Speakers & Artists - International Association of Chaplains in Higher Education

Speaker

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hieke
Catholic Theologian, University of Mainz

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hieke has held the chair for Old Testament Studies at the Catholic Faculty of Theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2007. His scholarly work focuses on biblical theology, the reception of the Hebrew Bible in the New Testament and Jewish-Christian dialogue, as well as on the interpretation of sacred texts in contemporary contexts.

At IACHE 2026, Prof. Hieke will explore the theological and artistic dimensions of the famous stained glass windows by Marc Chagall in St. Stephen’s Church in Mainz. In his lecture “Theology in Glass: The Chagall Windows in St. Stephen’s – A Place of Prayer for Peace”, he will reflect on how biblical imagery, interfaith symbolism, and artistic expression intertwine to create a sacred space of hope, memory, and reconciliation.

Saba-Nur Cheema
Democracy Education & Diversity Expert

Saba-Nur Cheema (born 1987, Frankfurt am Main) is a German political scientist and writer. She studied political science, history, and economics at Goethe University Frankfurt.

From 2015 to 2021, she served as Head of Education at the Anne Frank Educational Center, developing projects in historical and political education addressing discrimination, antisemitism, and racism.

She is a research associate at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at Goethe University Frankfurt, with research foci including Islamophobia, antisemitism, and Jewish-Muslim relations. She has also been appointed to government advisory roles concerning Islamophobia in Germany.

Meron Mendel
Director of the Anne Frank Educational Center

Meron Mendel (born 1976 in Ramat Gan, Israel) is an Israeli-German educator, social scientist, and writer. He studied history, education, and Jewish history in Haifa and Munich, and earned his doctorate in 2010 in Frankfurt with a dissertation on the life worlds of Jewish youth in Germany.

Since 2010, he has been the Director of the Anne Frank Educational Center in Frankfurt. Since 2021, he holds a cooperative professorship in Transnational Social Work at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. His work addresses memory culture, antisemitism, migration, identity politics, and German-Israeli relations.

PD Dr. Marita Liebermann
Director of the Catholic Academy Rabanus Maurus, Mainz

PD Dr. Marita Liebermann is a scholar in Romance Literary Studies and currently serves as Director of the Catholic Academy (Katholische Akademie Rabanus Maurus / Haus am Dom) in Mainz. She also holds a teaching position at the Chair for Romance Literary Studies I at KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.

Josephine Haas (she/her)
Pastor of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN), Germany and Co-initiator of the Network for Queer-affirming Church in the EKHN

Josephine Haas is a pastor of the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN), Germany, and co-initiator of the Network for a Queer-affirming Church within the EKHN. Her work centers on creating safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQIA+ people within faith communities and promoting dialogue on inclusive theology and pastoral care.

Anthony Cruz Pantojas, MATS, MALS, BCC (they/them/theirs)
Humanist Chaplain and Coordinator of Africana Spirituality at Tufts University.

Anthony Cruz Pantojas serves as Humanist Chaplain and Coordinator of Africana Spirituality at Tufts University. Their work bridges humanism, Africana spirituality, and decolonial thought, fostering inclusive spiritual care and ethical community-building across diverse traditions. They are also a scholar and educator exploring Afro-Caribbean humanism and decolonial ethics.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Stephan Jolie
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Teaching, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Prof. Dr. Stephan Jolie is Vice President for Academic Affairs and Teaching at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. A professor of German Medieval Studies, he focuses on medieval German literature, cultural history, and the didactics of higher education. In his vice-presidential role, he is responsible for academic development, innovation in teaching, and quality assurance in higher education.