Dr. Doug Berry
Doug Berry, Ph.D., has worked in the Maricopa County Community College District since 2005. He has most recently served Paradise Valley Community College as the Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Accreditation Liaison Officer.
Previously, Dr. Berry was the Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Accreditation Liaison Officer at Phoenix College. There he oversaw 17 Academic Departments as well as the Academic Support Services. Additionally, he was the Project Administrator for the Title V Grant, Closing Achievement Gaps Through Holistic Support, Work-Based Experiences, and Equity-Minded Practices. He led the college through its HLC Open Pathways Accreditation and was a tri-chair for the Guided Pathways Initiative.
He supported innovative workforce development, such as the opening of the IT Institute at the PC Downtown location and the Central Phoenix Collaborative. Before that, he was the Dean of Academic Affairs at Paradise Valley Community College. There he provided leadership for the Maricopa Transformation, HLC Accreditation, Career and Technical Education, as well as general education instruction. Additionally, he oversaw the Early College Programs and the Learning Success Center.
Dr. Berry also has numerous years of classroom teaching experience as an appointed residential faculty and adjunct faculty in the field of Psychology. He was awarded the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award from the League for Innovation. He advocates for the “whole student.” He supports efforts that promote student success, such as diverse and sustainable curricular and co-curricular programs, college-wide collaboration, and student-centered resources and services.
Dr. Berry earned his Ph.D. from Capella University in General Psychology with a research emphasis in Emotional Intelligence and Team Cohesion. His M.A. is in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Argosy University, and his B.A. is in Psychology from Olivet Nazarene University.
Dr. CJ Wurster
Dr. CJ Wurster has been with the Maricopa County Community College District since 2010, and he has proudly served as the Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs at Phoenix College since August 2022. In this capacity, he provides leadership and support to 17 Academic Departments as well as the Academic Support Services. Additionally, he is serving as the Project Administrator for the current Title V Grant and helping to lead the college through its HLC Open Pathways Accreditation.
Dr. Wurster has served MCCCD in various leadership roles such as Executive Director, Associate Dean, and Dean at GateWay Community College, focusing largely on workforce development and Career and Technical Education programs. Prior to joining Phoenix College, he served as District Director of Academic Affairs where he effectively co-led the systemwide work toward launching Maricopa’s first bachelor’s degrees. He was a long-time member of the Occupational Administrator’s Council and Joint Instructional Deans Council, and has been very active in the District’s Pathway Mapping and Curriculum Redesign work. He has also led, participated in, and supported the work of implementing Guided Pathways with a focus around equitable opportunities for access and success for our students.
He is a first-generation college student who earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Master's in Administration/Project Management through Northern Arizona University. His Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice was earned through Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was also captain of the basketball team. He is a graduate of The Chair Academy and the AACC John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute. Recently, he completed the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Postsecondary Leadership Success Fellowship Program (PLSP), along with other higher education leaders from across the country.
CJ is fully committed to shared governance, and works closely with faculty and staff in decision making to ensure interests are represented and met. He is also fully engaged with Phoenix College Interest Councils as well as a number of college committees, and is a member of the Residential Faculty Administration Collaboration Team (RFACT) at the District level.
CJ is originally from central New York, and has lived in the Phoenix area for over 20 years. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Kara and daughters Grace (18) and Reagan (3). He also enjoys participating in endurance sports, such as distance running and triathlons.