Northeastern Seminary Distinguished Alumni

Deral Givens ‘15, ‘19 (M. Div., Doctorate of Divinity) is a Monroe County Family Court Judge with the New York State Unified Court System, where he presides over matters involving child abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, custody and visitation, orders of protection, termination of parental rights, and adoption proceedings. In addition to his legal career, Deral holds a Juris Doctor from SUNY Buffalo and a Master of Arts from SUNY Brockport.

One of Deral’s favorite memories of his time at Northeastern Seminary is taking spiritual formation classes with Dr. Rebecca Letterman. Those experiences had a lasting impact on both his faith and his approach to life and work. He was particularly influenced by Rebecca Letterman, Elizabeth Gerhardt, Josef Sykora, and Richard Middleton.

Deral continues to serve his community through his ministry, Who Do You Say I Am Ministries, a teaching ministry focused on helping people understand who they are in Christ. His faith remains an important part of his approach to his professional calling as well. Deral credits his Roberts experience, particularly his spiritual formation classes, with teaching him to slow down and seek God even amid the chaos and challenges that can arise in Family Court.

Through his work on the bench and his ministry, Deral seeks to serve others with wisdom, compassion, and a strong foundation of faith—values that were strengthened during his time at Roberts.