Currently serving the Pastoral Staff at Allen Temple Baptist Church as a Congregational Care and Enrichment Life for Seniors Ministry.  Coordinator for the Evangelical Released Time Education, as a Child Development Specialist for Oakland’s Healthy Start Project at Ujima House, an Allen Temple/Haight Ashbury Collaborative Project.  As an active member of Allen Temple Baptist Church, I’ve evolved in many inspiring groups.  Given my talents and devotion to Church School, Women Missionary Society, Women’s Choir, Family Life Committee, Rites of Passage (one of the elders), Evangelism Committee, Board of Christian Education, served on the Deaconess Board, Scholarship Committee, De Ida Spencer Circle, Adult Sunday School Class #3, Prayer Warriors, Coordinator for Release Time Education, and as a Coordinator for Hi-Rise Tutorial for over 20 years.  I am blessed to be the wife of a loving husband, Foster Calhoun, a wonderful daughter, Betty Jo Griffin, and a charming grandson, Minister James Odell Griffin, Jr.  All of which have inspired the person I am today.

My life is devoted to doing God’s work.  I graduated from Richwood High School, Richwood, Louisiana.  Then furthered my education receiving a BS Degree in Home Economics and Social Sciences and a BA Degree in Elementary Education, Sociology, and English from Grambling State University.  I’ve received my MA Degree in Administration, Supervision, and Counseling from San Francisco State University. I’ve pursued the field of education, taught in public grade schools in Mound Bayou, Mississippi; Monroe, Louisiana; and Oakland, California; also served as a professor at Laney College.  After retiring June 1992 with 35 years of teaching experience, I still have the passion to give more and learn more. Thus graduated 2000 with a Master of Divinity Degree from American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, California.

Being a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity, Oakland Alliance of Black Educators, National Council of Negro Women, and a life member of the NAACP, allows me to further my call, improving lives by providing a loving prosperity of faith and hope.  I was recognized and honored as an Outstanding Christian Women of the Year from Allen Temple Baptist Church sponsored by the Epsilon Phi Zeta Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.  In 1998 I was the recipient of the James Brown Godfather of Soul International Foundations Humanitarian of the Year Award for my contributions to Bay Area children’s welfare.  I am committed to serving others; I truly love the Lord and doing God’s work.