Introduction & Celebration: Rothko Chapel President Abdullah Antepli

Introduction & Celebration: Rothko Chapel President Imam Abdullah Antepli
Open & free to all, in-person & livestream

The Rothko Chapel marked an important transition into a new phase of leadership and vision for our community here in Houston and beyond, by introducing and celebrating new President, Imam Abdullah Antepli with an interfaith community ceremony. We are grateful for the presence and voices of Houston faith and civic leaders who helped cultivate a meaningful gathering rooted in reflection, connection, and shared purpose, including:
Rev. Laura Mayo, Covenant Church
Troy Porter, Board Chair, Rothko Chapel
Cantor Rollin Simmons, Congregation Emanu El
Rev. Nathaniel Katz, Christ Church Cathedral Houston
Abbot Gaelyn Godwin, Houston Zen Center
Acharya Bramdeo Mokoonlall, Arya Samaj Greater Houston
Omar Samji, Ismaili Center Houston
Council Member Julian Ramirez
Gary Tinterow, Director, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
DACAMERA Young Artists

Abdullah Antepli is a globally recognized scholar and leader of cross-religious and cross-cultural dialogue in American higher education and the nonprofit sector. He has built and led multiple organizations and initiatives that foster religious and spiritual life across college campuses nationwide, cultivating understanding between faith traditions while honoring their cultural integrity and dignity. Imam Antepli joined the Rothko Chapel in September 2025, following prominent teaching and administrative roles at Duke University, where he served as associate professor of the practice at the Sanford School of Public Policy, with a secondary appointment at the Divinity School as associate professor of the practice of interfaith relations. He previously served as Duke University’s first Muslim chaplain and director of the Center for Muslim Life, and later as the university’s chief representative for Muslim affairs. Professor Antepli is also a senior fellow in Jewish–Muslim Relations at the Shalom Hartman Institute, where he founded and co-directs the widely recognized Muslim Leadership Initiative. In 2019, The NonProfit Times named Imam Antepli to its Power & Influence Top 50 list, recognizing him as one of the most prominent Muslim leaders today.