Anna Piela

As Senior Writer, the Rev. Dr. Anna Piela uses storytelling in fulfilling American Baptist Home Mission Societies’ mission. “ABHMS’ work is broad and complex,” she says. “My goal is to communicate the extraordinary in what may seem ordinary.” Through relationships fostered with ABHMS staff and other stakeholders, Anna identifies relevant stories and creates and collaborates on internal and external publications that showcase the importance of ABHMS’ ministries.
An ordained American Baptist minister, Rev. Dr. Piela brings an impressive academic and denominational background to her work. For many years, she taught religious studies in the United Kingdom and researched different aspects of Islamic feminism—a topic on which she published multiple books and articles. After discerning a call to ministry, she studied at Garret Evangelical Theological Seminary and was ordained by the Lake Street Church of Evanston, IL. Today she serves the ABC Metro Chicago region as a co-Associate Regional Minister, supporting the work of the White and Multicultural Collaborative.
Rev. Dr. Piela earned a Ph.D. from the University of York, U.K.; a master’s degree in Social Research Methods from Open University, U.K.; and a bachelor’s and master’s in Political Science and Journalism from Jagiellonian University, Poland.
When she’s not writing, Anna enjoys spending time outdoors, both in her own backyard and in state or national parks.