An Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a daughter of Mt. Zion AME Church, Rev. Paige has been serving as Pastor of Star Hill AME Church in Dover, Delaware since March 13, 2005. She earned her Master of Divinity degree in May 2009 from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and her Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Howard University in 1981. She also attended Clark College now Clark-Atlanta University from 1977-78. While at Seminary, Rev. Rita had the opportunity to study Christianity for two weeks in Egypt and China. Some of her training includes the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) through Living Works in 2012, Domestic Violence in the Work Place (2014) Diversity Training, Community Organizing Training through Neighbor Works, Dismantling Racism, Anti-Racism and Multi- Cultural Awareness, Youth Violence and Gang Prevention and Cultural Professionalism in 2001 through the U.S. Department of Justice. Employed with the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA), Pastor Paige was officially promoted in January 2014 from Family Services Program Analyst to Social Worker/Case Manager Supervisor.

Rev. Paige was the first African-American female to be employed in an administrative capacity for the City of Milford 1983-85 serving first as the Assistant Administrator for the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program then being promoted to the CDBG Administrator. While doing her broadcast internship at WGMD, FM 92 in Angola, DE during the summer of 1981, Rev. Paige was promoted to Interim News Director for the entire summer. In the Evenings that same summer, Rev. Paige was employed as the first African-American radio personality, host of the late night Quiet Storm at the then all new 0C 104 radio station in Maryland. As a former radio personality from August 1998-2012 on Heaven 1600 AM which was Dover’s 24 hour Gospel radio station, Reverend Paige hosted the Rita Paige Show and co-hosted Melodies from Heaven with Ms. Sonja Lewis and Reverend Jean Sudler.

Rev. Paige is also vice president of the Central Delaware Branch NAACP, and a member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dover (IMA). She chaired the IMA’s MLK Committee which was successful in getting 3 streets renamed in Dover to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. She currently serves as the IMA Social Action Chair. She was also instrumental in speaking out and writing letters in favor of repealing the death penalty, restoring voting rights to ex-felons (SB242) and extending the City of Dover property tax extension due date to August 31, 2016. Rev. Rita is a member of the Star Hill Ministerial Alliance organized in July 2016.

Pastor Paige serves as Voter Registration Coordinator for the Star Hill AME Social Action Voter Reg. Comm. with a team of 46 registrars representing 19 churches and a local Mosque, they have registered over 300 new voters since March 2016.

Pastor Paige is an on call volunteer Chaplain at Bay Health Hospital in Dover, is the Chaplain for the Department of Public Safety at Delaware State University, is a member of the state of Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families Child Advocacy Advisory Board, president of the Dover Education and Community Center Board of Directors, co-founder of Eastern Shore Mass Choir with Pastor and Recording Artist, Rev. Dr. Norman Hutchins (2000-2007). She was the Dover Rotary Club president (2011-12).

VP Paige was initiated in to Alpha Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. on March 22, 1980 and also served as president of the Dover Alumnae Chapter from 1985-87.

Rev. Paige is the Wilmington District Chairwoman of the Board of Christian Education and Secretary of the Wilmington District Ministerium. Pastor Paige serves on the De Conf. Board of Examiners and the Ministerial Ethics instructor in the Ministerial Institute.

She was the speaker for the second 2 ^nd Annual President’s Prayer Breakfast in 2012. She also served as the preacher in August 2010 for the DSU Student’s Back to School Worship Service. Since 2013, Rev. Paige has been serving as the Ecumenical Chair, raising money for DSU’s Scholarship Committee.

Some of her numerous awards include: 2016 Central Delaware Branch NAACP Community Service Faith & Leadership Award, 2015 Delaware State University President’s First Faith Partner Award, 2014 Outstanding Community Service Award from St. James Union AME Church, the 2002 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award, NAACP Central Delaware Branch for outstanding community leadership in October 2001, the Village Merit Award from the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families Office of Prevention in 1996, Awards of Excellence from DSHA in 1995 and 1997, and Outstanding Contributions to the Delaware State Police Kent County Community Policing Unit June 2001.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, raised in Dover, Delaware, Rev. Paige is the youngest of her 3 siblings Bernellyn Carey, Luna Mishoe II., Wilma Mishoe and Cousin Henry Mishoe raised by her parents the late Dr. Luna I and Mrs. Hattie B. Mishoe. Pastor Paige is married to James E. Paige, Sr. They are the proud parents of James, Jatia Paige and Kyheen Page Weaver and the proud grandparents of Jamylah Christine Pritchett. Rev. Paige’s motto is: We Can Do All Things through Christ Who Strengthens Us! (Phil. 4:13).