Joseph Barker II

Executive Director
Sister Thea Bowman Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA

Mr. Barker has been an active member in the Archdiocese of Atlanta for over 40 years. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University as well as for the international sponsorship organization Unbound and previously served as their Board Development Chair. Within the primary and secondary field of education, he previously served on the Board of Advisors for the Westside Atlanta Charter School as well as the Director of Recruitment and Community Engagement on the leadership team of Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School where he cofounded and mentored youth through his school as a found ing moderator of Iron Sharpens Iron along with Gary Davis, the visionary, founder and CEO of Next Level Boys Academy. He serves on the Board of The Black Man Lab and helps host helps host weekly programming, educating the community of listeners on various topics critical to community mentoring, advocacy, and growth.

He has served as Deputy Director of Education for the Atlanta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and has served as a youth mentor in both his community as well as the Archdiocese of Atlanta for over 21 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida A & M University and completed his Masters in Theological Studies the Spring of 2021 from Spring Hill College. In the spring of 2020, he completed his Seminars in Ignatian Leadership training completed through Regis University. He has previously presided over Zone 7 Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver faithfully as a 4th degree Knight.

Most recently, he served as Feasibility Study Coordinator for Cristo Rey Charleston High School, Inc. where he oversaw the activities of the sub-committees of Fundraising, Religious Sponsorship, Jobs, Community Surveys, and Site Selection. In this capacity, he was tasked to meet metrics required to ensure the feasibility of a school in the city of Charleston and worked with the Cristo Rey Network and the appointed chairs of the study accordingly.

Mr. Barker continues the vision of Thea Bowman, through his focus on and determination to grow the numbers of African American scholars at the higher education level.

Mr. Barker has been an active member in the Archdiocese of Atlanta for more than 40 years. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Aquinas Center of Theology at Emory University as well as for the international sponsorship organization Unbound and previously served as their Board Development Chair. Within the primary and secondary field of education, he previously served on the Board of Advisors for the Westside Atlanta Charter School as well as the Director of Recruitment and Community Engagement on the leadership team of Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School where he cofounded and mentored youth through his school as a founding moderator of Iron Sharpens Iron along with Gary Davis, the visionary, founder and CEO of Next Level Boys Academy. He serves on the Board of The Black Man Lab and helps host weekly programming, educating the community of listeners on various topics critical to community mentoring, advocacy, and growth. Mr. Barker continues the vision of Thea Bowman, through his focus on and determination to grow the numbers of African American scholars at the higher education level.