Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ph.D. in Christian Education, May 2015

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL

Dissertation Title: A Way Forward: Nurturing Imagination at the Intersection of Race, Class, Gender, and Age.

M.Div. May 2005, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ,

Concentration in Christian Education and Youth Ministry

Thesis Title: Get Your Praise On: How Worship Fosters Discernment in the Lives of Middle Adolescent African American Girls.          

B.A. in English/Teaching Certification, 1997, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA,

Thesis Title: Protest Through Celebration: The Use of Language and Folklore in the Works of Zora Neale Hurston

SEMINARY POSITIONS:

Assistant Professor of Christian Education and Practical Theology

Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa, OK (July 2018 – Present)

Teach five courses per year in various modes and formats to masters and doctor of ministry students. Academic advisor to M.Div. students.

Assistant Professor of Christian Education and Louisville Institute Post-doctoral Fellow, Drew University Theological School, Madison, NJ (August 2016 – June 2018)

Taught two classes per semester in various modes and formats and advise independent studies. Academic advisor to M.Div. students. Serve on an advisory committee for the Office of Vocation and Formation.

Adjunct Professor, John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Alexandria, VA

(Spring 2016)

Taught “Youth, Church, and Culture.” This course placed different theological approaches in conversation with sociological contexts and developmental theory.

Adjunct Professor, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, NJ

(Spring Semester 2014)

Taught “Introduction to Christian Education” as a hybrid course with 60 percent of the course being delivered in person and 40 percent accomplished on line. This course focused on five different approaches to the practice of church education. Students reflected on these styles through writings, conversation, and a final project where they taught from one of these foci.

Adjunct Instructor, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL

(January 2012)

Taught “Youth and Faith Passages” as a two-week intensive. This course focused on the sociological contexts of youth and a variety of theological approaches.

Teaching Assistant, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL

(Spring 2009 – Fall 2011)

Served as a teaching assistant for 3 different courses: Teaching for Biblical Faith, Theological Education in the Parish, and Introduction to the Old Testament.

Assistant to the Dean of the Chapel, Chapel of the Unnamed Faithful, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (April 2009 – June 2012)

Assisted in the execution of three weekly services. Designed worship services; recruited lectors and worship leaders. Recruited student preachers. Published a monthly newsletter and managed the chapel’s social network presence.  Served on the seminary’s worship committee.

ADDITIONAL TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Professor of Worship and the Arts, Simpson Youth Academy, Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa (Summer 2017)

Taught a session on worship in Christian traditions to high school students. Worked with students on planning worship services from different Christian traditions. Planned seven worship services over 10 days.

Adjunct Professor, Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, NJ

(Fall Semester 2014; September 2005 – December 2007)

Taught English 101 and English 102 classes which focused on writing skills.

English Teacher, The Hun School of Princeton, Princeton, NJ

(August 2013 – 2015 and August 2000 – June 2002)

Taught ninth grade English and interdisciplinary courses.  Served as faculty advisor to a group of students.  Coached the Forensics Team.  Also coached JV girls’ basketball and the girls’ cross country teams and served as a faculty advisor to the Diversity Club.

English Teaching Fellow, Princeton Day School, Princeton, NJ

(August 1998 – June 2000)

Taught two sections of tenth grade English and a speech and debate minor.  Served as faculty advisor to a group of students.  Coached the Debate Team.  Also coached the JV girls’ basketball team.  Served as faculty advisor to the AWARE club (the campus’ multicultural organization), the Debate club, and the 10th grade class.

MINISTRY EXPERIENCE:

Director of Youth Ministry (part-time), Faith United Methodist Church, Rockville, MD (July 2015 – July 2016)

Ministered to middle school and high school youth and their families through teaching Sunday school and other Christian education classes, organizing youth group activities and service projects, and regular preaching.

Director of Youth Ministries, Ujima Christian Church, Ewing, NJ

(April 2000-August 2008)

Assisted in training volunteer Sunday school teachers in addition to teaching two weekly youth classes.  Served as a substitute instructor for adult classes.  Introduced this congregation’s teens to World Vision’s 30-hour famine, an annual fast for world hunger.  Initiated and implemented an annual teen retreat, an annual pre-teen retreat, and a bi-annual mission’s trip. Planned special worship services.  Preached and led Sunday morning worship in the absence of the Pastor.

Center Director, Ujima Urban Women Center, Ujima Ministries, Ewing, NJ

(July 2007 – June 2008)

Served as the organizing director of this faith-based social service program.  Taught life skills and job skills to women. Provided one-on-one life coaching, financial counseling, and pastoral counseling. Oversaw the operations of a daughter program targeted at incarcerated teen girls.  Recruited, trained, and supervised staff. Wrote grant proposals, fundraised, and managed a sizable budget.

Program Coordinator, Life Success Apprenticeship Program, Ujima Ministries.  Ewing, NJ  (June 2001 – June 2005)
Taught life skills, and job skills to “at risk” youth for this faith-based social service organization. Transformed the program from a work program to a life skills mentorship program that included field trips, college tours, career panels, and career mentoring.   Also added a group project component so each participant has an opportunity to lead or participate in working with creative writing journals, video journals, and documentaries.
Recruited, trained, and supervised staff.
Program Instructor (July 2000 – June 2001) promoted

Field Education Intern, Grace Baptist Church, Kumasi, Ghana (Summer 2004)

Taught weekly Bible Study to young adults.  Prepared and presented training sessions for youth Sunday school teachers and young adult group leaders.  Preached 13 sermons during this 10-week internship.  Provided pastoral care, and participated in home visitations.  Conducted qualitative research by interviewing the congregation’s young adult women to find out their career needs and how the faith-based organization affiliated with the congregation could assist them with their needs.

Publications:

            For Academic Audiences:

“Becoming a Welcoming Church and How Youth Can Help” in International Journal of Urban Transformation 1, no.1 (October 2016): 95-108.

“A Way Forward: Nurturing the Imagination at the Intersection of Race, Class, Gender, and Age,” Religious Education 111, no.4 (July-September 2016): 415.

“Parachurch Children’s Organization” and “Parachurch College Ministries.” In Encyclopedia of Christian Education, ed. George Thomas Kurian and Mark A Lamport (Lanham, MD: Roman and Littlefield Publishers, 2015)

“Delores Carpenter” Christian Educators of the 20th Century http://www.talbot.edu/ce20/educators/protestant/delores_carpenter/

For Church Audiences:

 “Revealed or Concealed?  God’s Self Revelation in Worship, Prayer, and Community” published in The Journal for Student Ministries July/August 2006

Hidden Tricks, Real God: A Conversation with Illusionist Brock Gill” published in The Journal for Student Ministries July/August 2006

“Cross-Cultural Communications,” published in Youthworker Journal

September/October 2003

“Part of the Village: The Kinship Model,” published in Youthworker Journal

March/April 2003

“Being ‘Left Behind”: College-Aged but Still Local,” published in Youthworker Journal July/August 2002

CURRENT WORKS IN PROGRESS

Nurturing the Sanctified Imagination of Urban Youth. Under book contract. Expected to be published early 2020.

Religious Education as Public Theology: A Black Perspective, co-editor. Expected to be published early 2020.

SELECTED LECTURES AND PUBLIC ADDRESSES

For Academic Audiences:

“In Between the Lines and Outside the Cannon: Learning from What They Don’t Teach You” presented as the Cogen Alumni Fellow Lecture at Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA. February 25, 2019.

“Nurturing Justice: “Walking Besides Youth in Their Quest for a Fair and Just World” presented at the Tipple/Vosberg Lectures and launch of the Social Justice Leadership Project at  Drew University Theological School’s. October 3, 2018.

“Selfies, Self Image, and the Imago Dei” presented at the Princeton Institute of Youth Ministry Forum, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ April, 2018.

“Liberative Imagination as the Theological Starting Point of Youth Ministry” presented at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies, Alexandria, VA, December 2015.

“A Way Forward: Nurturing the Imagination at the Intersection of Race, Class, Gender, and Age” presented at the Annual Meeting of Religious Education Association: An Association of Professionals, Practitioners, and Researchers in Religious Education, Atlanta, GA, November 2015.

 “When My Story Becomes Our Story: Intergenerational and Reciprocal Mentoring as a Form of Youth Ministry” presented at the Princeton Institute of Youth Ministry Forum, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, April, 2014.

 “Walking Through the Identity Mine Fields with Teenage Girls” presented at the Princeton Institute of Youth Ministry Forum, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, April 2011

“No Longer! Galatians 3:26-29 as a Foundation for an Emancipatory Ecclesiology and Religious Education with and for Working Class Girls of Color” presented at the Annual Meeting of Religious Education Association: An Association of Professionals, Practitioners, and Researchers in Religious Education, Dallas, TX,November, 2009.

For Church Audiences:

What is Practical Theology?  Presented to the Challengers Class at Harvard Avenue Christian Church, Tulsa, OK. October 20, 2019

Advent Sermon preached at Kingston Presbyterian Church Kingston, NJ, December 3, 2017.

“Exploring Christian Education” presented to a leadership conference for Rivers of Life Church, Harlem, NY, April 22, 2017.

“In the Wilderness.” Sermon preached at Kingston Presbyterian Church Kingston, NJ, March 5, 2017.  

“Let Us Pray.” Sermon preached at the First Presbyterian Church of Rahway, Rahway, NJ, February 13, 2017.

“Expect Something Great.” Sermon preached at the chapel of Drew Theological School, Madison, NJ, January 26, 2017.

“Beyond Pink and Blue: Youth Ministry and Gender” presented at the CEF (Christians Engaged in Faith Formation) annual meeting, Nashville, TN, October 2014.

“Intergenerational Mentoring” presented at the CEF (Christians Engaged in Faith Formation) annual meeting, Nashville, TN, October 2014.

“Theological Imagination as a Starting Point of Youth Ministry” presented at “The Summit” sponsored by The Youth Cartel, Atlanta, GA, November 2013.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

Cogan Alumni Fellowship, Dickinson College, 2019.

Louisville Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2016 – 2018.

Doctoral Fellowship, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2008 – 2010

Jagow Prize in Homiletics and Speech, Princeton Theological Seminary, 2005

The Harriet Tubman Visionary Award, Dickinson College, 1996

Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society Award for Diversity Leadership, Dickinson College, 1996

Office of Multicultural Affairs Leadership Award, Dickinson College, 1995

GRANTS AWARDED

“Unlearning White Normativity”, Small Project Grant, Wabash Center. Co-principal Investigator, 2018 – 2020.

 “Unlearning White Normativity” Planning Grant, Louisville Institute. Co-principal Investigator, 2017-2018.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC PRESENCE

Presentation on YouTube of “In Between the Lines and Outside of the Cannon: Learning from What They Don’t Teach You.”

Regular contributor to the Justice Blog as part of Drew University’s Social Justice Leadership project.

Interviewed on a podcast about of radical musings on Social Justice, Pedagogies for Transformation, and Feminist Activism. Pippen, Tina (Producer).  (2017, November 30). Nothing Never Happens [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from iTunes.

Recovering the Imago Dei for Girls” a blog series that focuses on seeing and

naming the image of God in girls. Published by The Institute of Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Presentation on YouTube of “Imagination as the Starting Point of Youth Ministry”

ACADEMIC AFFILIATIONS:

Association of Practical Theology

Religious Education Association: An Association of Professionals, Practitioners, and Researchers in Religious Education

Served on executive board for two years

Coordinator of Black Experience Working Group

The Society for the Study of Black Religion

The Academy of American Religion

United Methodist Association for Scholars and Christian Educators

American Educational Research Association

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