Rev. Dr. Valerie J. Alexander is Senior Pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Marietta. She was called as Interim Senior Minister in May 2023, and was subsequently called as settled Senior Pastor nearly one year later.

Dr. Alexander attended Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC where she earned the Master of Divinity degree. Since that time, she served in United Methodist churches in Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA before aligning with the Disciples of Christ. She was ordained at First Christian Church in Decatur where she was then a member, and is now a long-standing member of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur.

Dr. Alexander has served in outreach ministries in nearly every church she has served due to her God-inspired passion for God’s people. She has served in homeless ministries, prison ministries, and children and youth ministries. An accomplished musician, she has also served as organist and pianist in a number of churches.

Professionally, Dr. Alexander has worked as a social worker in the community and in healthcare before turning to the college classroom. She has taught sociology at Spelman College and Georgia Perimeter College, and has most recently taught political science at Georgia State University – Perimeter College.

Dr. Alexander is also known to give of her time voluntarily to community and faith-based organizations. In 1992, she was named Atlanta’s TBS “Super Citizen of the Week” for her volunteer service to the community. More recently, she has served on the board of directors at Decatur Cooperative Ministry, as well as the regional board of the Christian Church in Georgia. She currently sits on the board of the African American Alliance in Coweta County (Newnan), GA.

In addition to her role as pastor, Dr. Alexander is also a REALTOR® with Keller Williams.

Dr. Alexander has studied psychology at Georgia State University (B.A.); divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary (M.Div.), sociology at Georgia State University (M.A.), and earned her Ph.D. in political science from Clark Atlanta University.

Affectionately known as Pastor Valerie around Cobb County, she is enjoying doing ministry with the people of First Christian Church in Marietta.

Church’s Cell Phone (470) 725-8085