Our Story

For several years in the late 70’s and early 80’s, a group of religious leaders, including Rev. James Payne (Presbyterian), Rev. Fletcher Lowe (Episcopal), Bishop Walter Sullivan (Catholic) and others began meeting informally to work on human needs public policy. The group saw the critical need for an inclusive, interfaith voice to advocate just public policies in the Virginia General Assembly.

The Center’s first meeting took place in October 1982 in the Franklin Street headquarters of the Greater Richmond YWCA. That occasion was the culminating milestone of a year of planning by a group of Virginia Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Presbyterian pastor the Rev. James A. Payne was the founding director of the Center. Upon his retirement in 1990, the Center underwent a time of transition with executive leadership from several directors, including the Rev. Dr. C. Dow Chamberlain, a United Methodist minister and the Rev. Canon J. Fletcher Lowe, an Episcopal priest who had been an active member of the VICPP organizing body. Rev. Lowe provided strong leadership on behalf of the interfaith community, serving from 1997-2004. In 2004 the Rev. C. Douglas Smith took over as director, serving for eight years.

Under Smith’s leadership, Virginia Interfaith Center purchased and undertook a green renovation of a historic 19th century building in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom that now serves as VICPP’s home. Mr. Marco Grimaldo served as director from February 2012 to April 2015 and strengthened Virginia Interfaith Center’s work on immigrant rights. Before and after Grimaldo, the Rev. Charles Swadley led the Center during two terms as interim director. Ms. Kim Bobo was hired as Executive Director in February 2016 and she served until 2025.

On April 1, 2025, Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook was appointed to succeed Ms Bobo. Cook became the tenth executive director and the first African American to head the 43-year-old organization.