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Tim Gordinier, Ph.D., is the former Director of Public Policy and Education at the Institute for Humanist Studies, COHE's parent organization. Dr. Gordinier was primarily responsible for spearheading the Institute's legislative agenda. In particular, he focused his efforts on the New York State Legislature, lobbying legislative officials on such matters as separation of church and state and other humanist-related issues. Currently he is an Assistant Professor of Politics at the State University of New York at Potsdam. Before joining the Institute, Dr. Gordinier was a fellow at the New York State Senate, where his duties included constituent relations, policy formulation, and speechwriting.

Dr. Gordinier received his doctorate in Political Science from the University of Albany in May of 2000, focusing on Constitutional law and specifically on the religion clauses of the First Amendment. His dissertation tackled the controversial question of how far the First Amendment protects religious groups. Using arguments grounded in democratic and constitutional theory, an originalist historical understanding of the First Amendment, and the proper role of the judiciary in the American political system, he challenged the popular assumption that the First Amendment automatically requires that religious groups be exempted from secular laws that incidentally interfere with their practices.

In 2000, Dr. Gordinier contributed eleven entries to the New York State Encyclopedia. These articles focused primarily on New York's federal court system and landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases that originated in New York State and dealt with issues of free speech and religious freedom.

Concentrating in political philosophy, public policy, and American government, Dr. Gordinier has taught a variety of courses in Capital District colleges and universities, including a State University of New York (SUNY) Albany seminar on religious freedom and the Constitution -- the theme of his COHE course, LAP100. He serves on the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union - Capital District Chapter and has been a panelist at numerous political science conferences, including the New York State Political Science Association and the American Political Science Association's annual meeting.