President’s Cabinet

The President’s Cabinet is accountable for the leadership and management of the university.

• 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.

• Stephen P. Johnson, DMA

  Interim Provost

  Johnson was the founding dean of APU’s College of the Arts, and now overseas the university’s academic affairs. Prior to coming to APU, Johnson was an associate professor of theory and composition and dean of the School of Church Music at Southwestern Seminary.

• 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.

• 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 and partnership to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts aimed at cultivating a university climate that promotes engagement and belonging for the diverse demography of faculty, staff, and students at APU. Prior to this role, Hall served in a number of roles at both public and private higher education institutions in Tennessee and California.

• 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.

• 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.