Bishop Dr. James N. Hassell was born in New York City in 1972 and demonstrated his leadership skills from a young age. After studying at Howard University and Marist College, he went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees, and a Doctor of Religion degree with a specialization in Transformative Leadership from Faith Seminary.

Dr. Hassell has been married to Rev. Alonda Hassell for over 30 years and is a proud father of four children, Ralon, Kevin, Kayla, and Kaira. He previously worked as a branch manager for Beneficial Finance Corp. for 14 years, where he was also a licensed insurance agent, real estate agent, and notary public. He also served as the Executive Assistant to Pastor Jesse V. Bottoms, his mentor and teacher, for 12 years at the Beulah Baptist Church of Poughkeepsie, NY.

Presently, Dr. Hassell is the President and CEO of Kingdom Neighborhood Development Corp and the Pastor and Founder of the Kingdom Christian Cultural Center, in Yonkers, New York.

He is the Founder and prelate of the Salt and Light Fellowship of Churches, a growing movement rooted in the Northeast region of the United States. Dr. Hassell has also traveled extensively as a missionary to countries such as Uganda, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Zambia, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Flint, Michigan.

In addition, Dr. Hassell has served and continues to serve on several local boards in the City of Yonkers, including the Two Billion Dollar Municipal Project of the City of Yonkers Joint School Rehabilitation Board, Homelessness Task Force, City of Yonkers Police Reform Board, Yonkers Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Coalition, and Mayor’s African American Advisory Board. He is committed to serving his community and making a positive impact on the world.