Paula Sophia Schonauer retired from the Oklahoma City Police Department in 2014 after 22 years of service. She had also been a vocational deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Upon coming out as transgender in 1999, she was reputed to be the first “transsexual” ordained as clergy in the Anglican Communion (though she regards that designation as rightwing hyperbole). Ultimately, the Diocese of Oklahoma demanded her renunciation of holy orders in 2005 after she had been on an enforced leave of absence from active ordained ministry for five years. Paula is a parent of two grown children, a daughter and a son, and spouse to Reverend Pam Schonauer for 19 years. They became grandparents in 2023. Currently, Paula is the director of the counseling center at Oklahoma City University.

2023 National Teacher of the Year Rebecka Peterson is a math teacher who loves stories. Rebecka is in her 16th year of education and has called Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, her home school since 2012. Rebecka’s message as National Teacher of the Year highlighted teachers’ stories of the good that is happening in education. She believes that when we learn each other’s stories, we carry a piece of each other with us. This helps us to authentically advocate for our students, teachers, and their communities. Rebecka is a proud immigrant of Iranian-Swedish descent and lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her husband, Brett, and their son, Jonas.

Reverend Keith Jossell is a transformative faith leader, community advocate, and strategist committed to justice, equity, and liberation. He serves as an associate pastor at Fifth Street Missionary Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and is the founding pastor of TheJusticeChurch, a God-centered house of prayer and faith-in-action ministry dedicated to advancing justice, healing, and hope in marginalized communities. Reverend Jossell served as the National Prayer Forum Director, Impact Strategist, and Spiritual Advisor for the Justice for Julius Coalition and Julius Darius Jones, offering pastoral care, public witness, and strategic leadership during one of the most high-profile clemency efforts in recent history. His contributions helped galvanize a national movement grounded in faith, advocacy, and collective action for justice. He is a proud ordained minister, called to serve both spiritually and practically. Reverend Jossell’s ministry is rooted in a Bible-centered message of justice, identity transformation, and community empowerment. His voice rings out from the pulpit and through public platforms as he calls for equitable systemic solutions and works to dismantle the barriers that prevent people from living fully and freely. His educational journey includes a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Loyola University New Orleans, an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Master of Arts in Social Justice from Phillips Theological Seminary—each one adding dimension to his calling to lead, liberate, and love through action. Within Fifth Street Missionary Baptist Church and The Justice Church, Reverend Jossell fosters spiritual depth and discipleship while equipping individuals to become agents of justice and change. He designs and implements innovative approaches to unlock human potential and catalyze community transformation, particularly for those often left behind by traditional systems. He is guided by an unshakeable belief in the resilience and collective power of people to reignite hope and pursue liberation. Reverend Jossell envisions a world where all can thrive—restored in spirit, rooted in justice, and living into the full expression of who God created them to be.

Rev. Aly Shahan is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church with a passion for building inclusive, life-giving communities rooted in love, justice, and spiritual depth. A proud graduate of Oklahoma City University (B.A. in Religion) and Perkins School of Theology (M.A.C.M.), Aly brings both unconditional love and creative leadership to every role she serves. She currently serves as the Director of University-Church Relations and Religious Life at Oklahoma City University, where she leads campus ministry through the Wesley Center and helps bridge connections between the university and the wider church. Her ministry has included a decade in youth ministry, vital work in Emotional and Spiritual Care for Disaster Response with the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, impactful campus ministry as Associate Director of the Wesley Foundation at Oklahoma State University, and 15 years of leadership in camping ministry. Aly is a three-time delegate to both the General Conference and South Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church, and in 2022, she was honored with the Francis E. Willard Award for her significant contributions to the advancement of women in ministry and leadership. Together, Aly and her husband, Rev. Dr. Adam Shahan, are raising two incredible children, Micah and Peyton, who bring joy, perspective, and lots of laughter into their lives. They are beyond grateful to serve God’s church together. Aly is passionate about equipping the next generation of Christian leaders, preaching messages of hope, grace and inclusion, and creating sacred spaces where all people feel seen, valued, and deeply loved by God exactly as they are.