Cheryl Harris Kisunzu, Interim President
Dr. Cheryl Harris Kisunzu serves as Interim President of Washington Adventist University (WAU) after 13 years of distinguished service as the University’s Provost. A seasoned educator, administrator, and healthcare professional, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Andrews University, completed her Master of Science in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner studies at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s University, and earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Andrews University.
A certified Malcolm Baldrige Reviewer, Dr. Kisunzu has also served in accreditation leadership roles with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Adventist Accrediting Association. Her leadership is grounded in faith, service, organizational excellence, and a commitment to transforming lives through Christian higher education. As Interim President, she brings extensive institutional experience and servant leadership to advancing WAU’s mission and preparing students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Read more here.
Elfreda V. Blue, Provost
Dr. Elfreda V. Blue serves as Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Washington Adventist University, providing leadership for academic curriculum, faculty, and student success. She brings more than two decades of experience in higher education as an educator, researcher, and academic administrator.
Dr. Blue earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from Andrews University and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her distinguished career includes faculty and leadership roles at several institutions, including Hofstra University, where she served as Vice Provost.
A committed Seventh-day Adventist, Dr. Blue is passionate about academic excellence and preparing students for lives of purpose, leadership, and service to God and humanity. Read more here.
Patrick Farley, Executive Vice President for Finance
Patrick Farley earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland and a Communications degree from Washington Adventist University. He also holds an M.S. in Finance from the University of Baltimore.
Farley has been in this position since July 2004. From 2002 to 2004, he served as controller at WAU. Prior to joining WAU, Farley worked in the communication and government contracting industry as controller, senior accountant, and staff accountant.
Dirk Whatley Jr., Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
Dirk Whatley Jr., has over 10 years of experience in higher education. He holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from the University of Maryland. Within his career, he has held senior-level positions in admissions, academics, campus operations, and non-profit management. Dirk is best known for not just meeting but exceeding enrollment goals in small to mid-level markets and creating lifelong partnerships within the DC metro area and beyond.
Dirk joined the University in May 2022 and is responsible for ensuring that every student that enters WAU’s Gateway to Service is prepared, engaged, and transformed.
Dirk is a true servant leader who spends his free time serving the most vulnerable. He and his family volunteer regularly to feed the homeless and hungry in our nation’s capital.
Ricardo Flores, Chief of Institutional Effectiveness and Technology
Ricardo Flores is an experienced information technology executive with extensive responsibility overseeing large-scale IT support services. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from Columbia Union College, master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and in Business Administration from Washington Adventist University, a doctorate in Healthcare Business Administration from Virginia University of Lynchburg, and holds multiple professional certifications in management, service-oriented architecture, and IT infrastructure modernization.
Prior to his current role, Dr. Flores served as Executive Director of Information Technology Services. Before joining Washington Adventist University in 2017, he worked as an IT program manager, project manager, independent verification and validation consultant, and senior systems engineer for several Fortune 500 companies, including SAIC, Leidos, BITs, MACRO International, Technology Advancement Group, as well as for federal agencies such as the Veterans Health Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Transportation. Currently, Dr. Flores oversees Information Technology, Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Research, Accreditation, Human Resources, Security, and Strategic Planning.
Ralph E. Johnson, Vice President of the Center for Student Life
Ralph E. Johnson is a 1981 graduate of the University of Alabama, with a BS degree in Speech/Language Pathology. In 1982, he received his Master’s degree in Student Personnel Services from Florida State University. He received his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina in May of 1993. His dissertation, titled “Factors in the Academic Success of African American College Males,” garnered him the coveted Dissertation of the Year Award, given by the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA). His role as VP will encompass the Office of Ministry to create a greater synergy across the spectrum of student life on the WAU Campus. Dr. Johnson is the recipient of numerous honors to include his induction into Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, the SACSA Melvene D. Hardee Award for Outstanding work as a student affairs professional, and the 1991 National Alumni Brother of the Year for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Dr. Johnson is a member of the Emmanuel-Brinklow Seventh-Day Adventist Church, where he serves as a deacon. He is married and the father of one son.
Everett Wiles, Vice President for University Relations
Everett Wiles is a media professional with almost 30 years experience in television production, higher education and media management. His media career started in the early nineteen nineties when he was an integral contributor to the establishment of a media department at West Indies College now Northern Caribbean University (NCU). He went to New York by the mid-nineties where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors (1999) and a Master of Arts degree with distinction (2000) in Communication Arts from the New York Institute of Technology.
In 2000 he returned to NCU and rejoined the media team to continue building the media department there. In 2003 when the Department of English and Modern Languages was reshaped and the Department of Communication Studies was established, Mr. Wiles was asked to be the academic chair.
In 2009 Mr. Wiles was asked to serve as the General Manager of the NCU Media Group, a newly formed media entity set up to oversee the operations of the university’s all island radio station NCU FM, its all-island cable channel NCU TV and its media production unit. In 2017 he migrated to the USA where he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Visual Art Communication and Design at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, overseeing the television specialization as well as supervising the television production studio.
Before joining the workforce at WAU, Mr. Wiles served as overall producer for the “3AM: Morning is Coming” production for the HOPE Channel International.
Jered Lyons, Athletics Director
Jered Lyons was recently named Director of Athletics after serving as Interim for one year. He enters his ninth season as Head Women’s Basketball Coach. He is the longest tenured and all-time winningest coach in women’s basketball program history. He has guided the program to four consecutive winning seasons and three semi-final appearances. Before being named Director of Athletics he served as the Sports Information Director & Compliance Coordinator for seven years.
Before coming to WAU, Lyons served as an Advisor for Multicultural & International Students, Assistant Fitness Coordinator, IEP Instructor, and Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Eastern Mennonite University. Prior to EMU, Lyons was a graduate assistant men’s basketball coach at Salisbury University under Josh Merkel, from 2011-2013. He served as recruiting coordinator, camp director for the Seagulls Day camp, assistant director for the Nike overnight camp, and facilitated with daily operations of the program. During his final season with the Seagulls, he helped the team reach a mark of 19-8 overall season record. He also earned his master’s degree in post-secondary education at Salisbury University in 2013.
Before arriving at Salisbury University, Lyons taught ESL at N-Kids Academy in Icheon-si, South Korea in 2010-2011. He graduated from Eastern Mennonite University with a degree in Communications.
He currently resides in Silver Spring, MD with his wife Shari and their twins Mazin & Maya.