Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble
Dr. Valerie is Professor of Ministerial Leadership and Practical Theology at BST. Valerie engages liberation theology as a womanist scholar, practical theologian, and community activist pastor to raise critical awareness of systemic oppressions. As the 2021 GTU Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Valerie holds dual GTU department alignment in Theology & Ethics and Religion & Practice to integrate theoethics with intersections of social justice praxis in church and society for restorative public approaches. In addition to several journal publications and book chapter contributions, she authored the monograph, Change Agent Church in Black Lives Matter Times: Urgency for Action. Valerie is the Interim Pastor at Faith Church in Oakland, California.
Master of Theological Studies, 2024
Dr. Karen Cole-Smith
On May 18, 2024, Dr. Cole-Smith received two degrees from Berkeley School of Theology: Master of Divinity and Master of Theological Studies! Dr. Cole-Smith stated that the best aspect of her experience at BST was that it promoted the scripture Micah 6:8 by providing diverse educational, spiritual, and community experiences that ensured that she would be successful in carrying out the mandates to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” Dr. Cole-Smith was most recently the executive director of community outreach at Santa Fe College. Her prior education includes a bachelor’s degree in criminology and sociology from Bethune-Cookman University, master’s degree in sociology and criminology from Ohio State University and doctoral degree in sociology and criminology from the University of Florida.
Rev. Dr. Randle (Rick) Mixon
On August 1, 2023, Rev. Dr. Mixon started as Interim Senior Minister of Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Rev. Dr. Mixon is an ordained American Baptist minister with over 30 years of experience in pastoral ministry, church leadership, and social justice advocacy. He has been involved in various regional and national organizations. These include the Alliance of Baptists, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. Rev. Dr. Mixon also holds a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University and a Doctorate in Religion and Psychology from Graduate Theological Union.
Rev. Hkun Naung
Rev. Naung graduated from BST with his Master of Divinity, was ordained in 2024, and is Pastor of the Washington Kachin Baptist Church which meets at Panther Lake Community Church in Kent, Washington. On December 29, 2024, Rev. Naung performed his first baptisms. Initially, the baptism candidates were a group of youths from Washington Kachin Baptist Church, and grew to include members of the Karen Community Church of Greater Seattle. The December 29 service included 12 baptisms performed by the three pastors, special music, scripture readings in English, Karen, and Kachin, a sermon, communion, and a celebratory lunch. The full story can be read in the latest edition of Evergreen Notes. Rev. Naung asks people to pray for the Kachin people, who suffer in great danger in a civil war.
Doctor of Ministry, 2017
Rev. Dr. Marie Onwubuariri
Marie is director of Intercultural Ministries for American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) in Pennsylvania and also affiliate faculty at BST. She edited the book Trouble the Water: A Christian Resource for the Work of Racial Justice and authored the article “Reframing tension for transformation: Bridge-crossing | bridge-making | bridge-being“.
Doctor of Divinity, 2022
Rev. Dr. Curtis Price
Curtis is Pastor at First Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. Curtis has over 20 years of experience as a pastor and has served at Salt Lake First Baptist Church for 14 years. Curtis’ DMin dissertation topic at BST is entitled Redeeming the Church: Healing and Reconciliation Between the LGBTQ Community and the Church.
