The Humanist Education Fund

Train the leaders.
Tell the stories.
Grow the movement.

Six Decades of Leadership. A Future Without Limits.

Honoring the Wintermute family legacy by fueling the next generation of humanist education.

After 27 years of transformative leadership at the Kochhar Humanist Education Center, Kristin Wintermute has announced her retirement at the end of 2026.

The Wintermute Legacy: 60 Years of Impact

For nearly 60 years, the Wintermute family—Hank, Carol, and Kristin—has been the heartbeat of humanist education.

Together, they worked to train and empower some of the strongest voices responsible for the growth of the humanist movement—from Humanists International President Maggie Ardiente, to Chair of the Ethical Culture Leaders Council Randy Best, to Devin Moss, whose work as a humanist chaplain was featured in the New York Times.

The Humanist Education Fund: From One Generation to the Next

The Kochhar Humanist Education Center was built on the vision of the Wintermute family. As we prepare for Kristin’s retirement in 2026, we are celebrating her family’s legacy and building the foundations that will define our future.

The Humanist Education Fund will support the following programs that train the leaders, tell the stories, and grow the foundation of the humanist movement.

The Humanist Studies Program 
which for decades has trained leaders in the humanist movement with graduate-level coursework in humanist philosophy, practice, and leadership. Graduates of the program have gone on to be leaders in the national and global humanist movement, carrying the torch of humanism for generations.

The Humanist Society
an adjunct organization of the American Humanist Association that trains and certifies hundreds of humanist chaplains and celebrants across the country, who help humanists navigate life’s most meaningful moments.

The Online Studies Program
where thousands access free and low-cost self-paced courses in humanist history, philosophy, and practice.

Bringing Humanism Home 
a comprehensive set of tools and activities to help parents share and reinforce humanist values with their children, targeted to the growing secular homeschooling population

Humanism 101 Series
Engaging the next generation by transforming our Online Studies content into high-quality, video-based courses designed for younger audiences.

The Humanist Creator Fund
which funds humanists creating digital media – from podcasts to YouTube videos to TikToks – that helps millennials and Gen Z understand humanism and find a home in the humanist community.

Clinical Pastoral Education Course 
for humanist chaplains, housed in the Kochhar Center, so aspiring humanist chaplains can get their clinical training from a source that matches their core beliefs.

Dose of Humanism
which sends free texts with humanist quotes and reflections to participants’ phones three times a week, helping more Americans build humanist practice into their daily lives.

Good Questions 
a book project to help millennial parents answer their children’s questions about life, death, existence, and meaning without religion, created in partnership with celebrity contributors to be announced.

Wintermute Family Scholarship
or students in the Humanist Studies Program with financial need.

Choose Your Impact Level

Join us in honoring the Wintermutes and securing the future of our movement.

  • $250 | Spark – Receive The Humanist magazine, limited-edition merch, and a virtual invite to Kristin’s 2026 Send-Off.
  • $500 | Flame – All “Spark” benefits + a personal thank-you from a Wintermute Scholar.
  • $1,000 | Torch – All “Flame” benefits + a personal shout-out at the Send-Off Celebration.
  • $2,500 | Blaze – All “Torch” benefits + a private 1:1 video call with Executive Director Fish Stark and Kristin Wintermute.
  • $5,000 | Beacon – All “Blaze” benefits + submit a quote to be featured on Dose of Humanism.
  • $10,000 | Luminary – All “Beacon” benefits + an invitation to the Wintermute Scholarship Selection Committee.
  • $25,000 | Torchbearer – All “Luminary” benefits + named sponsorship of a major course or educational unit.

Train the leaders. Tell the stories. Grow the movement.

For logistical questions about your contribution, please contact Deputy Director Nicole Carr at ncarr@americanhumanist.org or Development Manager Meredith Thompson at mthompson@americanhumanist.org.