Matthew L. Watley is an innovative and faithful pastor, nationally known speaker, author, professor, businessman, leadership consultant, and a “kingdom builder.”
As the founder and Senior Pastor of Kingdom Fellowship AME Church in Silver Spring, MD (moving to a new campus in Calverton, MD, in 2022), he provides leadership and spiritual guidance to over 5,000 members. He is also an entrepreneur who develops and oversees half a million square feet of commercial property, including church construction and leasing space to a government agency, small businesses, and non-profit organizations in the Washington DC Area. Additionally, Rev. Watley is Chair of The Black IDEA Coalition, whose mission is to fulfill the promise of diversity and inclusion by empowering organizations and institutions to achieve Black parity in employment, investment, and contracting. Similarly, he serves as Chair of the Kingdom Global Community Development Corporation.
Sharing his insight on the changes in economy, culture, leadership, and education, he has spoken to Ch2Mhill, Prudential, Industrial Bank, The American Institute of CPAs, the US Department of Transportation, to name a few. Rev. Watley has served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and has lectured at various higher learning institutions, including Howard University, Alabama State University, Cornell University, Wiley College, and Wilberforce University.
Presently completing his doctoral dissertation at Fuller Theological Seminary, he also has a Master of Divinity from Howard University, an Executive Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University, and a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University. In May of 2021, Pastor Watley was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Wiley College, where he delivered the commencement address to the graduating class of 2021. He has written several books and many articles and Ignite is his most recent book.
Pastor Watley will tell you that among his most significant roles are son, husband, and father. He is married to Shawna Francis Watley, Senior Policy Advisor in the Government Group of Holland and Knight, and one daughter, Alexandra Elizabeth Watley. The Watley family resides in the Metropolitan Washington Area.
Rev. Loxley O’Connor is an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and GIVE Lead for Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church. In this capacity, Rev. Loxley oversees all the functions that support current financial operations and the expanding conglomerate of properties, organizations, campuses,
and community investments. Additionally, Rev. O’Connor provides daily oversight for all business and fiscal matters, including the budget, accounting, financing, acquisitions, human resources, facility rentals, and outside events. He represents Kingdom Fellowship with business and financial partners, including financial institutions, regulatory agencies, and public officials. As GIVE lead, he directs ministry activities that provide KFAME members
the opportunities to give of their time, talent, and treasurers for Kingdom work. He is the proud husband to his wife, Denise, father to three daughters and grandfather to one granddaughter.
Rev. Kendra Smith serves as Executive Director of Kingdom Global Community Development Corporation and GO Lead of Kingdom Fellowship AME Church. She was selected for the Governors Service Award in Faith-Based category for the State of Maryland. Prior to her tenure and Kingdom Fellowship Rev. Smith served as Founding Senior Pastor of Rivers of Life AME Church in Greenbelt, MD.
Lillian Holt is a servant leader, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and enjoys finding solutions to problems and challenges. She retired from State Farm Insurance Companies, serving in several capacities, including Vice President Agency and Agency Field Executive. Her work career also includes years of service at Gallaudet University, as the Chief of Staff to the Provost and the Administrator to the President and Board of Trustees. She also conducts leadership training for businesses and non-profit organizations. Lillian holds many designations, including a SHRM Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Lillian Holt is a servant leader, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and enjoys finding solutions to problems and challenges. She retired from State Farm Insurance Companies, serving in several capacities, including Vice President Agency and Agency Field Executive. Her work career also includes years of service at Gallaudet University, as the Chief of Staff to the Provost and the Administrator to the President and Board of Trustees. She also conducts leadership training for businesses and non-profit organizations. Lillian holds many designations, including a SHRM Senior Certified Professional from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Paul brings over two decades of government experience to clients in the financial services, health care, media and telecommunications, and the education and non-profit fields.
Prior to joining the private sector, Paul spent six years as Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus; was a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Labor and started his career in the General Counsel’s Honors Program at the Department of Transportation.
Paul has received numerous awards including the Washington Government Relations Group “Lobbyist of the Year” award, The Hill’s “Top Lobbyists” list for six years running and he was selected numerous times to Roll Call’s “Fabulous Fifty” staffers on Capitol Hill.
