Jessica Williams was born in Kansas City and spent time as a child at Bethel Neighborhood Center and then at Anadarko Christian Center where her father served as an American Baptist Home Missionary.  She grew up in Erie, PA and felt called to ministry while serving at Camp Judson.  She received a Bachelors in Christian Studies, Family Studies and Psychology from Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia.  From the small town of Philippi, she moved to New York City to attend Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University where she earned a Master of Divinity and Master of Science in Social Work respectively.  At that time she also served at Scarsdale Community Baptist Church where she was later ordained.  Jessica also helped to found and is still active with the Poverty Initiative at Union Theological Seminary.  She began work at First Baptist in December 2008.  She has a passion for social ministries and for working with young people.