Our Leadership



Rev. Dr. Sammie J. Dow

Senior Pastor

Pastor Dow gives leadership to our vision of becoming transformed people transforming the world. His goal is to see people have an authentic, liberating, and life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Pastor Dow was licensed and ordained for Gospel ministry by Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under the leadership of Dr. William H. Curtis. He served as Minister to Young Adults and College Students at Morning Star Baptist Church in Catonsville, Maryland and as Director of Ministries at The Luke Church, a prominent 5,000–member congregation, in Humble, Texas.

Prior to joining The Luke Church, Pastor Dow served as the National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division – the nation’s largest organized group of youth activists with more than 20,000 members under the age of 25. During his tenure, the Division experienced a 23 percent membership increase and launched the #IMatter campaign, which reached more than 8.5 million young people, across the country, on issues of police reform, racial profiling, and gun violence.

A proud native of High Point, North Carolina, Pastor Dow earned a Bachelor of Science from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh, and an Executive Certificate in Community Health Leadership from the Morehouse School of Medicine. Given his commitment to theological preparation and education, he also earned a Master of Divinity from The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University and the Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Preaching from Payne Theological Seminary.

Pastor Dow is extremely fortunate to share life with his wife and best friend, Dr. Jacqueline Dow, a public health research scientist and Founder/CEO of J. Dow Fitness. Together, they are the proud parents of one son, Jackson Andrew Elijah.

You can learn more about Pastor Dow by clicking here.

Jacqueline D. Dow, DrPH

First Lady

Dr. Jacqueline Dow is The Grove’s renaissance woman. She is an entrepreneur, research scientist, community health advocate, and Pastor Dow’s chief partner in accomplishing our vision to transform the world.

She is the Founder and CEO of J. Dow Fitness, a comprehensive athleisure apparel company that promotes holistic wellness, fitness, and self confidence among women of color. In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Dow serves as an Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University.

She has previously served as the Planning and Partnerships Director for Cobb and Douglas Public Health. Additionally, she served as Research Scientist in the Battelle Corporation’s Public Health Research and Translational Science Resource Group. In this role, she was responsible for conducting extensive literature reviews, conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection, and statistical analysis regarding public health, health communication, and health behavior and evaluation studies. Prior to joining Battelle, Dr. Dow served as the Maternal Child Health Director for March of Dimes Houston. While at March of Dimes, she established a strategic plan for programs and activities designed to reduce the preterm birth rate in the greater Houston metropolitan area. She also served as Program Evaluator with the United States Army Institute of Public Health. In this position, she served as the evaluation lead for multiple health education and promotion initiatives for Soldiers, Retirees, and Family Members Army-wide.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, she holds a Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science from Meharry Medical College, an Executive Certificate in Health Policy from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Doctor of Public Health from Morgan State University. Her dissertation research is entitled, “Maternal Body Mass Index Prior to Pregnancy and Risk of Preterm Birth among African American women of Reproductive Age.”

She is extremely fortunate to share life with her husband and best friend, Dr. Sammie J. Dow. Together, they are the proud parents of one son, Jackson Andrew Elijah.

Executive Team Leaders

Deacon George Boyer

Deacon George Boyer

Chairman, Deacons Ministry
Elaine Redmond

Elaine Redmond

Chairman, Trustees Ministry

Key Ministry Staff and Leaders

Rev. Michael Sands, D.Min.

Rev. Michael Sands, D.Min.

Minister of Christian Education and Spiritual Formation
Min. Rayetta Sands

Min. Rayetta Sands

Minister to Women
LaDarion M. Outley

LaDarion M. Outley

Interim Director of Music
Nikki Hamilton, PhD

Nikki Hamilton, PhD

Sunday School Superintendant