Meet Our Staff

Christopher McLaurin is an innovative nonprofit leader whose career has been defined by harnessing bold, unifying ideas to bridge divides through the arts and humanities. As Executive Director of the Abraham Path Initiative, he has guided the organization through an exciting period of growth, expanding its reach and deepening its impact across the communities and cultures that make up the Abraham Path.

Classically trained at the Juilliard School, McLaurin built an accomplished career as a musician and performing artist. He has performed, toured, and recorded with leading orchestras around the world including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Schleswig Holstein Musik Festival, and the Philharmonia of London. 

Before joining the Abraham Path Initiative, McLaurin served as Executive Director of the California Youth Symphony, where he oversaw a period of exceptional growth. Under his leadership, the organization expanded its programming and strengthened Silicon Valley’s international cultural presence through global tours and widely viewed live-streamed performances. He was previously a member of the Kansas City and New World Symphonies, having served as a board member for three years in the former.

Nathan Santos, Development Manager, is a historian and nonprofit professional whose work bridges migration, memory, and transnational cultural exchange. At API, he leads donor engagement initiatives, helping to expand philanthropic partnerships in support of the organization’s mission.

Prior to joining API, Nathan coordinated peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and helped launch the Emerging Leaders Advisory Board at Human Rights First to deepen youth engagement in immigration rights advocacy. He previously led the New Arts Initiative for the World Aral Region Charity, organizing contemporary classical symphony collaborations in New York, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia to raise awareness about ecological challenges in Uzbekistan. As a fellow at X Billion Labs in Mumbai, India, he developed hybrid education platforms promoting soft-skills training and cross-caste anti-discrimination initiatives. He also directed a research project with Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gang violence and democratic rule of law in Honduras.

Nathan graduated with honors from Columbia University and Stanford University with a B.A. and M.A. in Latin American Studies. He has traveled to Kenya to conduct fieldwork on interfaith cooperation and studied international human rights law in Spain and France, where he co-drafted a proposal to the European Commission for an online legal information database serving Syrian refugees. In his spare time, he performs with a contemporary Brazilian theater group and plays the oud.

Ravenel Khashram, Director of Communications and Operations, is a key partner to the Executive Director and the primary liaison to API’s contractors, consultants, and board of directors. She brings regional expertise and a deep commitment to cross-cultural storytelling to the team. At API, she leads content strategy, digital outreach, and program development, with a focus on amplifying the stories and impact of the organization’s grantees, Fellows, and partners.

Originally from South Carolina (USA), Ravenel is based in Jerusalem, where she has previously worked with Churches for Middle East Peace, the Polis Institute, and the Bookshop at the American Colony Hotel. She holds an MA in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a BA, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of South Carolina.