meet our staff
Our pastoral staff at New Life Christian Fellowship is comprised of a Senior Pastor and ministerial staff. Each person is selected and confirmed by the membership of our congregation.
Elected members of the church's Council, of which the staff is a part of, make the governing decisions of the church. Our staff relies on God's grace and direction to meet the spiritual needs of the church as well as communicating our faith to them and the communities we belong to from Castro Valley, the SF bay area, our nation and the world wide community.
Elected members of the church's Council, of which the staff is a part of, make the governing decisions of the church. Our staff relies on God's grace and direction to meet the spiritual needs of the church as well as communicating our faith to them and the communities we belong to from Castro Valley, the SF bay area, our nation and the world wide community.
Rev. Karen Yee
Senior Pastor
Karen attended the UC Berkeley, receiving her undergraduate degree with a Social Science Field Major - “Education & Socialization” and went on to receive a Graduate Education Credentials in multiple subjects.
She then attended the American Baptist Seminary of the West at Berkeley, receiving the Claiborne M. Hill Award for Highest Academic Standing and the Jessie Day Drexler Award for Competence in the Field of Bible & Theology. Karen enjoys discovering and sharing the amazing and unbelievable grace of God, which she discovers each day through God’s Word, God’s world, and all God’s people.
Karen presents at various regional and national events, and is serving on way too many Boards and committees. Karen keeps quite busy and connected with our national denomination. Locally, Karen also serves on the Executive Council of the Ministers Council of the Greater Bay Area. Recently, she created a Summer Day Camp program that incorporates neighborhood outreach and leadership development.
Prior to joining New Life, Karen completed 15 years as the Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Alameda, an American Baptist church, serving a multi-ethnic, intergenerational congregation of Christ followers. As Associate Pastor @ New Life, Karen assisted the Senior Pastor, helped coordinate our High School Youth activities, served as the lead pastor while the Sr. Pastor was on sabbatical, and provides pulpit supply and guest speaking engagements in various ministry settings. Prior to this, she was a public school teacher and mentor teacher in the Millbrae School District. She also served as an active lay leader at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco. Her goal is to live a life that is described in Micah 6:8 “to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with her God.” Karen loves to hang out anywhere good food and friends can be found.
Karen was called to be our Senior Pastor in April of 2021 and anxiously looks forward to what God has in store for the New Life.
Senior Pastor
Karen attended the UC Berkeley, receiving her undergraduate degree with a Social Science Field Major - “Education & Socialization” and went on to receive a Graduate Education Credentials in multiple subjects.
She then attended the American Baptist Seminary of the West at Berkeley, receiving the Claiborne M. Hill Award for Highest Academic Standing and the Jessie Day Drexler Award for Competence in the Field of Bible & Theology. Karen enjoys discovering and sharing the amazing and unbelievable grace of God, which she discovers each day through God’s Word, God’s world, and all God’s people.
Karen presents at various regional and national events, and is serving on way too many Boards and committees. Karen keeps quite busy and connected with our national denomination. Locally, Karen also serves on the Executive Council of the Ministers Council of the Greater Bay Area. Recently, she created a Summer Day Camp program that incorporates neighborhood outreach and leadership development.
Prior to joining New Life, Karen completed 15 years as the Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Alameda, an American Baptist church, serving a multi-ethnic, intergenerational congregation of Christ followers. As Associate Pastor @ New Life, Karen assisted the Senior Pastor, helped coordinate our High School Youth activities, served as the lead pastor while the Sr. Pastor was on sabbatical, and provides pulpit supply and guest speaking engagements in various ministry settings. Prior to this, she was a public school teacher and mentor teacher in the Millbrae School District. She also served as an active lay leader at the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco. Her goal is to live a life that is described in Micah 6:8 “to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with her God.” Karen loves to hang out anywhere good food and friends can be found.
Karen was called to be our Senior Pastor in April of 2021 and anxiously looks forward to what God has in store for the New Life.
Rev. Tony Aboagye
Pastor of Missions and Evangelism
Rev. Tony was born and raised in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, West Africa.
As the last son of an Evangelist, Tony was taught Christian values at a very young age. Prior to his call to ministry, he was trained as a professional teacher in Ghana. After teaching for seven years he went back to the university to pursue bachelors degree in Marketing.
Tony was trained and prepared for ministry in Ghana, at Victory Baptist Church, where he served as youth minister, interpreter, church secretary, secretary for membership and in the evangelism committee. In 2012, Tony enrolled in American Baptist Seminary of the West, graduating with his Master's of Divinity. Tony has a very strong passion for Missions and Evangelism.
Pastor of Missions and Evangelism
Rev. Tony was born and raised in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, West Africa.
As the last son of an Evangelist, Tony was taught Christian values at a very young age. Prior to his call to ministry, he was trained as a professional teacher in Ghana. After teaching for seven years he went back to the university to pursue bachelors degree in Marketing.
Tony was trained and prepared for ministry in Ghana, at Victory Baptist Church, where he served as youth minister, interpreter, church secretary, secretary for membership and in the evangelism committee. In 2012, Tony enrolled in American Baptist Seminary of the West, graduating with his Master's of Divinity. Tony has a very strong passion for Missions and Evangelism.
Rev. Adaku Omekenyi
Pastor of Missions and Communities
Pastor Ada was born in New York and spent the greater part of her life in Nigeria. Her parents were regular church attendees and participated actively in the church. Because of this, Ada started developing a wonderful personal relationship with God at a very early stage of her life.
She obtained a bachelor's degree in Accounting at the University of Port Harcourt and a Masters degree in Marketing Management at the Lagos State University both in Nigeria. After her graduation, Ada received training and began to to serve in her home church, the Assemblies Church of God in Nigeria, in various ministerial duties, organizing bible studies for children and for the adults, and organizing revival programs.
Ada is married and has a twelve year old son. Ada studied at the American Baptist Seminary of the West graduating with a Masters of Divinity degree. While at the seminary, she interned at New Life, after which she was retained as a member of the pastoral team. Presently, Ada is one of the chaplain residents in Saint Francis Memorial Hospital San Francisco.
Her goal is to continue to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and to proclaim His gospel message to as many parts of the world as God permits in her life time, in person and via the various means of communication/media.
She enjoys watching bible based movies and loves the vanilla swiss almond ice cream and smoked/spicy goat meat.
Pastor of Missions and Communities
Pastor Ada was born in New York and spent the greater part of her life in Nigeria. Her parents were regular church attendees and participated actively in the church. Because of this, Ada started developing a wonderful personal relationship with God at a very early stage of her life.
She obtained a bachelor's degree in Accounting at the University of Port Harcourt and a Masters degree in Marketing Management at the Lagos State University both in Nigeria. After her graduation, Ada received training and began to to serve in her home church, the Assemblies Church of God in Nigeria, in various ministerial duties, organizing bible studies for children and for the adults, and organizing revival programs.
Ada is married and has a twelve year old son. Ada studied at the American Baptist Seminary of the West graduating with a Masters of Divinity degree. While at the seminary, she interned at New Life, after which she was retained as a member of the pastoral team. Presently, Ada is one of the chaplain residents in Saint Francis Memorial Hospital San Francisco.
Her goal is to continue to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and to proclaim His gospel message to as many parts of the world as God permits in her life time, in person and via the various means of communication/media.
She enjoys watching bible based movies and loves the vanilla swiss almond ice cream and smoked/spicy goat meat.