Rev. Miriam Chacón-Peralta is pleased to serve as the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB) representative to Florida and Puerto Rico. Her responsibilities also include special assignment to the Latino community. Before joining MMBB, Miriam co-founded and co-directed Encuentro Ministries, a non-profit organization that provides pastoral care, training, and networking of resources for Christian Latino pastors and leaders. She has extensive experience as a church planter, pastor, educator, Hispanic church consultant, freelance writer, translator, and editor of culturally appropriate resources for Hispanic contexts. Miriam also directed national programs for Hispanics, Christian Education, Young Adults, Missions, and Communications within ABC-USA. Miriam holds a BA from Purdue University, a MA from the University of Chicago, MDiv. and MACE from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Miriam and family currently live in Central Florida. She enjoys cooking, writing, family and friends.
Deborah Malavé Díaz is a member of Primera Iglesia Bautista de Caguas in Puerto Rico. Describing herself as a life-long Baptist, she gained leadership skills serving on Baptist Youth boards, at Baptist camps and rallies, and Christian theater and singing ministries. She has twelve years of career experience in administrative assistance in profit and non-profit organizations. Deborah’s college major was Public Communication, and she earned a Master of Arts in Religion from Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, an American Baptist-related seminary. She teaches a women’s Sunday Bible school class at her church and, overall, enjoys teaching as a workshop leader. She is actively involved with her region’s women’s ministries (Ministerios de Mujeres Bautistas de Puerto Rico) having served as coordinator of Young Adult Women’s Ministries, and as coordinator of her region’s 2013 and 2014 Annual Assembly. Deborah lived and worked in New Jersey for ten years, returning home to Puerto Rico in 2003.
Rev. Dr. Patricia Hernandez has a passion for the life of the Spirit having studied at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as well as having spent time at the community of Taize with Brother Roger in France and L’Abri with Francis Schaefer in Switzerland. She received her B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago, MDiv. from Colgate Rochester Divinity School and a Certificate in the Foundations of Christian Leadership from Duke Divinity School. After serving in a ministry to migrant farmworkers, she pastored churches in New York and Pennsylvania before being called to serve the American Baptist Churches of Michigan as the Consultant for Leadership Development. She was recently called to serve as the new National Director for Women in Ministry for American Baptist Churches USA. More than degrees or position what is important to her is to love God and love others as she lives out God’s call on her life, inviting others to do the same.
Rev. Dr. Patricia Hunter brings 25 years of experience to her ministry serving churches within the following states: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Before joining MMBB in 1987, she served as assistant pastor of the Mount Zion Baptist Church, Seattle, Washington. She is a graduate of Seattle University, where she taught Womanist Theology and Black Church History. Patricia also has a master of divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and a doctor of ministry degree from the Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Missouri. Patricia loves to preach, and at her local church she sings and plays percussion with the gospel choir. She is an avid exerciser, a Seattle Mariners baseball fan, and enjoys playing golf and playing the piano. She makes her own greeting cards. Highlights of her MMBB ministry include leading MMBB seminars, serving as one of the national coordinators for women in ministry and helping members through challenging times. In 2008, she earned her certification as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and enjoys working with MMBB members to reach their financial goals.
Rev. Gina C. Jacobs-Strain serves as the executive director for American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) and is a member of the National Executive Council for American Baptist Churches, USA. Rev. Gina served as the Transitional Pastor for First Baptist Church of New Market in Piscataway, New Jersey; Interim Pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey; Associate Regional Pastor for Women in Ministry for American Baptist Churches of New Jersey (ABCNJ); and as Associate Minister of Christian Education at St. Paul Baptist Church in Montclair, New Jersey. Rev. Jacobs-Strain has served as a guest preacher/lecturer at Drew University Theological School, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, ABC-NJ Academy, and the Wellness Lounge Webcast. She contributed to the “Testify: ABC-NJ Devotional” book released in 2015. In 2016 she co-launched the Christian Education Workshop Series, “Leading Interactive and Engaging Bible Studies (L.I.B.S. TM)” at the ABCNJ annual Church Officers and Leaders Conference (COAL) and in 2017 created a conversation series, “The Intersection of Leadership and Healing.” She is deeply grateful for every opportunity to share the word of God and to be in fellowship with those who know and those who are seeking the witness of Jesus Christ’s redemptive love.
Rev. Nikita McAlister is an ordained minister of the Gospel. She has recently moved to Rhode Island from Detroit, MI. She received her B.S. (Central Michigan University), MBA (University of Detroit Mercy), and MDiv (Boston University School of Theology). She is married to Rev. Jabulani McCalister, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Providence, RI. Rev. Nikita feels that her mission is to live up to the potential that God has placed within her.
Rev. Dr. Patricia Murphy is the interim director of Chaplaincy and Specialized Ministries for the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, and a national mentor for RISE Together Mentorship Network, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Cohort. Dr. Murphy also served as healthcare chaplain for over 10 years, a Bio-Medical Ethicist for over 5 years, and Adjunct Professor of Theology. Having previously held a variety of roles, such as, pastoral theologian, bio-medical ethicist, pastor, chaplain, preacher and teacher; these days she stresses her willingness to live out Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘whom shall I send, and who will us”? And I said, “Here am I; send me!"
Diana Salazar Mercer is a fully trained and licensed Massage Therapist and Yoga Teacher. Born in the mountains of Ibague, Colombia, Diana developed an early interest in sports and fitness. When she came to the USA to study English and Education she was exposed to yoga and was drawn to the connection between mind and body.
Interested in this connection, Diana pursued a degree at the National Massage Therapy Institute in Falls Church Virginia, specializing in Swedish, Deep Tissue and Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release Technique, Pre-Natal, Pediatric Massage, and Sports massage. After graduating in 2013, she pursued Teacher Certification Training in yoga, combining her passion for harmony, healing, and holistic health.
Diana is happily married to Matt, and together they have a 9-year-old son and rescue dog, Izzy. Diana balances family life with corporate responsibility practicing Bikram Yoga, meditation, exercise, and healthy living.
“What brings joy to my life is helping people feel better about their bodies and helping their bodies feel better,” says Diana. In bringing a healing touch to hurting bodies, Diana lives out her passion and makes it possible for others to live out theirs.
Dr. Patricia Sebastian, a Board certified physician, is an advocate for Primary Care Medicine. This passion for primary care was a natural blend of her Native American background in traditional healing with her undergraduate training in Nutrition from the University of Connecticut, graduate studies in Nutrition from Emory University, employment at the Veterans Administration Hospital, then excellence in medical training from Howard University School of medicine and post graduate training in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. In May 2005, she was selected to represent the United States as a physician ambassador to China. She has also traveled to France, Singapore, Puerto Rico and Mexico observing and interacting with the medical practitioners and healers.