Inspired to enter church services by her parents and the elders in her community, Barbara Wilson Lang has excelled as the chief executive officer of the West Street Baptist Church in Oakland, California, since 1978. In her position, she takes responsibility of bookkeeping and financial obligations, as well as developing enrichment and outreach programs for her community. Alongside her work with the West Street Baptist Church, she performs missionary work and teaches Bible study within homes throughout Oakland, California, and surrounding areas. Additionally, she was a senior residential administrator for the Clarkson House for 45 years, a community for adults who have developmental disabilities.
Leveraging more than 40 years of experience in ministry services, Ms. Lang is noteworthy for her passion for her field and her willingness to help others in the church. Earlier in her career, she matriculated at Jarvis Christian College, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and psychology in 1972. Although her career has been filled with achievements, she considers her contributions to the church and her local community to be crowning moments of her career.
A volunteer with the Special Olympics in her spare time, Ms. Lang intends to set an example for the parishioners she serves and encourage her clients embrace their spirituality and religion. She advises future ministers and other religious professionals to choose a field of study that they enjoy doing, all while setting short-term goals and complete them accordingly in an effort to motivate themselves. Above all else, she emphasizes the importance of being honest with oneself and accepting the support and encouragement needed from others.
In recognition of her accomplishments, Ms. Lang received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Alameda Contra Costa. When she is not attending to her vocational duties, she can be found spending quality time with her family and attending church functions. She is the proud mother of one child, Tomeyer Lang.