Three new staffers join UCC Washington, D.C. office

The United Church of Christ’s Washington, D.C. Office of Public Policy and Advocacy recently welcomed three members to its team.

Hannah Santos began as communications and campaigns specialist in early June. She will provide strategic and technical support for the overall communication functions of the D.C. office. Santos recently served as the religious freedom program coordinator at Freedom Forum where she designed public programming and online campaigns educating general audiences on religious freedom issues. She holds a Master of Theological Studies in Religion, Ethics and Politics from Harvard Divinity School.

Helen Smith joined the team in March as international policy advocate. Prior to working for the UCC, Smith led Creation Justice Ministries’ work, organizing faith leaders, creating policy resources and working with partners to achieve meaningful policy change for God’s planet and people. She has also worked for the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. Smith is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a degree in International Politics. 

Abigail Cipparone also joined the D.C. office in March, serving as domestic policy advocate. Cipparone previously worked as the legislative director for Congressman Kweisi Mfume of Maryland’s 7th Congressional district. Her current work on domestic policy focuses on coordinating the UCC’s work related to economic justice, healthcare for all, education for all, democracy, and civil rights, as reflected in UCC policy. Cipparone holds a bachelor’s degree in Ethnicity, Race and Migration from Yale University. 

“I’m so excited to have these new colleagues join the staff, especially at this critical time in our nation and the life of the church,” said the Rev. Michael Neuroth, director of the Washington, D.C. Office of Public Policy and Advocacy. “I believe that with this new team in place, we will not only build on the legacy of the office but also imagine together new ways of partnering with advocates, churches and conferences to lift up the collective voice of the UCC in the public.”

To learn more about the UCC’s public witness, sign up for the Justice and Peace Action Network and follow on Facebook and X/Twitter. 

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