October 1, 2004, NEW YORK CITY -- Effective October 18, Vince Isner of Fairfax, Virginia, will become the first full-time director of FaithfulAmerica.org, the NCC-sponsored online advocacy service. 

FaithfulAmerica.org began in May and already has more than 120,000 members who have helped advance several important initiatives dealing with a faith response to public issues, including genocide in Sudan's Darfur region, the Abu Graib Prison torture scandal and persistent poverty in the United States.  The site also includes resources for voters in this election year.

Isner, a veteran of more than 20 years' experience in electronic media production, design, marketing, print and web communication, has served as Communications Director of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society in Washington, DC.  

He has also worked as an independent producer, most recently responsible for developing two DVD/web-based study projects for Wesley Ministry Network, a program of Wesley Theological Seminary, also in Washington.

Earlier he served nine years as a writer, director and producer for United Methodist Communications and the United Methodist Publishing House, both in Nashville, Tenn.   He also helped manage educational resources for the national PBS Ready to Learn project, and hosted a weekly children's television program on Pittsburgh's NBC affiliate, building on a long relationship with the late Fred Rogers, founder of Mister Rogers Neighborhood.  

Isner is a graduate of Centenary College, Shreveport, La., and United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio.  Until he begins his work in the NCC Washington office, Vince can be reached at isnerv@verizon.net and by phone at 202-277-7777.  After Oct. 18, his office phone will be 202-544-2350 and email will be visner@ncccusa.org. 

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NCC Media Contact: 212-870-2252; cfouke@ncccusa.org