Administration

Adam J. Morris, PhD

President

Morris leads Azusa Pacific, providing visionary leadership and strategic planning expertise to advance the university’s mission. Prior to this role, Morris, who has 30 years of Christian higher education experience, was executive vice president, chief transformation officer, and chief institutional advancement officer at Biola University.

Anita Fitzgerald Henck, PhD

Provost

Henck leads and advocates for APU’s academic mission, overseeing all schools, colleges, and libraries. Prior to this role, she served as dean of APU’s School of Education for 12 years. Her extensive career in higher education includes multiple leadership positions in program development in academic and student affairs.

Andrew Barton, EdD

Vice President for University Advancement

Barton is an accomplished executive leader with more than 25 years of experience across several sectors. As part of APU for the past 15 years, Barton has filled multiple executive roles, including senior advisor/chief of staff, vice president for strategic planning and mission integration, and most recently as interim president, before assuming this new assignment in advancement.

James Buckley, JD

General Counsel,
University Integrity Officer

Buckley supports the university’s mission by representing and advising the board and administration on a broad range of legal matters. Prior to joining APU in 2020, Buckley was an operations and management consultant for law departments and law firms. His law practice began in the litigation department at Gibson Dunn in Los Angeles, followed by 20 years as senior in-house counsel with Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Aaron A. Dahlke, CPA

Vice President for Finance and Administration,
Chief Financial Officer

Dahlke is responsible for developing APU’s financial policies and directing all of the university’s financial functions, including accounting, budget, credit, insurance, tax, and treasury. He also oversees APU’s human resources, information technology, facilities management, and auxiliary services areas. Dahlke has more than 25 years of experience in corporate finance leadership, including chief financial officer for Aircastle Limited, a company that acquires, leases, and sells commercial jet aircraft and that has an asset value of $6.5 billion.

Keith E. Hall, EdD

Vice President for Student Belonging,
Chief Diversity Officer

Hall provides strategic leadership aimed at cultivating a climate and shaping an experience that promotes engagement, holistic development, and a sense of belonging for APU’s diverse demography of students. He provides executive oversight of Athletics; Student Affairs; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Hall brings over 20 years of higher education experience from both public and private institutions in California and Tennessee.

David Shynn, MBA

Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer

A higher education executive, Shynn brings more than 20 years of experience in increasingly complex roles, leading organizational transformation, strategic planning, international partnerships, merger and acquisition analysis, business analytics, and business model innovation. Shynn oversees a university plan to operationalize and accelerate APU’s vision, providing clear lines of ownership with measurable targets and timetables to gauge effectiveness, increase revenue, and position the university for growth in the increasingly competitive higher education landscape.

Maureen A. Taylor, MA

Vice President for Strategic Communication and Engagement

With nearly three decades of higher education experience in communication and advocacy, Taylor leads the Division of Strategic Communication and Engagement. She oversees the university’s internal and external communication and engagement strategies with all APU constituencies. These communication and engagement endeavors advance Renewal, APU’s Strategic Plan and its Grand Initiatives to strengthen the APU community and expand the university’s image and reputation as the nation’s premier Christian university for our culture and times. Taylor shapes the university’s messaging across communication channels and drives engagement opportunities to underscore the university’s contribution to its city, region, state, and nation in pursuit of Kingdom and social good.

Michael J. White, MA

Vice President for Enrollment Management

White provides strategic direction and leadership in APU’s efforts to attract more students, working with university partners to design, develop, and implement a comprehensive and innovative enrollment plan that complements APU’s strategic plan. He brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education to this role, including time as vice president for enrollment and marketing/communications at North Greenville University in South Carolina, where he oversaw a 17% increase in new student enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Academic Cabinet

The Academic Cabinet engages in strategic planning concerning the academic issues of the university. This includes planning for new programs and coordination of the academic elements of the university vision. The Academic Cabinet is the academic governing body that reviews and approves all new academic initiatives and changes.