Professor. Preacher. Organizer. Trainer.

Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker is a social entrepreneur and quadruple threat. She is an organizer, preacher, trainer, and professor. Currently she is an Assistant Professor of Contextual Education and Community Engagement at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Dr. Baker has taught Church Planting, Womanist Preaching, and Faith Based Community Organizing, Caste and the required practice of ministry curriculum. Dr. Baker is a respected trainer and consultant offering anti-racism, youth ministry, chaplaincy, and faith-based community organizing sector wisdom and from her sustained work in the fields of chaplaincy, prison/jail and youth ministry, and community organizing. 

In August 2014, she became the clergy caucus co-leader of the Gamaliel Networks' Metropolitan Congregations United, an organization that resourced clergy and congregations in the early stages of the Ferguson movement. Dietra is co-created the “Break the Pipeline” campaign to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline in Missouri. Under her leadership the campaign has launched a chapter of EXPO-MO (EX Incarcerated People Organizing) and the STL Participatory Defense Hub, joining the movement to impact outcomes of cases in the court system; and build the long-term grass-roots power with formerly incarcerated youth, adults and their families.

Currently Rev. Dr. Wise Baker serves as Organizing Director of Gamaliel's Race and Power Institute at Eden Seminary, and the Faculty Director of Eden's new community learning program: The Center for Lived Faith and Organizing in partnership with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.) 

Always a community organizer, has partnered with Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU) to launch When Black Women Lead a coalition of black women of faith, organizers, and elected officials mapping local and state power, building base, and running for office.