Vice President for Mission Leadership and Formation Programs
Joseph (Joe) DeFeo, Ph.D. is AJCU’s Vice President for Mission Leadership and Formation Programs. In this role, Joe is responsible for developing mission leadership initiatives and facilitating programs that engage senior-level administrators and faculty from across Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States in learning about the Jesuit and Catholic mission, charism, history, pedagogy, and spirituality of their institutions. Since 2014, Joe has also served as the Executive Director of the Ignatian Colleagues Program.
Prior to his tenure at AJCU, Joe served Fairfield University for twelve years, working in both the academic and student affairs divisions. He has published articles and given workshops and presentations on Ignatian spirituality, Ignatian pedagogy, and discernment. Joe is a certified spiritual director and serves as supervisor for spiritual directors in training through the Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Fairfield.
Joe earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership at Fordham University, and his undergraduate degree and Master’s degree (in Systematic Theology) from Boston College. A long-time companion to the Society of Jesus, Joe has also served in other Jesuit ministries, including Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest and Jesuit High School in Portland, OR. He is married with two adult children and lives in Bethel, CT.