Meet the members of the BJC Board of Directors. Click on each name to read a short biography.

Rev. Alyssa Aldape is a field organizer with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice where she focuses on helping build Latine power in order to transform the systems that influence folks ability to have autonomy — a Baptist distinctive she holds dear.

Alyssa is also a pastor in northern Virginia at Commonwealth Baptist Church and has served as a pastor in churches in Georgia and Washington, D.C. Alyssa believes that as long as there is an empire, God will have something to teach us through the life of the prophets and Jesus. Alyssa is married to Nick and together they spoil their pup, Weller.

Paul is a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a graduate of Wake Forest University (B.A. in Religion), Duke Divinity School (Master of Theological Studies), and the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (Ph.D. in Ministry). In the course of his ministry, Paul has served congregations in North Carolina and Georgia, as Campus Minister of Wingate University, and as Director of Congregational Relationships for Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Before being selected as the fourth Executive Coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, he served nine years as Pastor of First Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia. He is married to Jennifer, a Physical Therapist, and they have four children: Livy, Maria, Matthew and Caroline.

Todd is a native of Troy, North Carolina. He graduated from Campbell University with a B.A. in Religion and from Campbell University Divinity School with Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Todd was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 2003 by the First Baptist Church of Troy, N.C. He served Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Fayetteville, N.C., as pastor from 2006 to 2010, and Madison Heights Baptist Church in Madison Heights, Va., as pastor from 2010 to 2021. In October of 2021, Todd began serving Park View Community Mission in Lynchburg, Virginia, as their Executive Director. Todd is married to Kim, also a graduate of Campbell University. They have two daughters, Hannah and Emma.

Valoria L. Cheek, Esq., is excited about The American Baptist Extension Corporation’s (ABEC) mission to help churches through loans made possible by other American Baptists. In her role as president, Cheek is committed to supporting individuals, churches and related institutions through continued and expanded ABEC services.

“ABEC allows churches, church-related organizations and individuals to participate in the ongoing mission of American Baptist churches while earning an attractive rate of return on their investments,” Cheek says. ABEC loans provide funding for projects, such as acquisition of property, purchase or construction of new church buildings, additions to existing church buildings, and construction of daycare centers, senior centers and camps. Lower rate loans are available for making church buildings more energy efficient or accessible to those with disabilities. ABEC also offers facilities planning services to American Baptist churches and related organizations as they examine their needs and develop goals for building projects.

In addition to her work with ABEC, Cheek serves part time as general counsel for The American Baptist Home Mission Society.

David Cooke is a partner in the law firm of Gautreaux Law, LLC. A former prosecutor, David served as the elected District Attorney in the Macon (Georgia) Judicial Circuit for two terms, where he prosecuted a number of high-profile cases, including the 2011 murder of Mercer University Law School graduate Lauren Giddings by her classmate and next-door neighbor, Stephen McDaniel. As a trial lawyer, David has taken over 150 jury trials to verdict, specializing in the prosecution of sex crimes and homicides. He previously served as the chief of the Special Victims Unit in Houston County and was a chief senior assistant district attorney in Atlanta, where he secured a conviction in the starvation and torture murder of 5-year-old Terrell Peterson.

While serving as an Assistant United States Attorney, David received an award from the U.S. Department of Justice stemming from his prosecution and the subsequent conviction of a corrupt police officer and his allies. David has litigated some of the largest civil racketeering cases in Georgia history, and he frequently represents local governments and individuals in holding criminal enterprises accountable. He has been featured multiple times as an expert commentator for MSNBC, HLN, NPR, Dateline NBC, and other national media outlets. David and his wife, Rebecca Rowell Cooke, are members of the First Baptist Church of Christ of Macon, Georgia, where they both serve as deacons. The Cookes have three children and reside in Macon.

Rev. Dr. Jaimie Crumley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah. During the 2022-2023 academic year, she is the Research Fellow at the Old North Church and Historic Site in Boston, Massachusetts. Jaimie is an ordained minister whose ordination is recognized by the American Baptist Churches USA. Jaimie is a member of the 2016 class of BJC Fellows.

Rev. George C. Gilbert, Jr., was born in Landover, Maryland. The son of two God-fearing parents, Pastor George C. Gilbert, Sr. and Raba A. Gilbert, Rev. Gilbert was trained to reverence God.  He was saved at an early age and has been blessed with many gifts and talents.  He is the proud parent of two boys and one girl – Xavier Domonique, DeMarco Trevon, and Kennedie Raba.

Rev. Gilbert is presently serving as the Assistant to the Pastor at Holy Trinity United Baptist Church; Executive Director of The Center For Racial Equity And Justice; Professor of Urban Ministry, and Hermeneutics at the Washington Baptist Seminary; Chairman of the Civic and Social Actions Committee of the Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, D.C., and Vicinity; Chairman of the Social Justice Commission of the Baptist Convention of D.C. and Vicinity; and member of the Social Justice Commission of the Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC).  Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as the Christian Services Chaplain for the Washington, D.C. Youth Prison, New Beginnings (where he resurrected Christian Services and Sunday Worship Services from eight years of dysfunction).

Growing up in Washington, D.C., Rev. Gilbert received his high school diploma from Eastern Senior High.  He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from the University of the District of Columbia and a Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity. In 2019, Rev. Gilbert was accepted at one of the prestigious Universities to pursue his doctorate degree, however, the dean of the University told Rev. Gilbert he needed to choose academics over social justice; Rev. Gilbert never showed up for orientation. Currently, Rev. Gilbert believes that a prophetic voice must be sounded off.  In this vein, he has served as the Special Assistant for Constituent Services and Religious Affairs for former two D.C. Councilmembers.

Rev. Gilbert is always advocating and advising behind the scenes fighting for Christ and His causes.  He is one of the lead organizers and voices in the District of Columbia for justice, Black Power and mobility.  The Howard University Alumni honored Rev. Gilbert with the Community Activist Award in 2012.  Mayor Byron Brown of Buffalo, New York, proclaimed December 30, 2013, as Reverend George C. Gilbert, Jr. Day.  In August 2013, Reverend Gilbert was a convention speaker for the Progressive National Baptist Convention.  In 2020, Rev. Gilbert, was covered in worldwide news responding to President Donald Trump in front of the church where President Trump tear gassed peaceful protestors and held up a Bible for a photo opportunity. There you heard Rev. Gilbert’s famous statement, “You may have the Bible in your hand, but you don’t have it in your heart.” Rev. Gilbert was listed by Black Justice Fellows as one of the top 30 Justice Leaders in Washington, D.C. At the I Have A Dream Anniversary March On Washington in 2021, Rev. Gilbert was one of the speakers of the day. He serves on the Religious Advisory Board for Door Dash and many advisory boards and committees locally. Although Rev. Gilbert heard the call of God at an early age, he finally accepted the call and preached his initial sermon in May 1999.  Rev. Gilbert believes that we are saved to serve and that a minister must follow Jesus’ mandates.  He further understands that only what he does for Christ will last.

Rev. Dr. Daniel E. Glaze has served as pastor of River Road Church, Baptist in Richmond, Virginia, since 2016. He is a graduate of Georgetown College, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Daniel is married to Andrea, an Industrial- Organizational Psychologist, who works for the Virginia Community College System. Together they are the proud parents of two daughters—Ella, a student at Wake Forest University, and Ashley, a high-schooler.

The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray serves as Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) and Chief Executive Officer of Judson Press, based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Haggray also serves on several nonprofit Boards, including Andover Newton Seminary at Yale. He is actively engaged with Faith Leaders representing mainstream denominations and faith-based organizations in the USA.

Having served as a Regional Executive Minister in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Region for many years, he also served as Senior Pastor of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., in addition to other congregations in D.C., New Jersey and Georgia. Haggray is noted for prophetic preaching that addresses issues of Biblical justice, equality, and the church’s mission in the world. He is passionate about cultivating leaders who are committed to following the Voice to impact the world. An ordained American Baptist minister, Haggray earned academic degrees from the University of Virginia (B.A.), Yale Divinity School (M.Div.), and Wesley Theological Seminary (D. Min.). He resides in the Philadelphia area.

A graduate of Fresno Pacific University and Berkeley School of Theology, Jim has been the Pastor at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland, California, since1989. Before coming to Lakeshore, he was the Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Los Angeles. Jim has been Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Berkeley School of Theology, President of the Alliance of Baptists and President of the Pacific Coast Baptist Association.

He is a founding pastor of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, the Pacific Coast Baptist Association and the Interfaith Council of Alameda County. He has written for the Feasting on the Word commentary series, the Baptist Journal Review and Expositor, and the recent book edited by Michael-Ray Matthews, Marie Claire P. Onwubuariri and Cody J. Sanders called “Trouble The Water: A Christian Resource for the Work of Racial Justice.” In 1999, he was given the Randle R. Mixon Award for Christian Service by the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. In 2007, the American Baptist Seminary of the West awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. In 2013 he received the American Baptist Religious Freedom Award.

Perry J. Hopper serves as the associate executive director and director of denominational relations of MMBB Financial Services. He joined MMBB’s staff in 1987 and is responsible for coordinating special programs that support MMBB’s mission.

Perry works in various capacities to best serve existing members, to reach prospective members, and to maintain solid relationships between MMBB and its affiliates. Perry also serves as an associate national secretary of the American Baptist Churches USA and serves as a member of the Committee on Church and Synagogue Relations with the Church Benefits Association. His pastoral experience includes serving churches in Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. In 2002, he was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

Perry’s education includes a B.A. in political science (with a minor in business administration) from the University of Washington and an MBA from Penn State University. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Harvard University Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry degree as a Samuel DeWitt Proctor Fellow at the United Theological Seminary of Dayton, Ohio. Prior volunteer experiences include service as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Interchurch Center and as a board member of American Baptist Transitional Ministries and the ABC Ministerial Leadership Commission.

Glen Howie is married to the former Connie Johnson, and they have three children: Glen Howie, Jr., Hope Howie Odom and Abigail Howie. They have two sons-in-law, Joseph Odom and Connor Scripture, and one grandson, Joseph Odom, Jr. Glen is a sole practitioner attorney-at-law in Crowley, Louisiana, where he has an office practice, criminal defense practice, and is the attorney for the local parish (county) government.

Glen is Pastor Emeritus of the Mowata Baptist Church, having served nearly 22 years there prior to retirement from pastoral ministry in February 2019. He remains involved in North American Baptist life as Secretary of the Southern Association of NAB churches, Trustee of Sioux Falls Seminary, and BJC Board member.

Rev. Elizabeth Mangham Lott is a Gulf Coast native from Mobile, Alabama. She has served as pastor of New Orleans’ St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church since 2013. A graduate of Samford University (Birmingham, Alabama), Elizabeth earned a Master of Divinity from the former Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. After a decade in Virginia, she and her family immediately joined the “Who Dat” Nation and traded their winter jackets for the glitter and wigs of Mardi Gras. Her husband, Nathan, works in historic preservation as Advocacy Coordinator and Policy Strategist for New Orleans’ Preservation Resource Center. When not working, the pair are likely enjoying their growing teenagers or tackling any number of projects around their mid-century modern house.

Rev. Rebecca Mathis serves as Director of Advancement for Lake Junaluska, a Christian conference and retreat center in the mountains of western North Carolina. A graduate of Western Carolina University, Rebecca served as an educator in the North Carolina public school system before attending seminary at The University of the South’s School of Theology. During seminary, Rebecca had the opportunity to study with and learn from the staff of BJC, resulting in her thesis work emphasizing religious liberty. She graduated in 2012 with a Master of Theology degree, concentrating in Ethics, and was ordained to ministry by the First Baptist Church of Chattanooga. She has served on Baptist Women in Ministry’s Leadership Team for the past several years and currently serves as chair. Additionally, Rebecca serves on the Advisory Committee of Western North Carolina Nonprofit Pathways, an organization deeply committed to strengthening the work of nonprofits in rural Appalachia.

Rebecca is married to Rev. Dr. Jeff Mathis, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Sylva, and they reside in Sylva, North Carolina, with their two teenage children, Zeb and Ellen. When not hanging out by mountain lakes, the Mathises are usually watching Atlanta Braves baseball or traveling on a family adventure.

Rev. Emily Hull McGee serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church on Fifth in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a delightful community of saints practicing bold love and boundless compassion in the heart of the city. Prior to her calling there in 2015, she previously served for six years as Minister to Young Adults at Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. A graduate of Wake Forest University School of Divinity, she enjoys being close to her alma mater and giving leadership to the development of the Baptist Commons at Wake Divinity. Outside of church, you’re likely to find her with a cup of hot tea reading on her back porch, in the hot yoga studio at the local YMCA, traveling around to see friends and family, and running around after her three precious (and precocious) young kids. Emily is married to Josh, and their children are Liam (9), Annabelle (7), and Silas (5).

Katie Moore lives in Los Angeles and works as a Marketing Project Manager for an HR & Payroll firm based in San Antonio, Texas. Previously, she spent four years in talent representation, primarily representing social media influencers and content creators. She is a trustee of the San Antonio-based Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation founded by her great-grandparents. The Baugh Foundation has partnered with more than 100 nonprofit organizations since it was established in 1994. Katie received her B.A. in Journalism, Public Relations & New Media from Baylor University.

Larry Pullen was born and grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, where he attended the Baptist Temple. After spending his first two years of college at Marshall University, he transferred to West Virginia University where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science.

Upon graduating from college, he moved to Washington to attend graduate school at American University’s School of International Service. Having received his master’s degree in international relations, he worked as a research economist with a D.C. lobbying organization for four years. Afterward, he moved to Rochester, New York, where he received an Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester-Bexley Hall-Crozer Theological Seminary. He served as Peace Program Manager for American Baptist Churches USA. Having been ordained, he took the position of interim minister at Second Baptist Church (now Silverside Church) of Wilmington, Delaware. Following the interim position, he began his studies at Drew University, receiving a Ph.D. in Religion and Society with an emphasis on ethics, politics and society. For three years following graduation, he taught political science at Eastern University, after which he was program manager for the development of the Gifford Lectures Website, sponsored by the Templeton Foundation Press. Shortly after moving to Virginia from Pennsylvania, he became Advocacy Director for Faithful Security: the National Religious Partnership on the Nuclear Weapons Danger.

Until his recent retirement, Larry had been Adjunct Professor of Humanities at Strayer University. His wife, Kristy Arnesen Pullen, is legislative assistant to Delegate Ken Plum of the Virginia House of Delegates. They have two adult daughters, Nora – an Operations Coordinator for the League of Women Voters — and Abby — a middle school Latin teacher. They live in Ashburn, Virginia, and attend the United Christian Parish of Reston

Curtis Ramsey-Lucas is editor of “The Christian Citizen,” an award-winning digital-first publication of American Baptist Home Mission Societies and editor of “#InThisTogether: Ministries in Times of Crisis,” published by Judson Press. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Sojourners, Baptist News Global, and Good Faith Media. He served as director of interfaith engagement at the American Association of People with Disabilities and is currently a member of AAPD’s Disability Advisory Roundtable. He is on the board of directors of Pathways to Promise and the Religious Liberty and Human Rights commissions of the Baptist World Alliance. He is a member of the National Press Club, the Religion Communicators Council, and the Council on Foreign Relations Religion and Foreign Policy program.

Jesse Rincones is the Executive Director of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. He is married to Brenda, and they share four great kids. Rincones graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.A. in Mathematics. He earned a Juris Doctor degree (cum laude) from Texas Tech School of Law. He practiced law with the firm of Sprouse, Smith and Rowley, and he is currently licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Texas.

Rincones previously served for almost 13 years as Lead Pastor of Alliance Church in Lubbock, Texas, a multi-ethnic congregation with Spanish and English services. In 2021, he returned to Alliance as a bivocational pastor. He has served as a Pastor’s Coach for Texas Baptist Coaching, and he has written for BaptistWay Press (now known as GC2 Press), Focus on the Family, Buckner, Texas Baptists, EthicsDaily.com and LifeWay Español. Rincones’ community involvement includes serving on the boards of Baptist University of the Americas and BJC. Previous board service includes the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the Hereford Regional Medical Center, Pray Lubbock, and Mission Lubbock. He also served as pastor in Anton and Hereford, Texas. When not working, Jesse enjoys fishing, technology issues, and a great game of Fortnite – you can find him @RaiderRojo.

Rev. Dr. Meredith Stone serves as Executive Director of Baptist Women in Ministry and lives in Waco, Texas. Previously, she served as Associate Dean for Academics and Assistant Professor of Scripture & Ministry at Logsdon Seminary of Hardin-Simmons University, in congregational ministry, and in other Baptist organizations. Meredith is an ordained minister and is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University (B.A. in Biblical Studies, M.A. in Religion) and Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University (Ph.D. in Biblical Interpretation).

Meredith regularly speaks and preaches at churches, conferences, and retreats, and writes for Baptist publications. Her academic publications include Empire and Gender in LXX Esther (SBL Press, 2018). Meredith also currently serves as chair of the board of directors for Fellowship Southwest. Meredith is married to James, and they have two teenage children.

The Rev. Dr. Christopher M. The (pronounced ‘tay’) serves as the Director of Student Research and Initiative Management for The Association of Theological Schools (ATS). A former youth pastor serving immigrant congregations in Southern California, Chris is a member of the 2016 class of BJC Fellows and since 2021 represents the Religious Liberty Council on the BJC Board of Directors. His publications include articles and chapters on resourcing immigrant churches for civic engagement (2015), leveraging evaluative principles for character formation in theological education (2018), understanding the unique mentorship needs of doctoral students of color (2021), and surveying the placement of diasporic Indonesian communities among world Christianities (2021).

A co-editor and contributing author for the anthology Kristianitas-Kristianitas di Asia Tenggara (Christianities in Southeast Asia) published in 2022, Chris also serves on the editorial board for the SINTA-accredited Indonesian Journal of Theology and holds B.A. (Music) and M.A. (Religion) degrees from Azusa Pacific University and M.Div. and Ph.D. (Theology) degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Philip Thompson is Professor of Systematic Theology and Church History at Kairos University/Sioux Falls Seminary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he helps the seminary reclaim the legacy of its most famous graduate, Walter Rauschenbusch. The son of a Baptist pastor, he holds a B.A. from Mars Hill University, an M. Div. from Union Presbyterian Seminary, and a Ph.D. in theological studies from Emory University. His research and writing focus on the formation of memory and identity in Baptist life and thought, and the recovery and development of Baptist sacramental theology. Philip has published in a number of academic journals and has contributed to and edited several books of essays in the US and Great Britain. He was on the editorial team of The Collected Works of Walter Rauschenbusch published by Mercer University Press.

He is married to Marcia Taylor Thompson, an educator and author. They have three adult sons, Nathanael, Andrew and Matthew.

Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr. is president of the National Baptist Convention of America. He is a graduate of the Historically Black Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and Philosophy with a minor in Speech Education. He earned the Master of Divinity degree from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio, and was awarded honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Union Baptist College and Theological Seminary, New Orleans, Louisiana. He is currently a Doctor of Ministry degree candidate at the Stephen Olford Center at Union University, Jackson, Tennessee.

Rev. Tolbert is a recognized civic leader, having served as a commissioner for the Lake Charles Housing Authority, a representative of District “A” on Lake Charles City Council, and as a member of the board of the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation. Currently, Rev. Tolbert serves on the board of supervisors for the Southern University System and on the Boards of Trustees for Florida Memorial University and Morehouse College School of Religion. He formerly pastored the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, in Cameron, Louisiana, and has served as Pastor of the Greater Saint Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for more than 32 years.

Rev. Tolbert has held a number of positions in the faith community, including serving as a member of the Board of Trustees at Union Baptist College and Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana; Former President of the Louisiana Inter-Church Conference; First Vice President of the Southwest Missionary Baptist Association; President of the Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention; as the Coordinator of North American Disaster Relief for Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention; and First Vice President and General Secretary of the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc. He currently serves as Vice-President, North American Baptist Fellowship Region of the World Baptist Alliance; President of Greater St. Mary Community Development Foundation; President & CEO, Strategic Faith Leadership Ministries.

Rev. Tolbert was elected the 15th President of the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc in June 2014. With more than 3.5 million members worldwide, the National Baptist Convention of America seeks to “positively impact and influence the spiritual, educational, social, and economic conditions of humankind.

Rev. Tolbert is married to Matilda E. Tolbert and they are the proud parents of two daughters, Candace Latrice and Kayla Monique.

Rev. Keisha Patrick Wilson, Esq., serves as Youth and Young Adult Pastor at Third Street Church of God in Washington, D.C. In this role, she secured a grant for her church to conduct research on the religious involvement of young adults. She also serves on the Executive Committee to the Ministries Council of Church of God Ministries (Anderson, Indiana). Keisha is an alumnus of the African Americans and Religious Freedom Course at the Religious Freedom Center and of Howard University School of Divinity. She co-authored an essay in the book “African Americans and Religious Freedom: New Perspectives for Congregations and Communities,” which the Freedom Forum published in 2021. Additionally, Keisha practices law as a public servant in the financial services industry.