Contact

The Philadelphia Society

Phone: (517) 688-5111
Fax: (517) 338-6200
Office Email

Our Team

Dr. Lenore T. Ealy

Secretary & Executive Director

(email)

Lenore has served as Secretary & Executive Director of The Philadelphia Society since 2014 and has been a member of the Society since 1994.  Previously she served as Trustee of the Society 1997-2000, 2009-2012, 2012-2014.

In addition to her responsibilities with the Society, Lenore currently serves as Vicerrectora internacional of Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala, where she also is on the doctoral faculty.  Previously she served as Senior Fellow, Communities, with the Charles Koch Institute. Lenore is also Founder and President of The Philanthropic Enterprise, a research initiative seeking to strengthen understanding of how philanthropy and voluntary social cooperation promote human flourishing.  

Lenore earned her Ph.D. in the history of moral and political thought from The Johns Hopkins University. She holds an M.A. in history from the University of Alabama and a B.S. in education from Auburn University. She has numerous scholarly publications and has co-edited three books, including Commerce and Community: Ecologies of Social Cooperation (Routledge, 2015), with Robert F. Garnett, Jr. and Paul Lewis. She is co-editor, with Paul Dragos Aligica, of the book series Polycentricity: Studies in Institutional Diversity and Voluntary Governance (Lexington Books).

Lenore is a director of the Rising Tide Foundation (Switzerland), a voting member of the American Institute for Economic Research, and a member of the Mont Pelerin Society.

Charissa L. Reul, CMP

Director of Operations

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Charissa has over 20 years of experience in operational management, event planning, and nonprofit leadership. As the Director of Operations at The Philadelphia Society, she leverages her passions for culture, liberty, and hospitality to serve a diverse membership and drive organizational success. She became a member of the Society in 2023.

Throughout her career, Charissa has demonstrated talent in creating impactful conferences, organizing strategic programs, and streamlining operations in both domestic and international settings. Her involvement with the Acton Institute and other freedom movement organizations has helped support meaningful causes and foster valuable personal connections. In 2017, Charissa achieved the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation, underscoring her commitment to excellence in event management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded Sonrisa Consulting, offering specialized services in event design, virtual programs, and operations management to a diverse clientele.

She has a B.A. in Philosophy from Ave Maria University, where she also participated in two international exchange programs. In her personal time, she loves to cook, read, travel, and spend time on Lake Michigan. Charissa and her husband, Chad, have two grown sons and two active rescue dogs.

Kristina M. Beers

Conference Assistant 

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Kris joined the Society in 2024 from the rural reclines of Michigan where she most recently worked for the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal. Capitalizing on the second half of her life, Kristina brings her hospitality and organizational skills to the Philadelphia Society with her convivial spirit. Kristina and her husband have five grown sons, each married, and 6 grandchildren (so far). In her free time, she enjoys writing, historical research, and working quietly in their hundred-acre wood.