William G. Sinkford

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Biographical Information

"The Rev. Dr. William Sinkford is the Senior Minister with the First Unitarian Church of Portland. Prior to this position, he served as president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) from June 2001 to May 2009...While an undergraduate at Harvard University, he advised youth groups at UU churches in Boston and Lexington, MA; served as Assistant Director of Rowe Camp; and directed the Harvard-Roxbury Summer Project. He graduated cum laude from Harvard in 1968 and spent the following year in Greece as a Michael Clark Rockefeller Fellow.

"After college, Sinkford worked in the field of marketing. Between 1970 and 1980 he held management positions with Gillette, Avon Products, Johnson Products, and Revlon. During this time, he received the Black Achievers in Industry Award from the Harlem YMCA. He later ran his own business, Sinkford Restorations, Inc. He was also active as a volunteer with community action groups and in not-for-profit housing development.

"Sinkford heard his call to ministry after returning to Cincinnati, where he was an active lay leader in his home congregation. He also served on the UU Urban Concerns and Ministry Committee and as an officer of the African American Unitarian Universalist Ministry. Toward the end of his theological education at Starr King School for the Ministry, Sinkford joined the staff of the UUA. He earned his M.Div. in 1995, and was fellowshipped as a community minister and ordained by his home congregation in the same year.

"Sinkford and his wife Maria live in Portland. He is the father of two children: Billy and Danielle; and grandfather to William Rider Sinkford."

Affiliations

• Advisory Board, Northwest Earth Institute
• Director (2007), Save Darfur Coalition