Project Description
Dr. Terry Taber, chair of the Roberts Wesleyan College and Northeastern Seminary boards of trustees, announced to the campus community, that Deana Porterfield, Ed.D., will be the 11th president of Roberts Wesleyan College and the third president of Northeastern Seminary.
“Dr. Porterfield is a visionary Christian leader who transforms her ideas into actions and results,” Taber said. “She immediately impressed the search committee with her passion for Christian higher education and her ability to inspire transformation in an ever-changing environment for colleges and universities. Dr. Porterfield is a courageous leader who has the commitment and capability to advance the missions of both Roberts Wesleyan College and Northeastern Seminary.“
No stranger to Christian Higher Education, Porterfield has served at Azusa Pacific University (APU) and Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) for more than 24 years in various roles, including vice president for enrollment management, chief of staff, and senior vice president for people and organizational development at APU and, more recently, as executive vice president at APOU. It was the consensus of the search committee that her commitment to advancing Christian higher education, administrative experience and passion to prepare students who will make a difference leading in the world prepared her for the presidential role.
Porterfield earned a doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne in La Verne, Calif. She also holds a master’s degree in organizational management and a bachelor’s degree in music from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Calif.
