rabbi Blum connected with Chabad while in high school. After graduation Rabbi Blum enrolled in the Yeshiva Tiferes Bochurim in Morristown, NJ. His rabbinic studies spanned five years and included some years at Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim as well as Yeshiva 770, where he received rabbinic ordination.

A pioneer in campus outreach, Rabbi Blum enjoyed two years as a rabbinic intern in the picturesque, five college town of Amherst, MA, from 1995 to 1996. In 1997, Rabbi Blum accepted the position of full time campus Rabbi at Chabad at Columbia University. From his humble beginnings as a commuting straphanger, Rabbi Blum has grown Chabad to become a thriving communal center for learning and socializing.

In July of 1999, Timothy Smith accepted the post of Organist-in-Residence, St. Paul’s Chapel of Columbia University, and in November, 1999, he was named University Organist. Since July, 1992, Smith also has served as Director of Music and Organist at New York’s famed Riverside Church. Smith was a member of the music staff of Trinity Church, Wall Street, where he served since 1989. A graduate of Yale University, Smith holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Manhattan School of Music. His organ studies have been with W. Lindsay Smith, Thomas Murray and John Walker. Dr. Smith is the recipient of the Theodore Presser Award and the Harry Benjamin Jepson Award from Yale University, and The Clair Cocci Award from the Manhattan School of Music. He has performed as organist with the Yale Philharmonia, The Manhattan School of Music Symphony, the Fairfield Chamber Orchestra and Period Academy, and the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra.

Tai Adenekan is the Departmental Administrator for the Earl Hall Center and the Office of the University Chaplain. In this role Tai manages operations which also includes finance and administration. Before joining the OUC, Tai worked in the Office of Undergraduate Student Life.

imran Jeet Singh is an award-winning educator, writer, activist, and scholar who believes deeply that love, equity, and justice are closely intertwined. He writes and speaks regularly on issues of diversity, inclusion, religion, race, and hate violence, and his thought leadership extends to a number of audiences, including university campuses, government bodies, and leadership conferences.

Simran is a Visiting Scholar at NYU’s Center for Religion and Media and a Senior Religion Fellow for the Sikh Coalition, a civil rights organization based in New York City. He is a columnist for the esteemed Religion News Service, on the board for Religion News Association, and he serves as a consistent expert for reporters around the world. Simran is a chaplain at New York University and serves on Governor Cuomo's Interfaith Advisory Council for the State of New York. He is also a fellow for the Truman National Security Project, a term-member for the Council on Foreign Relations, and an Honorary Fellow at the University of Birmingham (UK). His children’s picture book on Fauja Singh, the oldest person to ever run a marathon, is currently in illustration and will be published with Penguin Books (Kokila).

Simran holds graduate degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University, and he is the author of “Covering Sikhs,” a guidebook to help journalists accurately report on the Sikh community. Simran has taught various courses, including introductions to the Sikh, Hindu, Islamic, and Buddhist traditions, and he has received various accolades and awards for his teaching and justice work. Most recently he received the prestigious Peter Gomes Memorial Award from Harvard Divinity School, the Walter Wink Scholar-Activist from Auburn Seminary, the Presidential Excellence Award for Teaching from Columbia University, Educator of the Year from the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest, and the Community Pillar Award from the Northside Education Foundation.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Simran is a diehard Spurs fan and avid marathoner. He currently lives with his wife and two daughters in Manhattan, New York.

The Rev. Ryan Kuratko is fascinated by the multi-dimensional formation of higher education. Ordained an Episcopal priest in 2006, he has more than 12 years of experience leading, teaching, and shaping Christian communities interested in compassion and justice. He is drawn to the generous Episcopal traditions that value everyday spirituality, rich diversity, and humor.

Ryan received a BA in philosophy from Northwestern University, an MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary, and a PhD from Emory University in religion, with an added concentration in the study of religious practices.

Luke Speckman has been the Religious Life Adviser for CONVICTVS since the spring 2018 semester.

Rebbetzin Keren Blum’s first spoken language is Yiddish; Hebrew is her second, though it would never be apparent upon initially meeting her. A Brooklyn native, Rebbetzin Blum grew up in a small family of immigrant parents and grandparents. Her diverse educational experiences have included Yeshiva of Flatbush, public school, Hampshire College, and Machon Chana Women’s Institute. She earned a B.A. in the study of Nutrition and Poverty and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University. Her passions include social justice work, learning, and more recently raising the five Blum children to be the finest expressions of humanity they can possibly achieve.

Keren joined Rabbi Blum as the Rebbetzin at Chabad at Columbia University in 1997 when they married.

Julian Bennett Holmes studied with Lowell Liebermann and Richard Danielpour, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in musical composition at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with Marjorie Merryman. As a teenager, he toured internationally, playing drums in experimental rock bands. 

He has won prizes including the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester Young Composer Competition, the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Composers Award, the Mannes College Bohuslav Martinu Prize, and the Second Prize at the Seventh International Antonín Dvorák Composition.

Ian Rottenberg, “Chaplain Ian”, is the Associate University Chaplain for Columbia. With both a Ph.D. in Philosophy and experience working within communities of faith, Chaplain Ian is as passionate about multi-faith conversations as he is about the New York Mets and Football Giants.

Hon Eng did his undergraduate studies at Drew University.  He received his Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and his Master of Theology in New Testament Studies from McMaster Divinity College. He has served InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Columbia for 20 years.  Currently, his ministry focuses on graduate students and faculty.  He is available for appointments from 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

The Rev. Eric Lipscomb received a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia, and his Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America, and has served as the RUF Campus Minister at Columbia since 2014. He enjoys processing questions of life and faith with students, and is available to meet by appointment throughout the week.   

Rev. Doyeon Park is a Kyomunim, literally meaning one who devotes oneself to teach Buddha dharma in the Won Buddhist tradition. She has served as the Buddhist Religious Life Adviser at Columbia University since 2011. She is also the Buddhist chaplain at New York University and a minister at the Manhattan Won Buddhist Temple.

Inspired by the Buddhist idea of inner freedom and happiness, Rev. Park started her monastic training in 1998. She graduated from Dept. of Won Buddhism, Won Kwang University, Iksan, Korea and earned an M.A. in Won Buddhist Studies from Won Institute of Graduate Studies, Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA. She received full ordination in 2007.

Pastor Daniel Lee has served as Religious Life Advisor at the Columbia/Barnard Compass Christian Koinonia for over twelve years, and also pastors a local Baptist Church. He received degrees from UC Berkeley, UC Hastings Law School, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. His religious interests include constructive theology and the integration of faith/work. Pastor Daniel holds office hours on Wednesdays, 12-1pm, in 110 Earl Hall, or by appointment.

Fr. Dan O’Reilly has been the director of Columbia Catholic Ministry since 2011 and the administrator of Corpus Christi Church since 2013. Born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx, he attended Regis High School in New York City and majored in philosophy at Princeton University before entering the seminary for the Archdiocese of New York. After earning an M.A. in theology and divinity from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, he was ordained a priest in 2003. He has served as parochial vicar at Resurrection Church in Rye, Director of Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of New York, Spiritual Director for the St. John Neumann Seminary College in Yonkers, and Catholic Campus Minister at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx. During the academic year, office hours are from 1-2pm in 110 Earl Hall every Monday to Friday.

Ashley Byrd graduated from Columbia College in 2002.  He is committed to fostering communities on campus where students can examine their own beliefs and explore faith through personal questions in a rigorous and loving environment. Ashley is passionate about students maturing in faith through leading initiatives that encourage spiritual growth, healing and that serve and love the campus.

Anne Klaeysen is an Ethical Culture Leader (clergy) who serves the New York Society for Ethical Culture. She holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in pastoral counseling from Hebrew Union College, as well as M.A.’s in German from the State University of NY at Albany (SUNYA) and business administration from New York University (NYU). She also received a B.A. from SUNYA. Dr. Klaeysen is co-dean of The Humanist Institute, serves on the boards of Sunday Assembly NYC and The Encampment for Citizenship, and participates in several interfaith social justice coalitions. She has been a Religious Life Adviser since August 2010. Her office hours are Wednesdays, noon to 5 pm, in Earl Hall room 101. 

Amina Darwish, is a graduate of the Qalam seminary under the guidance of Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda. She earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Kuwait University, a MS in Industrial Engineering and PhD in Chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati. She worked as an adjunct faculty at the University of Cincinnati Clermont and Northern Kentucky University. Amina also served as the content development coordinator at the Muslim Youth of North America. She is the founder and CEO of Mercy in Action. She enjoys traveling with her husband, Amr, food with friends, and the Jedi.