Dr. Chandra I. Williams
Biography
Dr. Chandra I. Williams is the 4th and first female Pastor of the United Missionary Baptist Church located in the heart of Brewerytown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Chandra was officially installed as Pastor to her home church in October 2012 where she succeeded her father who Pastored the very same church for 54 years. In 2015, Dr. Chandra implemented the “P5 Community Initative” at United where they partner with School Prinicpals, Police, Politicians, Pastors and Parents in Brewerytown to make the community in which the church sits a better place for all it’s residents.
Dr. Chandra is truly a trailblazer for “Women in Ministry.” In October of 2013 she was installed as the 1s t female VP of the Eastern Region of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention and in 2017 mounted a viable campaign to become the 1st female president of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention. In, November of 2013, Dr. Williams became the first female Vice Moderator for the Pennsylvania Eastern Keystone Baptist Association. Dr. Williams is currently the first female Vice President of the New England Missionary Baptist Convention which encompasses Baptist Churches from Massachusetts to Virginia. In 2018, Dr. Chandra founded the “Lady Lanterns” a network for Female Pastors in the City of Philadelphia and vicinity. This group of over 20 Pastors meet quarterly to share in Fellowship, Mission and Scholarship. She also gathers female clergy under 40 to share in “Food, Fun and Fellowship.” In 2020, Dr. Chandra founded “So you think you can preach?” organization in which she has led over 20 webinars and preaching labs to support women in ministry.
Outside of her religious affiliations, Dr. Chandra sits on the Executive Board, Cradle of Liberty Council Boy Scouts of America and is a Council Member, Parent and Community Advisory Council-School District of Philadelphia. Dr. Williams is a graduate of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University where she received her Masters of Divinity. In May, 2019 she earned her Doctorate of Ministry in Transformational Preaching. She is the proud parent of Bernard “Tre” Lambert, III, who is the drummer for several world renowned gospel and secular artist.
Education
MDIV, Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology @ Virginia Union University
DMIN, New Brunswick Theological Seminary
Keith Wilburn

Keith Wilburn
PULPIT Cohort Leader
Biography
Keith has been involved in urban and cross-cultural ministry for the past 25 years in the cities of Boston, MA; NW Philadelphia; and Coatesville, PA. He has helped develop several multi-racial church plants, has created curriculum for and taught classes on racism and racial reconciliation, and has launched and managed two urban community ministries: Coatesville Kids to College and The Well Community Center. Keith is currently Pastor of Community Outreach at Hopewell United Methodist Church in Downingtown, serves as the Executive Director of Coatesville Kids to College, and is a PULPIT Cohort Leader at Missio Seminary.
Education
BA in English Literature, Boston University
BS in Secondary Education, Boston University
MDiv, Palmer Theological Seminary
Areas of Expertise
Cross-cultural ministry
Urban ministry
Community development
Teaching and preaching
Leslie Cogorno

Leslie Cogorno
Adjunct Faculty
Biography
Leslie received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology and Organizational Behavior from Albright college, graduating with high honors. She went on to earn her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Kutztown University. She also is currently a part-time professor for Lehigh Carbon Community College where she teaches for the Psychology department. Leslie grew up in a missionary household, as her family traveled to serve others. It was this upbringing where she gained a passion for helping and equipping others through the struggles and challenges life brings. Leslie and her husband reside in Nazareth, PA and have 3 children. She loves creativity and the arts, spending her spare time painting, drawing or designing. She also loves spending time with her kids baking goodies and then settling down with a nice cup of tea.
Matthew Casada
Biography
Originally from Knoxville, TN, Matt moved to Orlando in July of 2010 to begin working towards a Masters in Counseling which he completed in July of 2012. During his time in grad school, Matt met and dated his wife Ryan who is also a counselor in the greater Orlando area.
Prior to working as a counselor, Matt worked teaching music to middle and high school students. Because of his experience in the past, Matt has a passion for working with adolescent clients, their parents, and family as a whole, understanding what a difficult season of life it can be for the entire family.
Additionally, it was during Matt’s Masters work that he underwent a life-changing physical transition. Having been an athlete in high school, Matt slowly added more and more weight each year, using food to control and manage some of the difficult realities of his life. Over the course of two years, many hours of walking/running, and a changed diet, Matt lost upwards of 100 pounds. His own personal journey in this realm of life allows great empathy and insight into the emotional and mental aspects of weight loss.
Matt works with clients facing depression, anxiety, addiction, relational problems, loneliness, life transitions, grief, and issues around eating.
He enjoys running, walking with his wife and dogs, playing guitar, reading, sketching, and unhurried time with friends.
Dr. Tuck Bartholomew
Biography
Tuck is the founding and senior pastor of City Church. He is a Senior Fellow at Newbigin House of Studies and adjunct faculty at Western Theological Seminary where he teaches Urban Church Planting and Missional Leadership. He holds a PhD in Sociology and prior to starting City Church in 2006 he served on the pastoral staff of several churches, most recently Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Tuck and his wife Stacy have three adult children.
Dr. Michael Heath

Dr. Michael Heath
Adjunct Faculty, Director of Admissions
Biography
Dr. Heath has over 30 years of ministry experience serving the Kingdom of God. He has ministered throughout the continental United States and in the countries of Jamaica, Haiti and Kenya. He has served as the Senior Pastor of established churches; as well as being a church planter. Rev. Heath currently serves as an ordained minister in the AME Church.
He believes that individuals should be taught the unadulterated Word of God while given examples of forgiveness, excellence, worship and unconditional love. He has a focus on ministry that extends beyond the four walls of the church, meeting the actual needs of the community and impacting the church’s local context. His desire is to build ministries where the worship is exciting, the music is heart piercing, and the message is relevant yet convicting and life changing.
Dr. Heath is married to his loving and supportive wife, Crystal Heath, and together they share four adult children.
Dr. Heath currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at MISSIO Theological Seminary. He has been a guest lecturer at Albright College, Temple University, the University of Valley Forge and at various conferences throughout the country, with the goal of equipping men and women with the tools needed to impact the lives of those both inside and outside the church realm.
Dr. Heath holds a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from MISSIO Seminary.
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Andrew Zakhari

Andrew Zakhari, LPC, CCS, CAADC
Adjunct Faculty
Biography
Andrew serves as a director of a co-occurring treatment unit in center city, Philadelphia. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC); Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS); and a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC) in the state of Pennsylvania. Andrew has taught in both academic and congregational settings. He has worked in private practice and non-profit settings. He received his ministerial training from Princeton Theological Seminary and obtained his counseling training from Biblical Seminary (Missio Seminary). He is delighted to teach in a program that integrates the study of counseling practice with biblical and theological resources.
Dr. Jayne Wilcox

Dr. Jayne Wilcox
Adjunct Faculty
Biography
Dr. Wilcox has served in church ministry and leadership roles for 29 years beginning as a part-time worship director and after graduating from Missio Seminary as full-time lead pastor at the Highland Park Community Brethren Church in Levittown, PA. Jayne’s passion is for the church—the local, small church where endless acts of love and generosity happen every Sunday and also through the rest of the week as the church moves out into the neighborhood. She is also smitten with the Church universal—the rich diversity of peoples, structures, gifts, rituals, and practices that are the collective community of God made visible to the world—so much so that in 2016 she completed a ThD from LaSalle University in Catholic Studies/Ecclesiology doing research in church models and ecclesial structures for a post-institutional American Catholic Church. Jayne currently serves as a pastor-elder at Highland Park Community Church, which is a team-led, sacred family that meets together in the brick and mortar church for two hours each week while local community groups use it during the other 166 hours of the week. When requested, she does guest preaching and seminars at several local faith communities. As a full-time adjunct professor, Dr. Wilcox teaches college students that religion still matters. She lives in Levittown, PA with her husband and their two sons, Seth and Kobe. Seth is currently a student at PSU Main and Kobe is an airman first class in the US Air Force.
Education
BS, Messiah College
MDiv, Missio Seminary
ThD, LaSalle University
Dr. Clarence E. Wright
Biography
Dr. Clarence E. Wright serves as the Senior Pastor of the Love Zion Baptist Church, and as President and Professor of Practical Theology at Missio Seminary, both in Philadelphia, PA. His life has been devoted to public service including community economic development, homeless advocacy, anti-violence initiatives, and international missions on 5 continents.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in religion and urban studies from Temple University, and master’s degrees in Missional Theology (MA) and Divinity (MDiv) from Biblical Theological Seminary (now Missio Seminary) where he received the MDiv award for outstanding academic achievement and the President’s award for exemplifying the mission of the school. He earned his Doctor of Ministry in Transformative Leadership and Prophetic Preaching at the historic Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School where he received the Gene and Jean Bartlett Preaching Prize. His book, The Sunday After: Preaching in Moments and Movements (Judson Press, 2023) exemplifies his research in relevant 21st Century Ministry. After completing his doctoral studies, he returned to his alma mater Missio Seminary as a resident faculty member, and in 2023 was unanimously voted by the Missio Board to be the 5th President (the first Black President in school’s 50+ year history).
In addition to his church and seminary leadership Dr. Wright currently serves as the President of the Baptist Pastors and Minister Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity, as Pennsylvania State President in the Progressive National Baptist Convention, and as chairman of Chosen 300 Ministries, an international missions organization with more than 20 locations worldwide.
Outside of the pulpit he is a published poet, an accomplished gospel organist and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He is the devoted husband of Corinne R. Wright, a software engineer and licensed minister, and the proud father of Clover, Lael and Elliott. Most importantly he is a follower of Jesus Christ.
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Dr. Chad T. Hinson
Biography
Dr. Chad T. Hinson is a graduate of the Palmer Theological Seminary and recently earned his doctorate at Missio seminary. He is the distinguished pastor of the Alpha Baptist Church in New Castle, Delaware, and has served there for more than five years.
With a history of transforming and revitalizing individuals and congregations, for over 20 years, with the renewed desire for both personal growth and an increase in faith, Dr. Hinson possesses a unique way of empowering others to become more self-aware to enhance their thinking and behavior. He has served as a motivational speaker for the NFL and NCAA to assist with spiritual formation in the lives of professional athletes and is a champion of mentoring and evangelism.
Dr. Hinson has a track record of Urban Ministry, Program Development, Pastoral Care, Counseling and Public Relations. Currently, he is the assistant to the renowned Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Jr., in the Covenant Keeper’s International Fellowship and Campaign Manager & Strategist for the Camden Mayoral Elections.