President McCormick Theological Seminary | Chicago, Illinois The Board of Trustees of McCormick Theological Seminary has named Rev. Dr. Maisha I. Handy as its 12th President, effective September 3, 2024.Dr, Handy—a Chicago native who is a recognized and accomplished theologian, administrator, and educator—will assume her new position as the institution’s first African American president and second female leader. This appointment follows her 24-year career at Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia, where Dr. Handy served most recently as Interim President and Professor of Religion and Education.Dr. Handy is an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). At Lincoln University she earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 1989 and received a Master of Divinity with honors from Candler School of Theology, Emory University in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Theology & Personality (now Persons, Community, and Religious Life) from Emory University in 2002—the first African American woman to receive the Ph.D. degree in that area of study at Emory. In 1999, Dr. Handy spent a year as a teaching assistant to Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa.Since 2013, Dr. Handy has served as Pastor of Rize Community Church, an inclusive Africentric Christian ministry located in the heart of Atlanta that is home to an intergenerational congregation of believers from all walks of life. As Pastor for more than a decade, she is widely recognized in the church for her special focus on guiding young adults. In addition to her proven track record of more than two decades of experience in theological education, Dr. Handy is a collaborative leader and social justice-oriented community builder whose values and commitments align with those of McCormick.Ernest Brooks and Keight Kennedy led this search with Liz Braun, supported by Caroline Corry.