President

Rev. Nikita G. McCalister was licensed and ordained into the Gospel ministry under the leadership of Rev. Dr. James C. Perkins, pastor of the Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit, Mich. She received her bachelor of science degree from Central Michigan University (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, Mich.), and Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology (Boston, Mass.).

She currently serves as the Transitional Ministries consultant for the American Baptist Churches of Michigan and Transition Pastor of Westhaven Baptist Church in Port Huron, Mich. In addition, Rev. McCalister serves on the Advisory Board for American Baptist Women in Ministry, Boston University Alumni Council (BUAC), the Boston University School of Theology Dean’s Advisory Board, as president of The Metropolitan Detroit Area American Baptist Women, and as co-chair of the Metropolitan Detroit Area American Baptist Churches.

She previously served as the chairperson of the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) Transformed by the Spirit Journey Team Task Force; as associate executive minister for Administration for the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI); as senior pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Pawtucket, R.I.; as assistant pastor of Ministry Development at Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit, Mich., and Calvary Baptist Church in Providence, R.I.; as co-youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Randolph, Mass.; and as a member of the ecumenical planning team for the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations in New York, which hosted a Parallel Event entitled: “Sacred and Safe: Building Capacity of Faith Communities to Address Gender-Based Violence.”

She is married to Rev. Jabulani McCalister, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church (West Bloomfield, Mich.), and is the proud parent of two children, Jaden McCalister and Azriel McCalister.

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