The Rev. Emma Jordan-Simpson became president of Auburn Theological Seminary in 2021, becoming the first Black woman and non-Presbyterian to lead the institution. Under her leadership, Auburn Seminary is advancing in its mission to identify and strengthen leaders from the pulpit to the public square—to build communities, bridge divides, pursue justice, and heal the world.
Rev. Jordan-Simpson serves on the pastoral team of the Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to her appointment at Auburn, Rev. Jordan-Simpson previously served as the 26th executive director of Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR USA), executive vice president of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, and led both Children’s Defense Fund-New York and Girls Inc. of New York City.
Rev. Dr. Jordan-Simpson earned the Executive Level Certificate from the Columbia Business School Institute for Not-for-Profit Management; a Doctor of Ministry Degree (with distinction) from Drew Theological School; a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary; and a BA from Fisk University. She is the immediate past president of American Baptist Churches of Metropolitan New York.