Board of Directors

The Board of Directors actively oversees the national and international activities of the Rise to Peace—setting long-term goals and priorities for the organization as well as monitoring the organization’s financial, administrative, and personnel policies. The board approves major new program initiatives and makes final decisions in the selection of Institute grantees, and fellows. The board meets four times each year in regular meetings, conference calls to discuss the organization’s programs and projects.

Ambassador John W. Limbert Member, Board of Directors John Limbert was appointed Distinguished Professor of International Affairs at the U.S. Naval Academy in August 2006 after retiring from the Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor. His last postings before retirement were as Dean of the Foreign Service Institute’s School of Language Studies and, on temporary assignment, as Chief of Mission in Khartoum, Sudan. Michael R. Sherwin Assistant United States Attorney, U. S. Department of Justice Michael R. Sherwin, an Assistant United States Attorney with the U. S. Department of Justice, has extensive experience in national security investigations and counterterrorism cases. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Michael was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy, where he served throughout the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Elizabeth A. Carter Board Member, Treasurer and Director of Development Elizabeth supports program operations for R2P’s humanitarian efforts. She helps identify sponsorship opportunities, assesses requirements, and writes grant proposals to secure needed funding. An award-winning writer in the business to government space, she has led large, multi-functional teams of senior executives, business partners, and subject matter experts through complex, highly competitive proposal projects. Elizabeth’s impressive success rate has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars worth of awarded contracts. In prior experience, Elizabeth helped develop a global corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that offered in-kind logistics services to philanthropic organizations at home and abroad. The program fueled supply chains for the transportation, warehousing, and distribution of donated medical supplies, food, and equipment to humanitarian partners. As an extension of the CSR program, Elizabeth helped pioneer a multi-corporation, Logistics Emergency Team (LET). LET members have since responded to more than 40 crises and large-scale natural disasters around the world. Richard McCrensky Board Member Richard McCrensky is an award-winning international affairs researcher, analyst, writer, presenter, and contact builder, with significant management experience and Top Secret clearance through 2019. Multi-year experience working successfully in demanding environments on extremely topical issues, including terrorist threats to energy resources; field reporting/analysis assignments on Iran, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan; and Caspian Sea region Oil, Gas, and Pipeline developments. Atefa Tayeb Board Member Atefa Tayeb is an Afghan political activist and education specialist with over a decade of experience in community empowerment, educational development, and political engagement. Atefa holds an MA in Public Health from Kabul Medical University and a master’s in Public Administration from Payam Noor University and a Bachelor of Law from Kateb University. Atefa was a candidate for Parliament and is currently a Professor at Isteqlal University. Over the past four years, she has served as the acting chancellor of the Isteqlal University. Abdil R. Taib Board member Abdul R. Taib, is a former prosecutor and an appellate court judge with Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He has extensive experience in law enforcement, anti-corruption, national security investigations, and counterterrorism cases in Afghanistan.

  Ambassador John W. Limbert
 Member, Board of Directors
John Limbert was appointed Distinguished Professor of International Affairs at the U.S. Naval Academy in August 2006 after retiring from the Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor.  His last postings before retirement were as Dean of the Foreign Service Institute’s School of Language Studies and, on temporary assignment, as Chief of Mission in Khartoum, Sudan.
  Michael R. Sherwin
  Assistant United States Attorney, U. S. Department of Justice
Michael R. Sherwin, an Assistant United States Attorney with the U. S. Department of Justice, has extensive experience in national security investigations and counterterrorism cases. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Michael was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy, where he served throughout the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  Elizabeth A. Carter
 Board Member, Treasurer and Director of Development
Elizabeth supports program operations for R2P’s humanitarian efforts. She helps identify sponsorship opportunities, assesses requirements, and writes grant proposals to secure needed funding. An award-winning writer in the business to government space, she has led large, multi-functional teams of senior executives, business partners, and subject matter experts through complex, highly competitive proposal projects. Elizabeth’s impressive success rate has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars worth of awarded contracts.
In prior experience, Elizabeth helped develop a global corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that offered in-kind logistics services to philanthropic organizations at home and abroad. The program fueled supply chains for the transportation, warehousing, and distribution of donated medical supplies, food, and equipment to humanitarian partners. As an extension of the CSR program, Elizabeth helped pioneer a multi-corporation, Logistics Emergency Team (LET). LET members have since responded to more than 40 crises and large-scale natural disasters around the world.
 
  Richard McCrensky
 Board Member 
Richard McCrensky is an award-winning international affairs researcher, analyst, writer, presenter, and contact builder, with significant management experience and Top Secret clearance through 2019. Multi-year experience working successfully in demanding environments on extremely topical issues, including terrorist threats to energy resources; field reporting/analysis assignments on Iran, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan; and Caspian Sea region Oil, Gas, and Pipeline developments.
  Atefa Tayeb
 Board Member 
Atefa Tayeb is an Afghan political activist and education specialist with over a decade of experience in community empowerment, educational development, and political engagement. Atefa holds an MA in Public Health from Kabul Medical University and a master’s in Public Administration from Payam Noor University and a Bachelor of Law from Kateb University. Atefa was a candidate for Parliament and is currently a Professor at Isteqlal University. Over the past four years, she has served as the acting chancellor of the Isteqlal University.
  Abdil R. Taib
 Board member 
Abdul R. Taib, is a former prosecutor and an appellate court judge with Supreme Court of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He has extensive experience in law enforcement, anti-corruption, national security investigations, and counterterrorism cases in Afghanistan.