Young Peacemakers’ Toolbox:

A Resource Hub for Children and Their Communities

Meet the Teams

It was important for us to invite a mix of people to serve on our Resourcing and Vetting Teams. While we knew the value of having experts outside of the organization contribute suggestions and feedback, we also wanted to include friends and ministry partners of BPFNA who know the organization and would themselves use the Peacemakers’ Toolbox. Each team consisted of people who care for children in a personal and professional capacity. They included parents, teachers, ministers, licensed mental health counselors and social workers, and laypeople. More importantly, they are people who understand the importance of teaching children to cultivate peace and wisdom as a valuable resource for their own flourishing.

*Please note that the people represented below do not represent the entirety of the teams. Because of professional restrictions, some were not able to be highlighted on the website.

The Resourcing Team

  • Anita Peebles, M.Div

    Rev. Anita (she/her) is an ordained American Baptist pastor currently located in Seattle, living on the land of the Duwamish and Coast Salish peoples. She is a 2018 graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and a 2014 graduate of Oberlin College. Anita was ordained by an Alliance of Baptists-associated congregation in April 2018. She interested in ecotheology and feminist theology, and loves thinking about how to make Christian social justice education and rituals accessible to young children. Anita spends time with the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches, the Alliance of Baptists, Young Clergywomen International and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America~Bautistas por la Paz. When she’s not prepping kids’ crafts or sermonizing, she enjoys writing, kayaking, dancing, singing, eating at church potlucks and watching movies with her partner and her cat.

  • A young woman with a buzz cut and glasses gives a gentle smile

    Geneva McAuley, M.Div

    Geneva McAuley (she/her) is a Kansas City resident and ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She has worked with children for many years, most recently serving as a Children’s Minister and Coordinator of Children’s Spiritual Education in her last two pastoral appointments. She has a certificate in Justice Ministry Education from Auburn Seminary; a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary (where she was one of the first recipients of the Graduate Certificate in Theology, Women, and Gender); a B.A. in Biochemistry and Biomedical Ethics from Westminster College in Fulton, M.O.; and has received graduate-level training in Bioethics from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. She is a fierce advocate for children, women, and the LGBTQ+ community, and is passionate about disability and mental health awareness, education, and justice. Geneva currently lives in Kansas with her spouse, Chad, and goldendoodle, Finley.

The Vetting Team

  • Carissa Boncardo, LMHC

    Carissa Boncardo is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor currently practicing in Mamaroneck, New York. She works with children, adolescents, and adults in both individual and family settings. Her goal is to build a private practice where she can create a safe space for her clients to share and grow in their own unique ways.

  • Monique Evans, LCSW

    Monique Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in providing family therapy and individual therapy to clients of all age groups across the lifespan.

    She completed 4 years postgraduate training in family therapy at an esteemed institute in NYC, and utilizes trauma informed, evidence-based treatment modalities to treat a range of issues/ presenting symptoms including but not limited to: anxiety, depression, other mood disorders, family and couples’ communication, school issues, and adult mental illness. Monique operates from a culturally sensitive and anti-oppressive lens to collaborate with clients so they can gain clarity, break old habits, and find solutions with a renewed perspective on their lives and relationships.

  • Lauren N. Perez, LCSW

    Lauren N. Perez specializes in trauma, anxiety, and relationship concerns, including family issues. Lauren is particularly focused on helping individuals and families break generational patterns of unhealthy relationships within themselves and others.

    Lauren's practice is open to adolescents, families, couples, and individuals. She draws upon her clinical experience in traditional psychotherapy, as well as alternative approaches including hypnotherapy, spiritual connection, reiki, and intuitiveness. She is an active listener who has expertise in mindfulness practices and teaches tools that clients can utilize in their daily lives, such as meditation and breathwork. This multifaceted approach is calibrated to help clients release themselves from suffering and trauma, as well as build healthy communication skills, so they are empowered in all areas of their journey.

  • Rev. Rebecca Hewett-Nelson

    Rebecca grew up in Virginia, then studied at Elon University and Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Previously a board-certified chaplain, Rebecca worked in the Providence Health Care System in Los Angeles, supporting patients, families, and medical staff. She then served as Minister for Family Life at Millbrook Baptist Church in Raleigh prior to joining the Emmaus Way community in 2020.

    As a pastor at Emmaus Way, Rebecca brings passion for the ways that adults and children can learn and grow together through embracing common joys, igniting imagination, and working alongside each other to build just and loving community. Rebecca is also an advocate for public education, currently serving on the board of Pastors for North Carolina Children. Rebecca lives in Raleigh with her husband, Ryan, and two children, Atticus and Isaac. They love to play outside and enjoy listening to and making music together.

The Resources

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for new resources!

Please send them to us by using the form below.

The Sponsors

  • Hispanic Theological Initiative

    The Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI) cultivates Latine PhD students for leadership positions in the academy, the church, and the world.

  • American Baptist Home Mission Societies

    The American Baptis Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) develops programs, publications and resources that encourage, educate, develop and strengthen Christian leaders to answer God’s call to meet the needs of those living on the margins