Administration

Meet the exceptional team of administrative support and Directors who keep all of our operations rolling so we can deliver exceptional distance education to our students around the world.

Department Directors

Tom Rutherford, B.S.

Director of Enrollment
Lowell Bliss

Director of Institutes
Andrea McAleenan, Ph.D.

Director of Advancement & Alumni Engagement
Theresa Babbitt, B.A.

Director of Communications
Shaiju Thomas, M.Div.

Director of Non-formal Programs

View Administrative Team

Operational excellence, mission-aligned

Administrative Team Guiding Day-to-Day Stewardship

Featured

Shaiju George Thomas, M.Div.

Director of non-formal programs at WCIU. Higher education leader specializing in online learning and curriculum development. M.Div., Southern Asia Bible College; Secretary at Asia Theological Association India.

Sean Curran, M.A.

Advancement Services Specialist at WCIU. M.A. in English Literature, California State University, Northridge.

Tom Rutherford, B.S.

Director of Enrollment at WCIU with eight years of service, former Registrar, and missionary to Japan. Holds a B.S. in Accounting from CSU Chico.

Marquettia Bivens, M.B.A., B.S.

Registrar at WCIU with 17+ years of experience in academic administration and student services. M.B.A. and B.S. in Technical Management.

Theresa Babbitt, B.A.

Director of Communications and Marketing at WCIU and experienced event producer. B.A. in Christian Ministries and Biblical Studies, Azusa Pacific University.

Ericka Otárola, B.A.

Admissions Coordinator at WCIU with 9 years of experience in international admissions and a student-first mindset. B.A. in English (Translation), Summa Cum Laude.

Neesha Ridley, M.A.

Admissions and Enrollment Coach at WCIU with over 20 years of experience in healthcare and higher education. M.A. in Women’s Health and B.A. in Midwifery.

Lowell Bliss, M.A.

Director of Eden Vigil Institute for Environmental Leadership. Co-founder of Christian Climate Observers Program and Climate Intercessors. Author and former missionary in India and Pakistan.

Featured

Andrea McAleenan, Ph.D.

Director of Network Engagement & Alumni Relations at WCIU with a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, Claremont Graduate University. Founder of Building Global Bridges and Urban Leadership Foundation board member.

Lauren Zemaitis-Gipson

Library professional with 15 years of experience supporting research, information literacy, and inclusive academic services at William Carey International University.

Jennifer Armentrout, B.S., CAPM

Executive Assistant to the President and Board of Directors at WCIU. B.S. in Business Administration, Liberty University; CAPM certified.

Cyndia Leow

Instructional Designer at WCIU.

Valerie Villar

Digital Marketing Coordinator with experience in higher education, specializing in organizational support, coordination and problem-solving.

Desmond Haskell

Web Content Specialist at WCIU. Versatile web design expert with advanced skills in creating dynamic, user-focused websites.

Lisa Fowler, ABD

Finance & HR Coordinator at WCIU. Ph.D. candidate in Intercultural Studies with a background in social work and nonprofit financial operations.

Represent WCIU’s Global Mission everywere you go

WCIU Merch

“WCIU believes God’s future for this world can be summarized as a verdant and flourishing world, ripe with wholeness and peace.”

Grab official WCIU merch and show your support for the mission — equipping leaders to bring hope and transformation to communities around the world. Whether it’s a hoodie, notebook, or cap, every item helps put the university’s name and vision out into the world. Shop the collection and represent what WCIU stands for wherever you go.

visit merch

News & Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Latest Blog Posts

Summary Block

This block has no content yet. Items you add to the page connected to this block will display here.

All Events

View all Upcoming Events

Featured

October 30, 2026

Weakness Placed In God’s Hands

October 30, 2026

Robin Rempel was born into a family with two siblings. When her parents were young, they wanted to become missionaries to Bolivia, but God closed that door.

October 30, 2026

October 14, 2026

Helping Women to Heal

October 14, 2026

October 1, 2026

WCIU Welcomes a Deputy Chief of Advancement

October 1, 2026

September 16, 2026

Building A New Future

September 16, 2026

Zeeneta has experienced things in life that seem almost unimaginable, yet they are not unusual for people coming to faith in some parts of the world. Her mother was a Jesus-follower, but she married a man from different religion.

September 16, 2026

View More Posts

Administration

Tom Rutherford, B.S.

Lowell Bliss

Andrea McAleenan, Ph.D.

Theresa Babbitt, B.A.

Shaiju Thomas, M.Div.

Administrative Team Guiding Day-to-Day Stewardship

WCIU Merch

News & Events

Want to learn more? Fill out this form and we will get back to you in 24-48 hours.

Leadership

Faculty