Karen Georgia A. Thompson (Officer of the Church) is the Associate General Minister, Wider Church Ministries and Operations and Co-Executive of Global Ministries. She is an inspiring preacher and theologian, who shares her skills and gifts in a variety of settings nationally and internationally, often using her poetry as a part of her ministry.
Rev. Dr. Thompson served in the national setting of the United Church of Christ for 10 years – two years as Minister for Racial Justice and 8 years as Minister for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. She led the UCC’s Sacred Conversations on Race, facilitating trainings and workshops across the life of the denomination for congregations and conferences. Her passion moved her work on behalf of the UCC into a global context, affording the opportunity to participate globally in efforts to reduce the marginalization experienced by African descendant peoples and other communities globally.
Before joining the national staff, Karen Georgia served in the Florida Conference United Church of Christ as a Pastor and on the Conference staff as the Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery. She also worked in the nonprofit arena for over 10 years in senior leaderships positions.
Karen Georgia earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in New York, a Master’s in Public Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC, and a Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York. She also studied Public Policy at Duke University and earned her Doctorate in Ministry at Seattle University.