Interfaith America Founder Eboo Patel Receives 4th Consecutive NPT Top 50 Honor

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Interfaith America Founder and President Eboo Patel was named to The NonProfit Times' Power & Influence Top 50 for the fourth year in a row, highlighting his lasting leadership in advancing pluralism as a solution to polarization and division.

This recognition again demonstrates his influence in shifting Americans' perceptions of religious diversity—from a source of division to a source of cooperation. This year, he was also cited by the George W. Bush Institute for his dedication to the idea that cooperation across our differences is key for all Americans to thrive. In addition, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the most prestigious honors in the nation for a scholar or civic leader.

Also honored by NPT this year are three of Interfaith America's close collaborators in the pluralism movement: Michael Murray, President, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, a philanthropic backbone of civil discourse in higher ed; Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of YMCA of the USA; and Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. Working with Interfaith America through the Team Up Project, McCormick and Reckford are embedding pluralism practices throughout their organizations, which reach communities across the country.

The NPT honorees will be recognized at the NPT Power & Influence Top 50 Gala this September in Washington, D.C.

MEDIA CONTACT
For media inquiries, please contact Randy Craig, Interfaith America, at [email protected].

About Interfaith America
Interfaith America was founded in 2002 based on the idea that religious differences should serve as a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. Since that time, Interfaith America has evolved from a small Chicago-based nonprofit to the nation's premier interfaith organization. Led by Founder and President Eboo Patel, IA activates leaders to build an interfaith America. Utilizing a research-backed approach, IA works across campus, civic, and corporate sectors.

About Eboo Patel 
Eboo served on President Obama's Inaugural Faith Council, has given hundreds of keynote addresses, and has written five books, including We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy. He is an Ashoka Fellow and holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes scholarship. Eboo Patel is a civic leader who believes religious diversity is an essential and inspiring dimension of American democracy. Named "one of America's best leaders" by US News and World Report, Eboo is the Founder and President of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in the United States.

SOURCE Interfaith America