Phaedra H. McLaughlin

Phaedra Hairston McLaughlin was born and raised in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area.  As a child, she began taking ballet classes.  At the age of twelve, she auditioned for and was selected to perform at The Kennedy Center with the Joffrey Ballet Company in The Nutcracker.  From there, she went on to receive numerous scholarships including the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Scholarship (Talent in the Arts) to attend college. Once in college, she was awarded the Dorothy P. Stanley Scholarship to train for a summer session in New York with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.  McLaughlin was also crowned as the Miss Black Unity Scholarship Pageant winner while attending the University of Maryland. 

Upon graduating from with a Bachelor of Science degree in Technical Communications she moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue acting.  While there, she filmed a national commercial for Colgate toothpaste, and filmed several independent films.  As she pursued acting, she worked as a middle-school English teacher.  After several years of living away from her family and friends, she decided to return to Maryland.  

While living in California, McLaughlin's passion and interest in the Lord grew.  She soon went on to enroll in Capital Bible Seminary where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Christian Counseling and Discipleship with a concentration in Youth and Family. She continues to teach English and is currently pursuing a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction to be a reading specialist. 

McLaughlin has participated in, led, and started several ministries to include Dance, Young Adults, Singles, Women, and Christian Education.  She has also written curriculums for the new members class, evangelism training, and children's Sunday school classes.  She currently lives in southern Virginia with her husband, Rev. Jameson K. McLaughlin, their daughter Charis Laelle, and twin sons Jacob Alexander, and Joshua Keith.