Keynote Speaker: THE REVEREND DR. DARRELL LARUE ARMSTRONG
The Rev. Dr. Darrell L. Armstrong is a native of South (Central) Los Angeles, California where he was born and raised. He is the proud father of Amaris Kayla (14 yrs.) a future concert pianist and veterinarian and Daniel LaRue (12 yrs.), a future professional soccer player and engineer. The Rev. Armstrong is in his 19th year of service as the pastor of the historic Shiloh Baptist Church of Trenton, NJ. Shiloh is a thriving community of faith rooted in the rich and diverse worship traditions of the African Diaspora. He is only the church’s third pastor in the last 115 years! During his tenure, Shiloh has more than tripled its budget and nearly tripled its membership to more than 820-plus families. He is leading his congregation in building a new $7M Family Life Center, which is the first phase of a comprehensive, community revitalization effort that anticipates $50- plus million in tangible and intangible investments into a blighted urban area to create a "Strengthening Families-Life Empowerment Campus." His policy training at Stanford University (BA in Public Policy), theological training at Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and therapeutic/clinical training at The College of New Jersey (Ed.S. in marriage & family therapy), current doctoral work in Trauma-Informed Care at Liberty University (D.Min. In Pastoral Care & Counseling), have ALL uniquely prepared Rev. Armstrong to be a respected voice in the national and international child welfare/family strengthening communities. He is a certified trainer in: (1) Child Sexual Assault; (2) Infant Mental Health; (3) Responsible Fatherhood and; (4) Family Development Credential.
He sees his “global work & life’s call” as striving to make ALL families stronger by addressing issues which impact their physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being...BEFORE they get into crisis! As such, he is considered an international leader on issues pertaining to child welfare, child displacement, and family strengthening, particularly foster and kinship care. He is a charter-[motivational] speaker for the Los Angeles Department of Children Services' Independent Living Program (1990- present), former member of the NJ Governor’s Cabinet for Children (2002-2005), former co-chair of the Child Welfare Transition Team for former NJ Governor Jon Corzine (12/05-01/06), and Child, Family, & Human Services Transition Team Member for current NJ Governor Phil Murphy (12/2017-01/2018). Building on these experiences, the Rev. Armstrong was asked to serve as the Director of the Division of (Child Abuse) Prevention and Community Partnerships (DPCP) for the newly created NJ Department of Children and Families from March, 2006 to April, 2009. In this position, he oversaw a budget of greater than $100M+ in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention funding, and was responsible for New Jersey’s statewide strategy to prevent child abuse and strengthen families. Upon leaving state government in April, 2009, he founded the Institute for Clergy Training (IFCT). The IFCT is dedicated to helping clergy of all faiths better understand and implement in their houses of worship, stronger family engagement programs that strengthen overall family functioning and well-being. Since its inception in 2009, the IFCT has trained dozens of clergy of ALL faiths to better understand the intersection of child welfare, intimate partner/domestic violence, family violence, substance abuse, and mental health. In February, 2016, the General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance (B.W.A.) appointed him the Chief Administrative Officer to the United Nations for the B.W.A. [Falls Church, VA]. The Rev. Armstrong is the author of several books and training manuals and has been featured in several public broadcast mediums (ie...television, radio, and social media) about his work with children and families around the world. He has been officially recognized and honored by numerous governmental, religious and civic organizations, among which include the following: the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games [in December 2001 he carried the torch in NJ's Capital County (Mercer) on behalf of America’s then 600,000+ foster children!] and the Casey Family Programs, as “Distinguished Foster Care Alum” award (2010). In May of 2010, he was chosen to be the first non-Presbyterian member of the Princeton Seminary Board of Trustees in its 207h-plus year history (1812-present); He is a Member of the following organizations: =>Chi Sigma Iota International Honor Society for professional counselors & counselor educators (Alpha Epsilon Chapter), => Life Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - Fall, 2015; => Life Member of Stanford University Alumni Association (SUAA) - Fall, 2000.
VARIOUS FORMS OF CHAPLAINCY EXPERIENCE:
=> EDUCATIONAL Chaplain - Princeton University Chapel, Office of the Dean of Religious LIfe (1995-1997);
=> POLICE Chaplain - Trenton Police Department (International Association of Police Chaplains (2013 - present);
=> CHILD WELFARE Chaplain - Institue for Clergy Training (2009 - present);
=> CRUISE SHIP Chaplain - Festival At Sea / wwww.FestivalAtSea.com (20-plus years aboard Carnival & Celebrity Cruise Lines);
Other Event Speakers
Rep. Cyndi Munson
Originally from Lawton, Cyndi developed her passion for public service at an early age. Her father’s military service taught Cyndi and her sister, Sandra, the importance of giving back.
Cyndi has spent a decade working and volunteering in Oklahoma City’s non-profit community. She spent the last five years working with Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma, providing leadership programs for thousands of girls in low-income schools, juvenile detention centers and public housing.
Cyndi is an alumni member of Leadership Oklahoma City’s LOYAL Class VIII, a skill-based leadership training program for young adults beginning their civic lives.
In the community, she serves as chair of the Infant Crisis Services Young Professionals Group, member of the Oklahoma Messages Project Board of Directors, and member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma City Resource Board. Cyndi is a 2006 graduate of the National Education for Women’s (N.E.W.) Leadership program through the University of Oklahoma, a program for undergraduate women interested in public service.
In her free time, Cyndi enjoys running, reading, mentoring young women, trying new local restaurants and attending events in Oklahoma City, and spending time with her family and friends. Cyndi is also an active member of Crestwood Vineyard Church in Oklahoma City.
Elected in September of 2015, Cyndi became the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma Legislature. Rep. Munson is Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and co-chair of the OK25by25 Early Childhood Caucus
The Rev. Chris Moore
Born and raised in Oklahoma, The Rev. Chris Moore was ordained into the UCC in 2009, after many years in the I.T. Management industry. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa. He has served at First Congregational UCC Church of Norman, Mayflower Congregational UCC in Oklahoma City, and has been the pastor at Fellowship UCC in Tulsa since late 2013. He currently resides on the board of JustHope, working collaboratively in Nicaragua, ACTION, a broad-based community organizing effort and Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, an 80 year old interfaith advocacy organization. He also participates extensively in the social justice efforts of Tulsa. His wife, Kathy, is a speech pathologist and they have two boys.
Reverend Lee E. Cooper, Jr.
Reverend Lee E. Cooper, Jr., as a native Oklahoman, has held leadership positions in the ministry, government and in his community for more than 32 years.
He is the Senior Pastor at Prospect Church where he has been for 31 years. During these years he built a state of the art sanctuary and a youth and education facility. His membership continues to grow over 1500 members. In his role as a pastor, he has been the president of The Progressive Oklahoma Baptist Convention, served on Oklahoma’s Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, served on the One Church One Child State Advisory Board from 1989-2002 and has been the chairman of the Oklahoma City Wide Martin Luther King Jr. Service for the past 15 years. He continues to be the Social Action Chairman of The Concerned Clergy for Spiritual Renewal as he has for the past 11 years.
A graduate of Southeast High School in Oklahoma City, he earned his B.A. at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas and his Master of Divinity at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. He has attended the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for post-graduate courses.
He is married to Katherine N. Cooper and has three children, Lee III, Derrick, Kaci and granddaughter, Leiah. His parents were the late Lee and Dorothy Cooper.