EMMA JORDAN-SIMPSON

Board Member 
New York

The Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson is the president of Auburn Theological Seminary. With her appointment in October 2021, she became the first Black woman and non-Presbyterian to lead this leadership development, faith and justice field-building, and research seminary that equips bold and resilient leaders of faith and moral courage to build communities, bridge divides, pursue justice, and heal the world.

She is a member of the pastoral team at The Concord Baptist Church of Christ (Brooklyn, NY). Concord reached a milestone when the congregation ordained her in 1989 – the second woman in the church’s history. The first woman was ordained 50 years before in 1939. She is a graduate of Fisk University, Union Theological Seminary, and Drew Theological Seminary.

She previously served as Executive Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, USA; Executive Director of Children’s Defense Fund –New York; Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of New York City; and Executive Vice President of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. Rev. Jordan-Simpson is the immediate past President of the Board of American Baptist Churches of Metropolitan New York and serves on the Board of Directors of FPWA, Faith Matters Network, American Baptist Churches of Metropolitan New York, NYC Kids Rise, the Western States Center, and the Brooklyn Community Foundation (emeritus).