John Sarrouf

John Sarrouf is the Co-Executive Director of Essential Partners. He teaches people to facilitate dialogue across differences and transform conflict where people live, learn, work, and pray.

Over more than two decades, John has facilitated dialogues on issues such as guns in American life, police and the Black community, Israel and Palestine, interfaith relations, human sexuality, and science and technology. He has helped found dialogue programs at universities, museums, and civic organizations across the country.

John studied dispute resolution at the University of Massachusetts, served as the Assistant Director of Difficult Dialogues at Clark University, and co-founded the Peace and Conflict Studies program at Gordon College, where he taught for fifteen years. 

John has authored dialogue guides on topics like the opioid crisis, guns in America, the red-blue divide, and the pandemic. John has led research grants from the Templeton Foundation, the Fetzer Institute, New Pluralists, and AAA-ICRF.

John brings fifteen years in the theater as a professional actor and director.