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.
Rev. Dorothy Taliaferro Staples
Rev. Staples received her Master of Divinity Degree in 2005 and is celebrating her 20th graduation anniversary from Berkeley School of Theology. Rev. Staples was present at the February virtual alumni gathering, “Hope in Spiritual Care”, for the alumni graduation anniversaries segment where she acknowledged one of her influential professors, Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., professor of Preaching and African American Spirituality. Upon graduation, Rev. Staples was the recipient of the L. Doward McBain Preaching prize for outstanding preacher in the graduating class of 2005. Rev. Staples completed her pastoral education at Sequoia Hospital, now Dignity Health, and then was Chaplain for ten years with the Veterans Affairs. She was also a faculty member of the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple Baptist Church. Rev. Staples thoroughly enjoyed the 1:1 spiritual care aspect that chaplaincy offered.
Rev. Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr.
Rev. Dr. Stewart is ABCOFLASH’s Annual Meeting speaker from October 4-5, 2024, in Glendale, California. The sessions are: “Preaching and Leading God’s Unfinished Business Today”; a breakout opportunity titled “Pastoring and Serving God’s Unfinished Business in the War Zone: A Conversation with Dr. Warren Stewart”; and “Our Strategic Assignment: Passing the Lord’s Baton Generationally.” Dr. Stewart is Senior Pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona and has served there since July 1, 1977. Dr. Stewart was appointed Executive Secretary of the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., in November 1994 and served 10 years. In 1982, Dr. Stewart received his Doctor of Ministry from Berkeley School of Theology. Dr. Stewart has also served on BST’s Board of Trustees, including as the Board Chair.
Rev. Dr. Margareth L. Valui
Rev. Dr. Valui became the first woman to have her ordination recognized in the Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association on December 29, 2023, at Teinem Baptist Church in Tuinem, Manipur (India). Rev. Dr. Valui was ordained on September 14, 2006, at South Wayne Baptist Church. She is the Family Life and Discipleship Pastor at Santa Clara First Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California, and is also Affiliate Faculty at Berkeley School of Theology where she teaches courses in ministry and technology. Rev. Dr. Valui graduated from BST in 2021 with her Doctor of Ministry, In addition, Rev. Dr. Valui has also obtained her Master in Youth Ministry (MA) from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary; Licensed Teacher (T2T, MA) from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Master in Sociology (MA) from Delhi School of Economics; and Bachelor in Sociology (BA) from Miranda College, University of Delhi.
Rev. Shavon K. Walker
Rev. Shavon Walker Shavon was ordained by Burien Community Church (BCC) in Burien, Washington, hosted at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland, California. BST professor Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble was in attendance as well as Rev. Nathan Brittsan, BST Trustee.
Shavon’s spiritual background is rich and storied; she credits First Baptist Church of Berkeley for introducing her to the American Baptist Church. She resides in Fremont, California and is a Minister of Worship at BCC whereby she helps with the online service, leads worship, and sometimes preaches on Zoom, and occasionally in person. Shavon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California; a Master’s Degree in English Literature from Cal State University East Bay in Hayward, California; and a Master of Divinity from BST. Shavon is also the Ministry Associate for Social Media at Evergreen Association-ABC. Shavon even has a ministry on Twitch called Soul Food streams that combines cooking and faith where she answers theological and social justice questions.
Rev. Damonn White
Rev. White began a new pastoral assignment and will be formally installed as Pastor at Second Union Baptist Church in San Francisco. Rev. White has been a member of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church for 14 years and has served on staff since 2014. Rev. White also completed his Clinical Pastoral Education at Kaiser in Walnut Creek, and graduated from the CPE program on October 19, 2023. Rev. White received his Master’s in Divinity from Berkeley School of Theology at 2022.
