About Interweave

Interweave is an interfaith and interspiritual learning center centered on integrated spirituality for daily living. Our mission is to deepen spirituality, strengthen wellness, and promote the common good.

Vision

In a time of change, challenge, and potential for good, Interweave offers a sense of connection and community for those seeking wisdom, empowerment and support in their life journeys.

History

From its beginning in 1980, Interweave has provided advanced conversation on issues of spirituality, wellness and the common good. Based on a collaborative model of hospitality, attentiveness and respect, our organization draws its membership from people who seek to grow and give back to the world.

Staff

Janet Aulet Maulbeck

Executive Director

Janet Aulet Maulbeck is the Executive Director of Interweave, an interfaith, inter-spiritual nonprofit
founded in 1980. Christ Church is home to many of Interweaves programs and its main office. Janet has
been involved with Interweave since 2001 becoming the organization’s third director in 2017. This
learning community is dedicated to nurturing spirituality, wellness and the common good. She truly
believes that Interweave’s transformative work and interfaith approach to spirituality is needed
especially in our polarized world.

Janet brings a deep understanding of communities of faith and spiritual formation. She is a trained
group facilitator, certificated in Spiritual Guidance, with rich experience as a retreat leader. Whether
leading a class on poetry, fairy tales, meditation, or spirituality of the ordinary; sharing the spiritual
journey is at the heart of her work.

Janet has decades of community building experience rooted in the local community. She served on the
Summit Board of Education from 1997-2003, including one year as president. She was Director of
Community Development at the Summit YMCA from 2003-2009. Janet has also served on Overlook
Hospital’s Community Health and palliative care committees and the Summit Mayor’s Task Force for
Diversity.

Diversity work plays an important part in her ministry. She is a founding member of the Alliance for
Latino Empowerment supporting Latino students. She was named the New Jersey YMCA Minority
Achiever in 2006 and received the Keeper of the Dream Award in 2010. Janet is also a member of both
the Summit and Millburn Interfaith councils. Janet worked with Summit Interfaith Council to develop
and deliver grants to immigrants during the covid crisis.

She is married to her husband Carl Maulbeck. Together they celebrate the joy of family with their
children and grandchildren.

Board

Moya Keating

President

Moya began her ministry without walls more than twenty years ago. After graduating from One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, she performed weddings, baby blessings, and memorial services in various settings. As her ministry evolved, she felt a deep calling to hospice chaplaincy, addressing the spiritual needs of patients and their families. Today, she embraces her role as a spiritual elder, providing spiritual direction, grief counseling, and supporting soulful community. Interweave beautifully aligns with what inspires her, fostering expansion, nurturing and a joyful blend of learning and spirituality.

Joseph LaVela

First Vice President

Joe is a retired attorney currently living in the Detroit metro area where he is a Postulant for Holy Orders (Priesthood) in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, and a student at Bexley-Seabury Seminary. He became involved in Interweave many years ago when living in New Jersey, where he was active in a range of parochial and diocesan ministries, and one of the co-founders of All The Way Up Adult Education Center in Newark which provides GED tutoring and other educational programs for adult learners. He also serves Treasurer of Dorcas Aid America, an international relief and development agency. He and his wife Betsy have two adult children.

Dilek Oztoprak, M.A

Second Vice President

Dilek teaches Turkish in the Department of African, Middle Eastern, South Asian Language and Literature at Rutgers University. She is a member of Peace Islands Institute, which works to promote mutual respect and understanding of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, and a board member of the Turkish Cultural Center North Jersey. Dilek is a former board president and a core member of Interweave’s Daughters of Abraham program.

The Rev. Shawn Carty

Secretary

Shawn is a priest in the Episcopal Church, currently serving at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Twin Falls, Idaho. With a deep interest in interfaith and ecumenical conversations, Shawn has served United Methodist and Episcopal congregations in Washington State, the Rocky Mountains in Idaho, and New Jersey over the past 30 years. Shawn traces his roots to Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, and is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University and the Theological School at Drew University.

Elaine Citron

Elaine has been a long-time member of Interweave. A life-long love of the arts she has been an art teacher, a jewelry designer and presently is the President of an art licensing agency. She resides in Union with her husband. She treasures time spent with her family, her daughter, grandson and son-in-law. She loves traveling and time spent gardening.

Sue Hirner

Sue has been a part of Interweave from the very beginning and was our original publicity person. Sue currently lives in Grapevine, Texas. She is active in her local church and enjoys spending quality time with her family. As an avid reader, she belongs to two book clubs. Sue cares deeply about issues of racism and inclusion. Sue has an MSW from Rutgers and later got her LCSW working in hospice. Interweave is her passion. She believes it is critically important that Interweave continues to be here to serve our communities.

Denise McCarthy

Denise is a volunteer English as a Second Language Tutor, and has worked with Literacy Volunteers of America, Paper Airplanes, Community Impact and ENGin, helping students both locally and overseas. She worked at Brother International for 25 years, where she managed product launches, marketing campaigns and market research for sewing and labeling products. Denise has been a member of the Interweave Writing Circle for several years, and values the sense of community, inclusiveness and growth that is at the heart of the Interweave organization.

The Reverend Susan Negrotto

Susan is a hospital chaplain at Community Medical Center. Her call to serve the sick and suffering led her to ordination as a Priest in the Old Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Our Lady of Guadalupe as she continues her long-time relationship with the Episcopal Church. Sue also serves as Chaplin to the Lanoka Harbor Corp. She is an Oblate of the Community of Saint John the Baptist in Mendham, New Jersey.

Sumeyra Yesilova

Sumeyra initially earned her bachelor's degree in ESL teaching, she later transitioned into the IT field. For the past four years, she's been working as a CCM Developer. Currently pursuing her Master's degree in Computer Science. Since relocating to the US, she's been actively involved as a dedicated volunteer at the Turkish Cultural Center and Peace Islands Institute. Additionally, she served as an administrative assistant at Peace Island Institute from 2018 to 2019. Sumeyra is married with Hakan Yesilova, and a mother of two sons. She resides with her family in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.