Board of Trustees Has Elected a Presidential Search Committee

February 2, 2022

Dear Seminary Community,

President Barnes has informed the Board of Trustees of his decision to retire by June 2023, once a successor is named. On behalf of the Board, I extend our deep gratitude to the President for his leadership of Princeton Seminary through the last nine years and for his graciousness in providing ample time to ensure a smooth transition to a successor.

Over the last nine years, President Barnes has guided the Seminary through a period of significant change, including in the shape of our faculty and student body, a reckoning with our history and journey of confession and repentance, and a global pandemic. In turn, our community is now ready to embrace the future with honesty, courage, and confidence in God’s abiding love.

The Board of Trustees has elected a presidential search committee to begin the process of calling our next president. I am grateful to the trustees and other community members who have agreed to serve:

Michele Minter, Co-chair

Jeff O'Grady, MDiv ’88, Co-chair

Eric Barreto, MDiv ’04, faculty representative

Kenda Creasy Dean, PhD ’97, faculty representative

Gordon Fowler

Nancy Gray

Margaret Kibben, DMin ‘02, MDiv ’86

Hana Kim, ThM ‘05

Jane MacKenzie, MDiv ‘17

Jay Marshall

Wesley Rowell, MDiv ‘23, student representative

Peter Whitelock, DMin ‘03, ThM ’89

Steve Yamaguchi, MDiv ‘88

Michael Fisch, ex officio

The committee will be engaging with the Seminary community to understand our collective aspirations and insights to help guide the search process. In addition, periodic updates will occur from co-chairs Michele Minter and Jeff O’Grady as the search process advances.

I invite your prayers for this committee as they carry out this work on behalf of us all to discern the person God is calling to be our next president. We trust that God’s Spirit will continue to guide us and move among us.

Faithfully,
Michael Fisch
Chair, Princeton Theological Seminary Board of Trustees