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.
Richard Sabuin, PhD
Associate Director
Liaison for higher education and advisor to the East Central-Africa Division, the Southern Asia Pacific Division, the South Pacific Division, the West-Central Africa Division, and the China Union Mission.
Chair for the Journal of Adventist Education Advisory Board, 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. As an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he has a passion in conducting evangelistic meetings and giving Bible studies.
Dr. Sabuin has been involved in reviewing theology programs of various Adventist colleges and universities, assessing proposals for new colleges of theology in several countries.
Dr. Sabuin has served as an associate director of education of the General Conference associate director since 2022. He also serves as Editor of College and University Dialogue. His wife, Paula, is a nurse, and earned an MPH degree from AIIAS. Their son, Alef, is an auditor for the General Conference Auditing Services (GCAS), stationed at SSD, Philippines. Their daughter, Richla, is an Adventist educator and currently pursuing her doctorate in education at AIIAS, Philippines.
Sócrates Quispe, PhD
Associate Director
Liaison for higher education and advisor to the Inter-American Division, the Euro-Asia Division, the Inter-European Division, and the Northern-Asia Pacific Division, and Executive Secretary for the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA)
Dr. Sócrates Quispe was born in Peru. He is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church.
He graduated from Peruvian Union University with a Bachelor’s degree in Food Engineering (1998). He earned a Master of Science (2002) and a Ph.D. (2005) in Food Engineering from the State University of Campinas, Brazil. He completed two postdoctoral fellowships: one at the State University of Campinas (2005) and another at the University of Alberta, Canada (2010). He also completed a specialization in Project Management at ESAN University, Peru (2013), and another in Higher Education Management and Leadership from the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (IOHE), Canada (2020). In addition, he earned a Diploma in Theology and Adventist Studies from Brazil Adventist University (2019) and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Systematic Theology at the same institution.
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. Due to his research activities, Dr. Quispe was recognized as a Certificate Researcher by the National Council of Science and Technology, 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 served as Associate Director of Education for the South American Division (2015–2023), overseeing institutional accreditation and the evaluation of proposals for new academic programs at Seventh-day Adventist higher education institutions.
He served as Associate Editor of The Journal of Adventist Education – international editions (2023-2024).
Dr. Quispe is currently the Associate Director of Education at the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Executive Secretary of the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (AAA).
His wife, Fany, is a teacher who holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Peruvian Union University and has 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.
Anneris Coria-Navia, EdD
Associate Director
Liaison for higher education and advisor to the North American Division, the South American Division, and the Trans-European Division
Associate Editor, The Journal of Adventist Education® International Editions
Dr. Anneris Coria-Navia was elected associate director of education in 2025. Most recently, she spent 11 years at Andrews University as a professor of education, chief learning officer, and associate VP for assessment and accreditation. A native of Argentina, Anneris studied at Universidad Adventista del Plata, Andrews University, Miami University, and the University of Southern California. Anneris’ research focuses on themes of quality in K-20 institutions through professional learning and teaching excellence. She has a passion for the Adventist education enterprise and dreams of Adventist educational institutions as places that are safe and nurturing for all students and educators.
Juvénal Balisasa, PhD
Associate Director
Liaison for higher education and advisor to the East-Central Africa Division, the Inter-European Division, the Inter-American Division, the Middle East and North Africa Union Mission, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, the South Pacific Division, the Southern Asia Division, the Ukrainian Union Conference, the West-Central Africa Division, and Associate Editor, The Journal of Adventist Education® International Editions
Dr. Juvénal Balisasa
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
Office Manager, Joint Managing Editor, College and University Dialogue
Chawngdinpuii Schaffer, PhD
Joint Managing Editor, College and University Dialogue
Desiree Calixte, MPA
Editorial and Social Media Assistant
Rachel Jihyun Kim, BA
Recording Secretary for AAA, International Board of Education (IBE), and International Board of Ministerial and Theological Education (IBMTE)