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.
Doctor of Ministry, 2021
Rev. Dr. Hakizimana “Appolo” Appolinaire
Rev. Dr. Hakizimana “Appolo” Appolinaire is BST’s 2024-25 Alum of the Year! Dr. Appolinaire serves as a Country Director of Scripture Union Rwanda, and Pastor in the Anglican Church of Rwanda, Diocese of Karongi. From 2019- 2020, he served as Professional Chaplain, in University of California, San Francisco’s hospital. From 2019- 2022, he was a deputy Regal Representative of the Anglican Church, Gahini Diocese. From 2003 – 2010, Dr. Appolinaire served as Executive Secretary of World mission frontiers in Tanzania, Africa, and as a Pastor of Rukara Parish in the Anglican Church from (2000 – 2003). He holds a Doctor of Ministry from Berkeley School of Theology, two Masters’ degrees, one from Wyclif University, and the other from Berkeley School of Theology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from Tanga, Tanzania. Appolinaire is married to Mukarwego Esperance, with three sons. He received vision to build East Africa Community Healing when he was working in the UCSF hospital where he was working as a professional Chaplain, after understanding how much people are suffering in the hospital physical, mental, and spiritual disease. He wishes to see no one suffering alone, He hopes that through the Community Healing Center project, people will learn how to support each other during someone’s suffering.
Rev. LaDonna Harris
On September 30, 2023, Rev. Harris was ordained by the Disciples of Christ at Mills Grove Christian Church in Oakland, California. Rev. Dr. LeAnn Snow Flesher, BST’s Vice President of Academics and Dean, spoke at Rev. Harris’ ordination and in attendance was her faculty advisor, Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble. In addition, Rev. Harris has been named the incoming Senior Pastor for The Church By the Side of the Road in Berkeley! Rev. Harris is entering into her second career as pastor after retiring from her position as Chief Probation Officer for Alameda County. Rev. Harris also serves as the Women’s Ministries Facilitator for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Northern California/Nevada Region, and she received her Master of Divinity from Berkeley School of Theology in 2017.
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“.
Master of Community Leadership, 2011
Doctor of Ministry, 2024
Rev. Dr. Michael A. Smith
Michael has been Pastor of the McGee Avenue Baptist Church in Berkeley California for 18 years. In 2014, he became the founding Executive Director of The Center for Food, Faith & Justice which serves as a faith-based non-profit arm of the church as a lead organization dedicated to the issues of environmental and food justice, health equity and economic development. His DMin dissertation topic was The Black Earth Theology Project: Toward Reconciliation and Care of God’s Creation.
