The Reverend Brandon Thomas Crowley, Ph.D., is a pastor, author, scholar, and public intellectual whose research explores Black religious thought, theology, ecclesiology, and social ethics from the late 19th through the early 21st centuries. Since 2009, he has served as Senior Pastor of the Historic Myrtle Baptist Church in Newton, Massachusetts, a congregation founded by formerly enslaved Africans during Reconstruction and widely known for its inclusive ministry and commitment to social justice. In addition to his pastoral leadership, Dr.

A.R. Bernard is one of the most influential religious leaders and transformative visionaries in the United States. He is the Founding Senior Pastor of the Christian Cultural Center (CCC) in Brooklyn, NY, with a membership of more than 40,000, and campuses in Long Island and Orlando, Florida, as well as a virtual campus that reaches thousands worldwide. Bernard enjoyed a successful career 10-year career in Finance before opening a small storefront church in 1978 in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

Rev. Zina Jacque, Ph.D., has had two careers that find common ground in serving others and sending good into the world. For the first twenty years of her career, Dr. Jacque served colleges and universities as a student services professional, sending students into the world confident of their being and educated well. Northwestern, University of Chicago, Mills College, and the University of California (Santa Cruz and the Office of the President) benefitted from her leadership in the fields of admission, financial aid, and student affairs. Dr.

Bishop Donald Hilliard Jr. serves as the Senior Pastor of Cathedral International—The Historic Second Baptist Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. Dr. Hilliard’s willingness to “Say Yes!” to the Lord has fostered his ability to provide leadership in the exponential growth of the church over the last 31 years. His transformational mindset is reflected in the numerous community development initiatives established under his leadership.

The Reverend Elijah Llewellyn McDavid III is a passionate disciple, dynamic preacher, and cultural architect. Since September 2020, Pastor McDavid has proudly served as Senior Pastor of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis. 

Over the past two decades, the work and ministry of Rev. Melech E. M. Thomas has traveled around the world, impacting lives, families, communities, and organizations with a passion for Jesus, justice, and joy. Rev. Melech is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Culture and a Minor in Community and Economic Development. He also received his Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, under the tutelage of Dean John W. Kinney. In 2021, Rev.

Rev. Dr. Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes is a pastor, public theologian, innovation strategist, and author. She is the founding colead pastor of The Double Love Experience Church in Brooklyn, New York and the inaugural director of The Technology, Innovation & Digital Engagement Lab Fellowship at Union Theological Seminary. Dr. Gabby has a heart for God’s people and prioritizes creating experiences of connection and love through the physical church, the digital space, and local community engagement. 

The Reverend Danté R. Quick, Ph.D., was installed as the fourth Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens (FBCLG) in Somerset, NJ on June 12, 2022.

Pastor Lawrence E. Aker, III currently serves as Lead Pastor of the Cornerstone Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York. In 2003, he was elected as the eighth pastor in the church’s history succeeding his spiritual mentor, Rev. Dr. Harry S. Wright, Sr. Pastor Aker, a native of Oakland, California, was raised in Dallas, Texas. 

Dr. Thema Bryant is the past president of the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology with more than 120,000 members (apa.org).