Alvin Padilla, a native of Ponce Puerto Rico, came to the USA when he was 12 years old. He received a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University, and is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div) and the Graduate School of Drew University (Ph.D). Dr. Padilla went to Gordon-Conwell after five years of teaching Biblical studies at Nyack College. Prior to that, he founded and taught at the Spanish Eastern School of Theology in Swan Lake, NY for seven years. He has also served as pastor of the Fort Washington Heights Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in New York City, a Spanish-speaking congregation. As Dean of the Boston program, he oversees the educational programs of Gordon-Conwell’s Center for Urban Ministerial Education and the emerging programs in downtown Boston, including Masters and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Dr Padilla was appointed founding dean of the Hispanic Ministries Program at Gordon-Conwell. The Hispanic Ministries Program endeavors to serve the growing Hispanic presence in North America. Dr. Padilla is an ordained minister in the PCUSA. He holds professional memberships in the American Academy of Religion, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana. Al is happily married to Catherine Hunn Padilla and they have five children. A lifelong baseball fan, Al enjoys coaching baseball, time with his family and hiking the northern woods.