FRC Hires New Directors for Centers of Religious Liberty, Dignity of Human Life

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Feb 04, 2014, 11:24 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Family Research Council (FRC) has hired two more experts to strengthen its mission to advance life and religious freedom. Travis Weber will head FRC's Center for Religious Liberty and Arina Grossu will direct the Center for Human Dignity.

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Arina Grossu will focus on sanctity of life issues, ranging from conception to end of life care. A native of northern New Jersey, Ms. Grossu is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, with a B.A. in Philosophy. She received her M.A. in Theology, magna cum laude, from the Dominican House of Studies (Washington, D.C.). She also received her license in Montessori for ages 0-3 from the Association Montessori Internationale.

Arina previously worked at CRC Public Relations coordinating media relations for pro-life public policy groups. She also worked as a production assistant for EWTN's "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo," a show on the Catholic TV channel. She helped launch and was the executive director of The Word Proclaimed Institute, a Catholic non-profit that aids clergy to come in closer contact with the Word and be able to proclaim it more effectively. She also helped start a Montessori toddler program at St. Jerome's Academy, a Catholic classical education school of the Archdiocese of Washington. Arina has been involved in the pro-life movement for 15 years, including being president of Notre Dame Right to Life.

Travis Weber will serve as the new director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, where he will focuses on all manner of legal and policy issues pertaining to religious freedom. Before joining FRC, Travis worked in private practice, primarily litigating federal civil rights cases. He also handled military-related legal issues and criminal defense matters. Travis holds a J.D. from Regent University School of Law, where he served as the notes and comments editor on law review. Travis also graduated with an LL.M. in International Law (with distinction) and a Certificate in International Human Rights Law from Georgetown University Law Center.

Travis previously served in the U.S. Navy, piloting E-6 aircraft based out of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was captain of the Naval Academy Dinghy Sailing Team and a two-time College Sailing All-American, leading to his induction into the Naval Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

Of the hires FRC President Tony Perkins said:

"Travis and Arina bring passion and experience that will be valuable to our mission of advancing faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview.

"In his role, Travis will lead our efforts in upholding the freedom of religion which is the ability to live your life according to the religious teachings of your choice. This runs counter to President Obama's repeatedly expressed support for the 'freedom of worship,' rather than the freedom of religion.

"Arina will lead our efforts to build a culture that upholds all human life as a gift to be treasured. The life of every human being is an intrinsic good, not something whose value is conditional upon its usefulness to others or to the state.

"We are pleased that Arina and Travis will join FRC's team as we seek to fulfill our vision of building a culture in which human life is valued, families flourish, and religious liberty thrives," concluded Perkins.

SOURCE Family Research Council