Rev. Bud Heckman

Rev. Bud Heckman is currently the Executive Director of Religions for Peace – USA, the US chapter of the largest global coalition of religious representatives dedicated to peace. Previously, Bud served as an Executive for Volunteer Placement with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.

He has strong training and teaching experience in the core texts and motifs of the world's religions and served on the Board of the North American Interfaith Network and chaired the Membership Committee for the National Association of Ecumenical and Interreligious Staff. He currently is the Treasurer of the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations and is on the Troika of the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations.

An ordained Elder of the West Ohio Conference, he has served local churches in Chicago, Illinois; New Bedford, Massachusetts; and Cincinnati, Ohio. In the late 1990's, Bud served as the senior non-academic administrator for the Twentieth World Congress of Philosophy.

His educational background includes a B.A. from Ohio University, a M.Div. from The Divinity School of the University of Chicago, and a M.A. from Boston University, including significant work toward a doctoral degree. In addition, he has completed course work at seven other seminaries, including the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Laura, his wife, is an education and volunteer manager with Central Park Conservancy in New York City. They have two active children, Annah and Noah.