About Us

The Education Department team is responsible for the coordination, promotion, training, and quality of the global Seventh-day Adventist educational system, which includes 9,489 schools, colleges and universities, with 111,360 teachers and 2,044,709 students.

Working in close cooperation with the Education Department directors in the 13 world divisions, the staff offers services to boards, administrators, and faculty of Adventist colleges and universities worldwide. The staff also provides support through the world divisions to educational leaders at union/ conference/ mission levels and to teachers in Adventist elementary and secondary schools to ensure that the Adventist philosophy of education and the principles of faith are integrated into the life of each institution.

In addition, the staff cooperates with Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries and the Youth Ministries Department in nurturing the faith of Adventist students attending non-Adventist colleges and universities worldwide.


Lisa M. Beardsley-Hardy, PhD, MPH, MBA

Director

Board Chair for the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA)
Liaison for schools of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy

Dr. Lisa Beardsley-Hardy completed two years of theology at Newbold College, England, and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Far East (now Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies) in the Philippines. She earned graduate degrees in public health (MPH, Loma Linda University), educational psychology (PhD, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa), and management (MBA, Claremont Graduate University, California).

Dr. Beardsley-Hardy held faculty positions at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, the University of Illinois, Andrews University and Loma Linda University. Her administrative experience includes department chair of health education at Toivonlinnanseminaari, Finland; assistant dean for medical education & evaluation, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria; associate vice president for academic affairs, Andrews University; and vice chancellor for academic affairs, Loma Linda University. She served as a chaplain at Methodist Medical Center of Illinois and Lakeland Medical Center, Michigan and holds ecclesiastical endorsement as an educational chaplain and an associate healthcare chaplain.

Born in England, Dr. Beardsley-Hardy holds UK, Finnish and US citizenships. She and her husband Dr. Frank Hardy have a daughter and two grandchildren. Her special interests include mushroom hunting, cross-country skiing and music.


Photograph of Dr. Hudson E. Kibuuka

Hudson Kibuuka, DEd

Associate Director

Liaison for higher education and advisor to the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, and the West-Central Africa Division
Executive Secretary for the AAA, Editor, College and University Dialogue

Dr. Hudson Kibuuka was born in the Republic of Uganda and holds a B.Sc. with majors in Mathematics and Chemistry and a minor in Physics, as well as a concurrent Diploma in Education (Mathematics Education and Primary Teaching Methods), and the Master of Education (Educational Administration & Planning) from Makerere University, Republic of Uganda. He also earned a Bachelor of Education, Doctor of Education (both in Educational Management), and a Certificate in Business Management, all from the University of South Africa. Dr. Kibuuka spent some time of immersion in the French language at the Adventist University of France, Collonges-sous-Salève, and also speaks Luganda and Swahili in addition to English.

Dr. Kibuuka has been an educator since 1979. Dr. Kibuuka’s experience includes service as secondary science teacher, registrar, college and university lecturer, director of Education for the SDA Church in Uganda, Division Director of Education for the Eastern Africa Division and since 2003, Director of Education for the East Central-Africa Division. His numerous presentations and publications focus on educational administration, board training, leadership and integration of faith in math/science education. 


Photograph of Dr. Julian Melgosa

Julian Melgosa, PhD

Associate Director

Liaison for higher education and advisor to the North American Division, the South American Division, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, the Trans-European Division, and the Middle East and North Africa Union Mission
Chair for The Journal of Adventist Education® Advisory Board

Dr. Julian Melgosa was born in Spain and graduated with a bachelor’s degree with majors in education and psychology from the University of Madrid (Spain). He earned an MA in psychology from the same institution and a PhD in Educational Psychology from Andrews University (USA). Dr. Melgosa is a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He is a prolific author in the area of emotional and mental health for professional and semi-popular press publications, including widely spread books such as Less Stress and Positive Mind and Adult Bible Study Guide—Jesus Wept: The Bible and Human Emotions, that was used in every Seventh-day Adventist Church Sabbath School class around the world.

Dr. Melgosa has taught at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. He has served as Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) where he also went on to serve as president. Most recently, he served as Dean of the School of Education and Psychology and Professor at Walla Walla University. He has served the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in five divisions: the Inter-European Division (Sagunto Adventist Academy and College), Trans-European Division (Newbold College, UK), Southern Asia Pacific Division (AIIAS, Philippines), North American Division (Andrews University, Walla Walla University, USA) and Inter-American Division (visiting professor at Montemorelos University, Mexico). He has been an accreditor with the Philippine Accrediting Associations of Schools, Colleges and Universities and for the Adventist Accrediting Association.

Dr. Melgosa was elected General Conference associate director of education in 2015. He also serves as Associate Editor of The Journal of Adventist Education (international editions). He is a citizen of Spain and the United States of America. His wife Annette is a librarian and they have two adult children, Claudia, a veterinarian in New Mexico and Eric, a graphic designer in California. Dr. Melgosa enjoys road biking, backpacking and international cooking.


Photograph of Dr. Richard Sabuin

Richard Sabuin, PhD

Associate Director

Liaison for higher education and advisor to the East Central-Africa Division, the South Pacific Division, the Southern Asia Division, and the China Union Mission
Editor, College and University Dialogue.

Dr. Richard A. Sabuin was born in Indonesia. He graduated from Universitas Advent Indonesia with a Bachelor in Theology, and earned degrees in Master of Ministry and PhD in New Testament, both from the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), Philippines.

His service in the Seventh-day Adventist Church began in Kalimantan Mission, Indonesia, as a local church pastor, district pastor, and departmental director. Later, he was called to serve as an associate editor at the Indonesia Publishing House. After completing his study, he served at AIIAS as a seminary professor, chair of the Biblical Studies Department, and later as the Seminary dean. He also served as chair of the Biblical Research Committee of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. Subsequently, he received a call from the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) to serve as the director of the Education Department, as well the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries departments. For over a year, he also served as acting executive secretary of the Division. He is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Dr. Sabuin was elected General Conference associate director of education in 2022. He also serves as Editor of College and University Dialogue. He is a citizen of Indonesia. His wife, Paula, is a nurse, and earned an MPH degree from AIIAS. Their son and daughter earned master’s degrees from Andrews University. Alef is an auditor for the General Conference Auditing Services (GCAS), stationed at SSD, Philippines. Richla is an English lecturer at Universitas Klabat, an Adventist university in Indonesia.


Sócrates Quispe-Condori, PhD

Associate Director

Liaison for higher education and advisor to the Inter-American Division, the Euro-Asia Division, and the Inter-European Division, and Associate Editor, The Journal of Adventist Education®(International Editions)

Dr. Sócrates Quispe-Condori was born in Peru. He graduated from Peruvian Union University with a Bachelor in Food Engineering (1998), and a Master of Science (2002), and PhD (2005) in Food Engineering from State University of Campinas, Brazil. He also completed a postdoc in Supercritical Fluid Extraction from State University of Campinas, Brazil (2005) and a second postdoc in Microencapsulation of Bioactive Compounds from the University of Alberta, Canada (2010). He obtained a specialization in Project Management from ESAN University, Peru (2013) and another specialization in Higher Education Management and Leadership from the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education – IOHE, Canada (2020). He earned a Diploma in Theology and Adventist Studies from Brazil Adventist University (2019) and is currently pursuing a Masters in Systematic Theology at the same institution. He is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Dr. Quispe has developed research projects financed by national and international institutions in Brazil, Peru, Canada, and the United States. He has published scientific papers in indexed journals and proceedings of research congresses, and has served as a peer reviewer for various scientific journals. He is also a member of different national and international scientific organizations. On account of his research activities, Dr. Quispe has been recognized as a Certificate Researcher by the Science and Technology National Council, Peru.

Dr. Quispe served for ten years (2005 – 2014) at Peruvian Union University as Dean, Academic Secretary, and Research Director of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Director of the School of Food Engineering, and Director of the Geoscience Resource Center. He also served as a teacher, attaining the rank of full professor.

Dr. Quispe was elected Associate Director of Education in the South American Division in 2015. In this position, he managed the institutional accreditation processes for higher education, according to Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA) standards as well as the evaluation for opening new programs, following the International Board of Education (IBE) manual.

Dr. Quispe was elected General Conference associate director of education in April 2023. He also serves as Associate Editor of The Journal of Adventist Education (international editions). 

His wife, Fany, is a teacher who has earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Peruvian Union University and completed her master’s studies in education management. They have two children, Daniel Alejandro and Maria Alessandra. Dr. Quispe considers himself a food engineer by formation, a higher education professor by vocation, a scientific researcher by dedication, and an evangelistic pastor by passion. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports with his family

Faith-Ann A. McGarrell, PhD

Editor, The Journal of Adventist Education®

Chandra Goff, BA

Editorial Assistant, The Journal of Adventist Education®

Gabriela de Sousa Matias, MEd

Joint Managing Editor, College and University Dialogue

Chawngdinpuii Schaffer, PhD

Joint Managing Editor, College and University Dialogue

Esther Hoche Rodriguez, MEd

Office Manager

Rachel Jihyun Kim, BA

Records Secretary for AAA, International Board of Education (IBE), and International Board of Ministerial and Theological Education (IBMTE)