Rev. Jay Gardner, D.Min., serves as Zones of Peace Coordinator, where he helps faith communities, nonprofits, schools, and neighborhood organizations build safer, more connected communities through collaboration and peacebuilding.

A lifelong bridge-builder, Jay has spent his career bringing people together across differences. His ministry has included congregational leadership, community engagement, and interfaith relationship-building, always guided by a deep belief that meaningful connections can transform both individuals and communities.

Jay’s passion for interfaith work began through Interfaith Philadelphia’s Walking the Walk youth program, where he witnessed firsthand how encounters across religious and cultural differences inspire empathy, curiosity, and leadership. That experience affirmed his conviction that when we learn about one another, we also learn more about ourselves.

As coordinator of Zones of Peace, Jay partners with organizations across the Greater Philadelphia region that are addressing the root causes of violence through compassion, service, dialogue, and community action. He is committed to amplifying local leaders, celebrating innovative peacebuilding efforts, and helping communities become places where every person can thrive.

Jay received his B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, his M.Div from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his D.Min from the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School where he studied Peace and Transformation in Christian and Muslim traditions.