Meet our Executive Director
Rev. Dr. Demetrius Carolina
Reverend Dr. Demetrius S. Carolina Sr. is widely recognized as a spiritual leader and advocate for justice and human rights. He maintains a respected reputation as a man of conviction, one who consistently demonstrates hands-on leadership and a commitment to his congregation and issues affecting all humanity. Having a deep concern for issues that relate to spiritual empowerment, economic equity, educational development and human rights, his work has taken him to several continents on behalf of these issues.
Reverend Dr. Carolina currently serves as Senior Pastor at First Central Baptist Church, Staten Island, New York since 2005. He constantly contributes to the betterment of the Staten Island community by providing strong educational advocacy, economic development and facilitating bold community partnership initiatives, benefiting various community organizations. As the Executive Director of the Central Family Life Center, with responsibility to develop corporate, public and private relationships, he has raised awareness of service needs and has sought to offer greater collaborative response to the community by way of the center. Dr. Carolina oversees and administers strategies to ensure the operation and sustainability of the Life Center. Dr. Carolina oversees a city-funded after school program, a senior citizens program, prison recidivism, mental health support, youth recreation and various other community enhancements projects.
The Reverend Dr. Carolina has co-authored several peer review research studies focused on prostate cancer and health literacy associated for underrepresented communities. Reverend Dr. Demetrius S. Carolina is the author of an internally popular book entitled “Let There Be Light, Creating a Life Worth Living”. He is currently the president of “Clergy with a Purpose,” a city-wide ecumenical clergy and citizen empowerment organization. He is an adjunct professor at St. John University in the School of Education. He is a member and award recipient of the NAACP. In the past 20 years, he has set on numerous local and national boards. A few include: M.B.D. House Corporation, Hampton University Ministers’ Conference, Staten Island University Hospital Executive Board, the Baptist Ministers Conference of Greater New York & Vicinity, the United Missionary Baptist, Richmond County Community Health Center.
Dr. Carolina is the father of four wonderful children, Dior Isaiah, DeLisa Mona, Demetrius Solomon Carolina, II. and Demetri Rafael Carolina. Dr. Demetrius Carolina is married to Josenia Carolina.