Lisa M. Perhamus was the inaugural Padnos/Sarosik Endowed Professor of Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University and now serves as director of the center.

Dr. Perhamus is an Associate Professor in the Foundations of Education Program in the university’s College of Education & Community Innovation. She received her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Curriculum Studies from the University of Rochester, her Master’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Urban Education from The New School for Social Research, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from William Smith College. 

Dr. Perhamus is available via email or phone at [email protected] or (616) 331-6736.

Greg Warsen is the fifth Padnos/Sarosik Endowed Professor of Civil Discourse at Grand Valley.

Dr. Warsen also serves on the faculty of the Educational Leadership Department and as the Graduate Program Director for the Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership which prepares future central office administrators. Prior to this appointment, he served in PK-12 roles for 25 years initially as an ELA and Psychology teacher and then for 20 years as an administrator at both the building and central office level, including the Superintendency. He earned his master’s and doctorate degrees at Western Michigan University.

Dr. Warsen can be most easily reached at [email protected].

Justine Kibet coordinates the programming of the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse.

Justine received her Master of Social Work degree from Grand Valley and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Aquinas College. She also earned her Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache from Europa Kolleg, a language institute in Kassel, Germany. She has a background in refugee and immigrant services, facilitating education in cultural awareness and LGBTQ allyship, and collaborating on a community response to domestic violence. In addition to supporting the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse, Justine serves as the academic coordinator for the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program at GVSU.

You may connect with Justine at [email protected] or 616-331-8058.

Mariam Abdel-Moemen is the program assistant for the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse.

Mariam is currently studying to receive her Bachelor of Business Administration at GVSU with majors in Marketing and Finance. She is a student within the Frederick Meijer Honors College. In addition to the work she does for the Center, Mariam serves as the Marketing Associate for GVSU's Investment Portfolio Organization, a student-led group. 

Students interested in getting involved with civil discourse at Grand Valley may contact Mariam at [email protected].