Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson

Described as a Transformational Preacher, Dynamic Leader and Ministry Trailblazer, Rev. Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson is an inspiring example of what God can do with a life committed to the call.  She currently serves as the beloved Senior Pastor of The Allen Temple Baptist Church in her native Oakland, California. Her 2019 election made history nationwide as the first woman called to serve as Senior Pastor of this historic African American Baptist Church founded in 1919. Before being called in this capacity, Dr. Thompson served as the Assistant Pastor at Allen Temple and as Youth Minister at Shiloh Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., the first woman to serve in both capacities.

Committed to excellence in scholarship, Dr. Thompson received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Economics from the University of California, Berkeley; the Master of Divinity from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. While at Howard, she received the Nannie Helen Burroughs Award for Academic Excellence and the Henry G. Maynard Award for Excellence in Preaching and Ministry.  Believing in the importance of both orthodoxy and orthopraxy, Dr. Thomson continued her studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California where she was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree in African American Church Leadership.

She is a member of the NAACP and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Her activism and leadership have been recognized by various chapters honoring her with Community Excellence and Leadership Awards and Distinguished Woman of the Year.

Among other honors, Dr. Thompson has been inducted into the distinguished Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers.

Dr. Thompson is a gifted preacher, administrator and published author traveling and ministering extensively nationally and internationally often in arenas previously unchartered by women. In addition, she has been called upon by local and national print and electronic media as an opinion leader to offer perspective and hope amidst the pressing issues of the day.  She is currently on the teaching staff of the Berkeley School of Theology in the area of Public Theology and Preaching. 

In August of 2022, history was made once again as the members of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. - the denominational home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., voted to elect her 2nd Vice-President of the national body.  Her mission is to see transformation in the lives of others and is humbled by every opportunity to serve.

Dr. Susie C. Owens

Dr. Susie C. Owens is a native Texan and a product of the Boston Public School System. She is a graduate of Bethel Bible Institute, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in New Testament Studies in 1970. Understanding her call to teach, she pursued the field of education, graduating from Brooks College in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. In May of 1999, she received a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Howard University School of Divinity. In June of 2013, she received her doctoral degree in African American Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.

She has been in the ministry for over fifty years and throughout this course of time, her gift and calling have made room for her, allowing her to minister on a global platform throughout the United States, as well as abroad.

Her unique presentation of the gospel has enabled her to minister to many denominations, organizations, and institutions and, as a result, she is a much sought after preacher, teacher, leader, coach, and counselor. It has been her privilege to serve at countless retreats, conferences, seminars, services, symposiums, conventions, political platforms, and more. Whether ministering to small gatherings or to tens of thousands, her response to the call mandated over her life is a resounding yes. The trademark of her ministry remains to be the constant conveyance of the message of Jesus Christ, which she consistently delivers with clarity, power and anointing under the auspices of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Owens’ innate ability to deliver the word of truth, her passionate and intentional posture of prayer and her footing on the cutting edge of ministry has opened numerous doors and placed her on diverse platforms, such as the Top 10 Gospel Billboard, featuring two of her CDs entitled Prayers from the Heart Vol. 1 Faith and Vol. 2 Healing the Land. 

She is the wife of Archbishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr., D. Min., who is the founding pastor of Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church in Washington, DC; a progressive, inner-city church. At Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church, Dr. Owens serves as the Co-Pastor Emeritus providing oversight and insight for a ministry where she served faithfully for more than fifty years. She is the author of three books; Unless Two Agree, Memorable Moments and Soaring Above The Ceiling. In her spare time, she enjoys the theater and reading.

Finally, she is the proud mother of two children, Alfred Thomas and Kristel Moneek and grandmother of seven grandsons, Nathan, Darian, Nicholas, William, Kaiden, Kiyson, and Karter and one granddaughter, Keiress.

Pastor Kristel Woodhouse

Pastor Kristel M. Woodhouse, affectionately known as “PK”, is a native Washingtonian and product of the District of Columbia Public School system and Archbishop Carroll High School. Her academic pursuit was furthered at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA., where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C.

She has the gift of wisdom from her father, Archbishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr. and the anointing for prayer from her mother, Dr. Susie C. Owens. This double grace and dual blessing have been the firm foundation of her life and career for more than 20 years.

Until their recent retirement in 2024, PK’s parents, together, pastored the Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church (GMCHC) in Washington, D.C. for over 50 years.

In 2002, she decided to stop pursuing her dream for her life and to fulfill her true destiny by joining her parents in ministry and carrying out the ministry’s vision. Throughout her life and ministry, she has held various titles, such as Advisor to IMPACT (Innovative Movement Producing Anointed Christian Teens), Overseer to YAYA (Youth & Young Adults), Events Department Director and Manager, and Family Life Community Center Manager. She also served as Vice President of the Mt. Calvary of America, Inc. Youth & Young Adult Department. Through this assignment, hundreds of youth and young adults, ages 7 – 35 would travel near and far to experience an incredible move of God at their annual conference.

PK has been blessed to counsel with parents, teens, and women from all walks of life. She has been successful in helping them navigate through life’s challenges. She has also been instrumental in the positive self-image and identity of countless youth, teens, young adults, and women.

PK currently serves as the Executive Pastor of GMCHC. In this capacity, she provides oversight to ministry leaders and teams as well as facilitates the strategic planning for ministries and operations. In addition to fulfilling her current executive pastoral duties, PK serves on the Board of Directors, Trustee Board and Executive Management Team at GMCHC.

PK mostly loves God, the things of God, and seeing persons come to know Him in a real and true way. For her,” Jesus is real” and although His way may not be easy it’s always best. Kristel enjoys spending time with her husband, Andrew and their four children, Kaiden, Kiyson, Karter & Keiress.

Dr. Brenda Guess

Dr. Brenda Guess currently serves as the Chancellor of the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple, and the Educational Cluster Leader at Allen Temple Baptist Church located in Oakland, California. Virtually since COVID times, she serves as the weekly sermonette preacher, offering messages of hope and comfort for the Sisters in Prayer for Kamala Prayer Line, a prayer group consisting of over 3,500 members, nationally and internationally.

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Dr. Guess is the fourth of five children born to her late parents, Willie Roy and Deaconess Addie Woods. Known for her creativity, Dr. Guess just loves serving the Lord!

In July 1999, Dr. Guess accepted her call to the ministry, and was licensed and later ordained by Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Pastor Emeritus of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California. One of the highlights of Dr. Guess’ journey in life has been to serve as the Dean of the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple, a position she held for six years, and now because of God’s goodness, she is the first female Chancellor of this great educational institution for the past ten years.

Under the leadership of Dr. Guess, the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple has become a bright light in the Bay Area community. It has grown greatly offering three essential certificate programs in Christian Ministry, Civic Engagement; and the Emerging Leaders Program. Each program provides educational and mentorship experiences in leadership and civic engagement instilling students with knowledge and opportunity to develop leadership skills and confidence to speak truth to power. Under the leadership of Dr. Guess, class locations have expanded to four locations--Oakland, Richmond, Marin City and Pittsburg, CA. The Leadership Institute also offers online education with students attending from as far as Johannesburg, East London and Cape Town, South Africa.

In 2012, recognizing the need for engaging and encouraging thought provoking discussion on issues of human needs and social justice, Dr. Guess established the J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Lecture Series, named in honor of renowned scholar, social activist and founder of the Leadership Institute at Allen Temple. Each year the J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Lecture Series brings distinguished, nationally and internationally known scholars as guest lecturers. The list of distinguished lecturers includes Dr. Allan Aubrey Boesak, world renowned author, theologian and South African activist; Sister Addie Lorraine Walker, Director of the Sankofa Institute for African American Pastoral Leadership in San Antonio, TX; Dr. Rafael Warnock, Pastor of the historical Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. and author of “The Divided Mind of the Black Church;” Dr. Reggie Williams, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL and author of  “Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance;” and Dr. Renita Weems, Vice President, Academic Dean and biblical studies professor of American Baptist College in Nashville, TN., author and Womanist scholar.

The success of the Leadership Institute’s programs can be measured by the illustrious alumni who presently serve as senior pastors, community activists and leaders in the Bay Area and across the country.

Dr. Guess has also served as Executive Pastor of Bay Area Christian Connection in Oakland. She also served as Assistant Minister of Children & Youth at Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley; and served as the Children’s Minister of Allen Temple Baptist Church, founding Passage to Promiseland, a children’s church ministry. With a rich background in church music, she has also served as Choir Director of the Children’s and Sanctuary Choirs of Allen Temple Baptist Church, positions she held for fifteen years.

Dr. Guess is a graduate of the University of San Francisco, with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. She is also a graduate of the Graduate Theological Union, where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Biblical Studies. Dr. Guess holds a doctorate degree in Higher Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Guess retired from the County of Alameda as Chief Deputy Tax Collector in September 2012. She was the first African American female to hold this high position. Serving as Chief Deputy Tax Collector for 13 years, along with numerous other managerial/clerical positions produced a career that spanned over 39 years with the County of Alameda.

Dr. Guess is the mother of two children, grandmother of seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. She enjoys reading, Biblical studies, genealogy, traveling, and collecting Black art. Dr. Guess continues to fulfil her calling by teaching and preaching the Word of God, and conducting numerous workshops and seminars. Her vision is to be of good courage and continue her service for the Lord.

Dr. Najuma Smith

As Assistant Director of Community and Public Engagement with the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, the Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith combines her experience as a pastor and expertise as a community leader to help faith leaders become full partners in the work of social change. She leads programming for the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, which is housed at CRCC.

Smith also is a pastor, motivational speaker, author, life coach, radio personality and community activist.

She accepted her call to ministry in 1996, while serving under the phenomenal tutelage of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, her father in ministry. Smith was ordained as a Deacon in 1996 and as an Itinerant Elder in 2000. Since that time, she has served as Assistant Pastor and Pastor of Family Ministries at Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, California; Pastor of A.K. Quinn AME Church in Moreno Valley, California; and Pastor of St. James AME Church in Los Angeles, California. In 2014, Smith launched Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles. She is a frequent speaker at churches and church conferences.

Pursuing her passion to serve others beyond the walls of the church, Smith founded the company Wake Up and Win, LLC, a personal development coaching and consulting firm that helps people live rich and meaningful lives, even after great loss.  She founded a sexual violence awareness and training campaign called “It’s Not Okay” (www.itsnotokay.org).

Combining her passion for social justice and entrepreneurship, Smith established Chocolate Tee’s, an urban apparel company that uses a portion of its profits to support selected non-profit efforts and the “It’s Not Okay” campaign.  She also leads the “…And She Can Preach!” mastermind group, committed to supporting emerging women preachers.

Smith holds a B.S. in management from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Southern California School of Ministry, an M.B.A. from Woodbury University and a Doctorate in Ministry from United Theological Seminary. Her dissertation explores a route to healing sexual violence trauma through prophetic preaching and teaching. She is an alumna of the “Passing The Mantle” Civic Engagement and Community Development Institute at USC, the precursor to the USC Cecil Murray Center’s Faith Leaders Institute.

Juavette Pulliam Johansen

Juavette Pulliam Johansen is the owner and founder of Bridgeway Realty & Insurance Solutions. Juavette is passionate about educating and empowering people on the importance of financial literacy. It is her mission to make a positive impact in our community through workshops and curriculums which show people how to build & sustain generational wealth in our community.

Juavette grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from the University of California Berkeley (UCB) in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Conservation of Natural Resources. She worked at the same University as an accounting manager right after graduation.

Juavette is the mother of two sons, Kevin Brown who lives in Japan and teaches young kids how to speak English and Brian Brown who is a photographer in Los Angeles.

After a 16-year stint at UC Berkeley, Juavette decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her dream of establishing her own business. Juavette entered the world of real estate in 2002 by becoming a licensed realtor. Two years later Juavette opened up her own Real Estate company—Bridgeway Realty 

Juavette’s life took a major turn when her husband, Michael was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given only 6 months to live. Juavette’s husband Michael lived for 18 months before he lost his battle with cancer. During that 18-month period, Juavette became Michael’s caregiver and neither she nor Michael was able to run their businesses. Juavette quickly realized that her family was not prepared for the financial burdens that accompany a family members illness.

As a result, Juavette made it her personal mission to educate & empower families with Financial Literacy on Wealth Management – She has launched many Initiatives to teach people how to Build Wealth – Real Estate; Protect Wealth – Life Insurance; Preserve Wealth – Estate Planning

Juavette currently serves as the Women’s Council President for the Oakland Black Realist Association and she is also Regional Vice President for the California Association of Real Estate Brokers (One of the oldest African American Real Estate Associations) Along with her Team and many Financial Empowerment Initiatives, Juavette’s goal is to change the Financial Landscape in our community one family at a time.

Ashling Cole

Ashling Cole has been singing all of her life and was accepted into the San Francisco Girls Chorus at just 6 years old to study opera. Six years later she shifted her focus from arias to R&B after hearing Whitney Houston on the radio. After years of making demos as well as dancing professionally, she was signed to Interscope records at 17 years old, recording with producer Teddy Riley. but when the deal fell through, she went home, quit music and started waiting tables. The next three years were filled with anger, disappointment and regret. She found herself battling depression and self medicating. After finding herself in a physically abusive relationship, afraid for her life, with no apparent way out, she attempted suicide at just 20 years old. She had lost her voice.

 When Ashling woke up in General Hospital, she knew something had to change. An attending insightfully saying “You don’t belong here” was the push she needed. She got a corporate job, got married and started a family. She dedicated her life to Christ and became a worship leader at South Bay Community Church in Fremont, CA.

A chance meeting with Graham Central Station’s guitarist Wilton Rabb landed her an audition for Larry Graham, who asked her to join his band. Since then she has toured the world many times over with Graham, Sheila E., Dave Koz, Jonathan Butler, Donnie McClurkin, Kenny Lattimore, Bebe Winans, Kirk Whalum, Prince, and so many others.

 Life took a turn in 2016 when her mother after a battle with breast cancer and her father passed within 8 months of each other. She struggled to find her identity without them. Grief consumed her, yet drew her closer to God. She never could have imagined 2 years later, she too would be diagnosed with breast cancer. Ashling took the diagnosis as an assignment from God and stood on her belief that "I am already healed, I just have to go through the process.” The process included chemotherapy and multiple surgeries, but today, she is 6 years healed and has found her voice!

Gospel music has always been the foundation of everything she writes and produces, so it was no surprise when she auditioned for BETʼs Sunday Best in 2020, she would soar to the top.

Week after week, her testimony of healing came through in every song. Her message of hope and encouragement was much needed as the virtual audience sheltered in place, facing uncertainty amidst a global pandemic.

After finishing 4th in the competition, Ashling immediately went into the studio with Berklee School of Music graduate Marcus McCauley to produce “Exceedingly”, a song of triumph she wrote several years prior. A few weeks later she partnered with long-time friend and producer Dave Jackson to release a new take on an old favorite “Lord I Lift Your Name on High” and the classic “You are an Heir” by Donald Lawrence. In 2022, she signed with MMS Records and is currently in the studio recording new music.

Ashling is the worship lead at PFBC in Richmond, CA and always has a song, a word of prayer, wisdom and encouragement ready for whoever needs it.

To book Ashling Cole for your event, please submit a request to www.ashlingcole.com/booking or email Renee Lee at booking@ashlingcole.com

Music available on all digital music platforms.

Dr. Jasmine Hill

Dr. Jasmine Hill is a sociologist whose work exposes the economic and ideological factors that produce material injustice for Black Americans. She is currently Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at UCLA, with a courtesy affiliation to the Labor Studies department. Broadly speaking, her scholarship and teaching interrogate the intersections of inequality, racism, class, and culture, while maintaining an overarching goal towards economic justice. Jasmine’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals like Social Problems, The Du Bois Review, Teaching Sociology, and in 2017 she co-edited Inequality in the 21st Century with David Grusky. Her forthcoming book manuscript with the University of California Press explores racial capitalism and the architecture of the low-wage labor market, taking evidence from the experiences of Black job seekers in Inglewood, California. She’s also authored several influential research briefs for policymakers, surveying topics like race, intimate partner violence, inequality in the LA and New York tech industry, and policies to eliminate extreme poverty.

Her scholarly contributions have been recognized by the Mellon Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. At UCLA, she teaches courses on racial inequality in the labor market, policy applications of Black political thought, and using qualitative methods to inform policy. Because of her expertise on matters related to racism, inequality and the labor market, Jasmine is regularly called to design and evaluate initiatives with organizations like the Annenberg Foundation, Blue Shield of California Foundation, and the Alameda County Community Food Bank. She previously served as Scholar-In-Residence for PledgeLA, an initiative she co-created with the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Annenberg Foundation to measure racial equity within LA's emerging tech industry.

Jasmine was born in Chicago and raised in the Oakland-Bay Area. She received her Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Sociology from Stanford University. She earned a BA in Communication Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2011 where she was deeply engaged in organizing students of color and served as student body president. She’s also an alum of the Coro Center of Civic Leadership,  Los Angeles program.   Outside of economic justice, Jasmine is a passionate foodie and loves watching any documentary about cults. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband Kal Stewart. She is the daughter of legends Jim Hill & Cynthia Carter-Perrilliat, and she is definitively Hazel's grandchild.
 

Ta Lylnn Mitchell

 Ta Lynn Mitchell, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of culture and community that surrounds her, instilling a deep appreciation for diversity. With a background in education, she began her journey as a middle and high school teacher before ascending to an executive leadership role at a national Ed Tech non-profit. Leveraging her classroom experience, Ta Lynn crafted innovative program solutions tailored to engage and empower adult learners.

Ta Lynn’s leadership ushered in a new era of operational excellence by guiding the organization through expansive growth across multiple states. As the visionary Founder and Principal of TKM Consulting, she champions strategic people development strategies, fostering sustainable growth and organizational brilliance. Her human-centric coaching and professional development approach has catalyzed transformative shifts in countless organizations’ cultural and leadership paradigms.

A seasoned traveler who has called three continents home, Ta Lynn possesses an innate passion for exploring diverse cultures and communication styles, skillfully bridging gaps across backgrounds. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree from American University, certified as an International Coaching Federation (ICF) coach, and trained in Evidence-Based Coaching from Feilding University, Ta Lynn epitomizes a commitment to excellence and empowerment in every facet of her professional journey.

Aliya Hall

Aliya Hall, a Bay Area native, honed her musical skills at Los Medanos College before embarking on a dynamic journey as a worship leader for seven years. With over 15 years of passion for music, Aliya is not only a recording artist but also a dedicated music teacher. She has taught middle school songwriting classes and conducted music segments for summer camps, all while living her purpose of nurturing children's musical talents.

Believing in the universal language of music to convey love, culture, and heart, Aliya is committed to developing young minds through musical expression. Growing up in a musically inclined family, Aliya's journey led her to share life-changing messages through her songs, releasing her first CD project, "Great Praise," at the age of 16, followed by "Butterfly" at 19.

Aliya's musical perspective transcends boundaries, blending Christian Gospel with Neo-Soul and Jazz influences, delivering authentic and courageous messages that resonate with diverse audiences. With her vibrant vocals and insightful lyrics, Aliya is a beacon of truth, encouragement, and hope, breaking barriers to reach people both within and beyond traditional church settings.