Rev. Ribbons Harris
Executive Director & Founder, The Parsonage Project
2024, 2025
Rev. L.M. “Ribbons” Harris brings more than 25 years of experience working at the intersection of faith-based leadership, community resilience, and crisis response—particularly within marginalized and high-risk communities. Her career includes senior roles such as Executive Director of a community development corporation, co-founder of *Operation Starting Line* (a national initiative within the U.S. prison system), and Deputy Director of the National Prison Education Project. She also served as a police chaplain, specializing in critical incident stress management and psychological first aid for first responders and impacted communities.
As Founder and Executive Director of *The Parsonage Project*, Rev. Harris leads efforts to strengthen protective factors within faith communities by promoting clergy wellness, leadership upskilling, and preventative mental health strategies. In 2022, she partnered with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help fortify the security posture of houses of worship and faith-based organizations. In 2024, she became a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention trainer, equipping clergy and lay leaders to identify and respond to mental health crises before they escalate.
Rev. Harris currently serves as State Chair for Moms of Black Boys United and is an active member of both the New Jersey Interfaith Advisory Council and the Prophetic Council, where she advises on matters of religious equity, community safety, and trauma-informed engagement.
A published academic with advanced training and degrees in theology, ethics, and psychology, she remains deeply connected to local parish life at Grace Episcopal Church on Martha’s Vineyard. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys reading, travel, and kayaking with her son—while navigating life with one famously cantankerous cat.
The effort to eradicate hate requires the active participation of every component of our society, to include governments, the private sector, communities of faith and indeed every aspect of civil society. There is no more urgent task in front of us. The organizers of the Eradicate Hate Global Summit are doing the United States and the world an enormous service by tackling hatred and extremism with a focus on honest dialogue and conversation, genuine learning and practical solutions. This will not happen overnight, but the Pittsburgh community’s leadership in this effort is genuinely inspiring and motivating.
