Rollie Olson, Program Manager, supports the Democracy and Bridgebuilding Initiatives at Interfaith America. Before joining the team, Rollie spent five years working for Congressman Dean Phillips (MN-03), both in his election and as Congressional staff focused on stakeholder outreach, constituent services, and finding common ground with constituents across backgrounds and ideologies. After a stint in Christian mission work abroad, he obtained degrees in International Relations and Political Science from Bethel University and is currently completing an MPA from Metro State University. Rollie is motivated by Interfaith America’s vision to build a healthy, religiously diverse democracy and believes in using the public square as an avenue to serve our neighbors, even if we disagree with them.
Connect with Rollie and Hugo on LinkedIn
Hugo Balta serves as the Director of Solutions Journalism & DEI Initiatives at The Fulcrum. He also serves as a board member of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund. An accredited solutions journalism trainer, Balta nurtures a newsroom culture that focuses coverage on responses to social issues as well as the problems themselves. The goal is to present the public with a truer, more complete view of complex challenges and opportunities, helping to drive more effective citizenship. The award-winning journalist has led newsrooms in multiple markets and platforms, including The Chicago Reporter, WBBM News Radio, Telemundo, NBC, CBS, and ESPN. Balta is the Publisher of the Latino News Network (LNN), overseeing seven local independent and national digital news outlets in the U.S. Balta is the only person to serve twice as President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). He was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame in 2016. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago, where he teaches journalism courses focused on all aspects of newsroom collaboration in covering local news.
