Palm Beach Atlantic University Announces Key Leadership Updates in Office of the Provost

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (October 24, 2024) — Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) welcomes two new positions to the Office of the Provost. As part of efforts to strengthen its academic structure, the Office of the Provost has hired John E. Simons, D.M.A. as vice provost for academic affairs and promoted Karen D. Pain, Ph.D. toassistant provost.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Simons to PBA. His extensive experience elevating the liberal arts and bringing industry into the academic enterprise will strengthen PBA’s academic strategies and public impact as we continue growing as Florida’s premier Christ-first institution,” said Dr. Stephen P. Johnson, provost and chief academic officer. “We are also excited to celebrate Dr. Pain’s promotion to assistant provost. Her collaborative leadership and dedication to Christian higher education curricula excellence is widely recognized in and beyond our university community.”

Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Dr. John E. Simons

In this new role, Dr. Simons will be responsible for leading a faculty support system to strengthen PBA as a destination university for the faculty experience and provide oversight to academic program planning and curricular initiatives.

Dr. Simons has extensive expertise as a full professor, peer-review academic journal editor, orchestral and choral conductor, church musician, graduate program director, department chair, associate dean, dean, and has initiated multiple successful community outreach programs.

Before joining PBA, Dr. Simons served at Azusa Pacific University (APU) as a professor of music and as interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, Sciences and Theology. He also previously served as associate dean of the College of the Arts. In these roles, he oversaw a $30 million budget and successfully launched and completed over $5 million in fundraising initiatives, authored and awarded multiple grants and served as the PI, supervised over 300 staff and faculty, and worked with department chairs and program directors to strengthen and advance the university’s academic programs.

Before working at APU, Dr. Simons served as associate dean of community relations and professor at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and director of graduate studies at Mercer University.

He is an expert in curriculum development for undergraduate, certificate, and graduate degrees in the humanities and professional fields, for online, low-residency, and residential modalities.

Dr. Simons holds a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Baylor University.

Assistant Provost Dr. Karen D. Pain 

After joining PBA in 2022 and serving as director of accreditation and assessment, Dr. Pain has been promoted to assistant provost. She brings 22 years of expertise in higher education leadership in the areas of curricular refinement and faculty development.

Before joining PBA, Dr. Pain served as professor of mathematics and as associate dean of academic affairs and director of assessment and special projects at Palm Beach State College. There, she oversaw curriculum and program review, assessment, accreditation, and faculty development.

Dr. Pain holds a Ph.D. in higher education leadership and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Florida Atlantic University.

PBA’s Office of the Provost leads all aspects of PBA’s academic division, including nine schools and colleges, seven centers for excellence, the university library, plus all academic initiatives and policies. For more information, visit pba.edu/about/leadership/provost.

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About Palm Beach Atlantic University

Palm Beach Atlantic University, founded in 1968, is a private, Christian university, offering 100 different programs and pathways, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees and professional degrees. The university has a 19-acre campus in West Palm Beach and an Orlando campus, and the 78-acre Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus provides facilities for training and hosting intercollegiate sports. Sailfish athletes compete in 18 NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference varsity sports. PBA affirms the values that have built American society, including religious liberty and the free enterprise system. The university is dedicated to the integration of biblical principles to prepare students for learning, leadership, and service. Learn more at www.pba.edu.