About

annalise fonza, Ph.D.

Since the late 1990s, annalise (small case is intentional) has devoted herself to teaching, writing, and community development. She is a skilled analyst and a critical thinker, particularly as it pertains to the redevelopment and development of predominantly black neighborhoods and communities. She is a Ph.D. graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and she is proud to have successfully earned three separate master’s degrees, with honors and awards, and she completed her Doctorate of Philosophy in regional planning and graduated summa cum laude.

Presently, Dr. Fonza is a remote lecturer at Cal Poly Pomona in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning and the Department of Ethnic & Women’s Studies. Her numerous teaching experiences include appointments at the University of Missouri Kansas City, Clark Atlanta University, Claflin University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is formerly a legislative aide, a local community radio programmer/producer – serving as the first coordinator of the African American Affairs Collective at WXOJ-LP, which is a Pacifica affiliate station in Northampton, Massachusetts, and for a period of about a decade she was appointed to serve as a United Methodist (UMC) clergywoman, otherwise known as an ordained pastor. As a UMC clergywoman, she held leadership positions for six separate congregations in three states: Missouri, Illinois and Massachusetts.

Annalise has consistently given of herself and to people and institutions in many different landscapes. She is also employed as a hospital chaplain in the Kansas City, Missouri, metro area which brings her full circle with her passion and ability to walk with those who are hospitalized and facing challenging health care circumstances. Growing up in Springfield, Illinois, she was a dedicated Brownie and Girl Scout and in high school, she spent her weekends as a “candy striper” at a Franciscan motherhouse in Riverton, Illinois. In Missouri, for a period of five years, she served parents and families as a Home Parent Advisor with the Missouri School for the Blind. In the early 2000’s, in Illinois, she served families at a domestic violence shelter as an Education Program Director, and even further back, before she went to seminary, Annalise was employed as a case manager at what is now the Hope Learning Academy in Springfield, Illinois. In Kansas City, Missouri – a place that is very special to her, she was employed for a brief yet worthwhile time at the American Jazz Museum as the Strategic Partnerships Coordinator and she was instrumental in facilitating the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award that was presented to Grammy winning pianist, Mr. Jon Batiste. Today, Annalise is openly non-theist (a/k/a “a-theist”), unapologetically womanist, and she is excited to be pivoting into a new professional identity as a hospital chaplain.

Dr. Fonza is often in the position to teach and mentor adult learners, and she is a firm believer that a thriving regional economy is dependent upon an educated, literate, and sustainable workforce. She has designed and developed curricula in religion/theology, developmental writing, public administration, urban studies, and urban planning for more than two decades; she is an officer in the Greater Kansas City chapter of Blacks In Government Inc.; she was the first Scholar-in-Residence at the Center for Neighborhoods, an initiative of the University of Missouri Kansas City, Department of Architecture, Urban Planning + Design (AUPD); she is certified by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a substitute teacher, and she has assisted literally hundreds of adult learners to attain the HiSET, an educational certificate that is parallel to the G.E.D. She is both agile and experienced when it comes to community development and engagement. Proudly, she produced and programmed her own radio program primarily featuring black women jazz vocalists and writers, for several years in the area in Massachusetts known geographically as “The Pioneer Valley.” Last but certainly not least, Dr. Fonza is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (’87 Sigma Chapter), and she holds the title of being the very first Miss Clark Atlanta University (1989-1990).

In 2019, Dr. Fonza published her first solo project on rebuilding black communities, a short epublication that she refers to as a womanist planning proposal. She has published in academic journals and presented her bold proposal on womanism and development in Dublin, Ireland, at the 2013 Joint Congress of American and European Schools of Planning.

In class and at conferences or workshops (even as far away as Vancouver, British Columbia and Dublin, Ireland), Dr. Fonza designs and presents stimulating presentations that illuminate and explore the complexities that lie at the intersection of culture, ethnicity, gender, and place making. She is a contributor to several important productions, including You Are Not Alone: Black Nones, an anthology of deconversion stories by black nonbelievers, edited and published by Darrell C. Smith (www.blacknones.com); she has dual endorsement as a Humanist Chaplain and a Senior Humanist Celebrant by the American Humanist Society (based in Washington, D.C.). In 2014, she was one of four ex-clergy featured in a video documentary: A Path Less Taken: From Ministry to Non-Belief and Beyond, which was filmed, edited, and produced by Dr. Jim Lawrence, which is available for rent or purchase on Amazon. In all, she does all of this with humility and warmth that are rooted in her experiences as an organizational and community leader that is more than willing and able to “pitch tent” with those who have been historically “othered” by social and spatial realities and who are now wading through troubled waters.

For inquiries or to invite Dr. Fonza to speak, please leave a comment here, or message her on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/Dr.Fonza. To donate to her writing and her work, please feel free to use the PayPal link on this site.

[N/B: Except where noted otherwise, all the ideas and opinions on this blogsite are the exclusive intellectual property of Dr. Annalise Fonza and they are not to be attributed to any organization or person to which she is associated or affiliated with for any purpose. At this time she has created only one WordPress or dot com account: this one. The unauthorized use or copying of the content from this page without permission will not be tolerated.]

Thank you for taking the time to visit her blogsite!
Photo Credit: Harold D. Smith, Jr. of Kansas City, Kansas

Disclaimer: Please note that nothing that is written on any blog or publication here is meant to be taken or used as medical, psychiatric, or professional advice. These blogs are the opinions of annalise fonza who does not possess a doctorate in medicine or psychiatry. If you are in need of professional or medical attention, please seek a therapist, psychiatrist, counselor, or someone who can offer the appropriate assistance.

© 2025 annalise h. fonza

Last update 10/01/2025

26 thoughts on “About”

  2. I read your post about deconversion and realized many similarities to my own, but I’m certainly not nearly as an amazing person as you are.

    Best of the world to you,
    David

    Reply

  3. I can only say AMAZING. If you would please contact me by email @ (mr122266@yahoo.com) for I have much to share with and learn from you. Mike Martin

    Reply

  4. Greetings Dr. Fonza,

    My name is Michael Harriot, and I host a weekly podcast called “The Black One” that is available on ITunes, a free Android app and via the web. We have a wide listenership, and it is growing every day.

    The podcast tries to emulate eavesdropping in on an interesting conversation between two people. It is sometimes funny, often raw, interesting and seeks to have open dialogue with people with open minds.we have covered everything from drug addiction and homosexuality to convesations with comedians, strippers and poets.

    One topic that I admittedly am fascinated with repeatedly bring up, is the concept of religion, how black people accept it and how we perceive it. One of the fans of the podcast, who is also apparently a fan of your blog emailed me some information about you and thought that you would be great for the podcast. After reading your blog, I would wholeheartedly agree.

    Would you be interested in recording an episode of the podcast? You can listen to episodes one of three ways:

    Listen online at http://www.michaelharriot.com/#!news/chw0
    Listen on iTunes at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/black-one-michael-harriot/id590281032?mt=2
    Or get the FREE android app at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TheblackOne

    Or you can just Google “The Black One with Michael Harriot.”

    I look forward to hearing from you

    Reply

  6. Hi

    I was in your first class you taught at Claflin University and I just want to say that you developed in me a sense of knowledge to seek the truth of my heritage and to learn more .

    Reply

    • Thank you for taking the time to write (former student from Claflin). Did you read my blog, “Let Me Weep”? Was thinking of my experience there and students like you when I wrote it! Keep on keepin on!

      Reply

  7. Hi Anna! Really love your work – I’m just trying to get in touch if you could please send me an email when you get a chance. I appreciate it!

    Best,
    Lily
    lilyst22 at gmail

    Reply

  8. I’m delighted to have discovered you today, through Twitter. Your latest essay here, “On the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.: From an Atheist,” is inspiring. I feel I’ve found a good place and made a new friend.

    Reply

  9. Hey Dr. Fonza! I always wanted to ask if you knew a Dr. Edward Murray.

    Always your student and raving fan,

    Ebony Johnson

    Reply

  11. Dr. Fonza- I brought my daughters to the American Jazz Museum this past Monday for your MLK celebration. We had a wonderful time. Thank you for all your organization and you do. I am an administrator at Blue Valley High School in Overland Park. As we look into February and Black History month, we want to really make sure we are providing opportunity for our students to engage in Black History month beyond a one-time 20 minute advisory presentation. This year I am attempting to provide some different opportunities for our kids to hear from different folks and experience different activities to engage them beyond the surface. I have had conversations with Clarence Langley (professor for African American Studies at KU) and he has helped me by suggesting a screening of the documentary 13th and offered to have a follow-up discussion with students. I have reached out to Veronica Clay and may be bringing her in to share your spoken word. I would absolutely love any other ideas you have. Basically we have an hour each day where students choose how to use their time (lunch, studying, clubs, teacher help, socializing, etc…) and this is prime time to offer options for students to stop in and see/hear. I would love to have you come and speak to our students on truly any subject/theme/topic you feel would be beneficial to our students to engage in understanding of why we have Black History month, the importance of it, etc…

    Working and living in a predominately white community, I strongly believe that we do not do enough to engage our kids and community in celebrating, understanding, and learning about our African American brothers and sisters, our history, the continued struggle, and what they can do to be part of a solution for true equality for all. It isn’t because we don’t care, it is because so many I think see it as not relevant to their current experiences….we call it a little bubble down here in southern Johnson County. I have been guilty for too many years of having a desire to “do more” but not taking enough initiative to really provide some opportunities.

    So here I am, trying to take initiative and reach out. I realize you are a very busy professional and may not have anytime next month to come to our school but I would love to have you if it would work. Also- would love some other ideas. We can host musicians, artists, business folks, etc…Our kids have a variety of interests so engaging them in a subject they are already interested in, would be so great.

    Thank you so much for everything.
    Mollie McNally (memcnally@bluevalleyk12.org)

    Reply

  13. SHARING REALITY, a new book on secularism and science by myself and Dale McGowan, has just been published. Half of US and Canada author’s royalties are being donated to The Clergy Project.
    If you want to write and publish a review, I will supply a copy.
    Jeff T Haley jeff@haley.net

    Reply

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