Cabinet

Under President Farouk Dey’s leadership, the President’s Cabinet sets strategic priorities, ensures effective governance, and promotes academic and clinical excellence. It also oversees financial stewardship, fosters external partnerships, and drives additional initiatives to fulfill Palo Alto University’s mission.

Maria Cammarata, MS

Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Operations

Maria Cammarata, MS, is the Chief Financial Officer and vice president for finance and operations at Palo Alto University. In this role, Maria oversees finance, information technology, investments, facilities, insurance/risk and people operations. 

Maria brings three decades of experience in higher education leadership. Prior to working at Palo Alto University, Maria served as vice president for optimization and strategic initiatives at Northeastern University where she worked on special projects for the dean of the Oakland Campus and where she was also a member of a special projects group in the Office of the Global Network and Strategic Initiatives in Boston that worked on the resolution of quick, high impact issues across the global university system. 

Before the merger of Mills College with Northeastern University, Maria served as vice president for finance and administration/treasurer at Mills College, leading collaborative strategic efforts and overseeing key operating functions including finance, information technology, risk management, and human resources. She was responsible for the planning and implementation of Mills College’s annual operating budget, and she played a pivotal role in campus planning, capital financing and with the merger with Northeastern University. 

Maria came to Mills College from College of Saint Elizabeth in New Jersey, where she served as vice president for finance and administration/treasurer for 21 years. She oversaw the preparation and administration of CSE’s operating budget and provided strategic vision and leadership for the finance office, facilities, college bookstore, food service, human resources, information technology, security, construction, and special projects. 

Before working in higher education, Maria’s experience spanned the corporate sector, financial services, healthcare, and municipal government where she held management and senior positions with the Hertz Corporation, the American Stock Exchange, and Long Island College Hospital. At the City of New York Department of General Services, Maria served as assistant commissioner, fiscal affairs, monitoring the agency’s $455 million budget. 

Maria is affiliated with several professional associations and organizations including the National Association of College and University Business Officers, College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, and University Risk Management and Insurance Association. 

She earned her Bachelor of Science in accounting from Brooklyn College and her Master of Science in management with a specialization in organizational change management from the College of Saint Elizabeth. 

Living in Pleasant Hill, California, with her spouse Steve, Maria enjoys cooking, golf, her grandkids and travel.

Christie K. Chung, PhD

Incoming Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Christie K. Chung will join Palo Alto University as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on January 20, 2026. A cognitive psychologist, scholar, and award-winning higher education leader, Dr. Chung is known for connecting scientific insight with inclusive leadership and the responsible use of technology to improve human wellbeing.

Currently serving as Executive Director of The Mills Institute at Northeastern University, Dr. Chung has built transformative programming in teaching, advocacy, and research that expands access to educational and leadership opportunities. She has also held senior leadership roles as Associate Provost for Student Success and Undergraduate Education, Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship, and Partnerships, and Special Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Across these roles, she has led initiatives in academic innovation, experiential learning, faculty development, and external partnerships throughout Northeastern’s global network.

Dr. Chung’s research explores emotional memory, cognitive aging, and cross-cultural cognition, with an emerging emphasis on bridging cognitive science and artificial intelligence. Her work examines how the mind processes emotion and memory across cultures and the lifespan, and has been widely published and presented internationally. Her TEDx keynote, “Bridging Minds and Machines: Advancing AI Innovations through Cognitive Science,” underscores her vision for responsible innovation that centers humanity.

An active scholar and mentor, Dr. Chung directs the Mills Cognition Lab, serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Integrated Social Sciences, and contributes to advisory boards for Mixbook and PacBay School. She also provides executive coaching and leadership development for higher education professionals through Academic Impressions, supporting leaders across the sector in achieving sustainable, inclusive change.

Dr. Chung has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the field with numerous honors, including being named a KRON4 TV Remarkable Woman (2025) and an American Conference of Academic Deans (ACAD) Fellow (2022). Her research and commentary have been featured in The Boston Globe and other national media outlets.

Dr. Chung earned her Honours B.Sc. in Psychology (Distinction, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Toronto, followed by her M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Cognitive Psychology from Claremont Graduate University, and completed postdoctoral training in Behavioral Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

When she joins Palo Alto University in 2026, Dr. Chung will lead the university’s academic mission and partner across divisions to advance excellence in teaching, learning, and research. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in curiosity, collaboration, and inclusion, reflecting PAU’s commitment to human-centered innovation and the preparation of compassionate, confident professionals who make a difference in the world.

Residing in the Bay Area, Dr. Chung enjoys exploring fun shows and museums, baking and experimenting with new recipes, traveling and learning about different cultures.

Kristel Nazzal, PhD

Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and University Relations

Dr. Kristel Nazzal is a psychologist, strategist, and senior higher education leader with more than 15 years of experience spanning human behavior, organizational development, and university administration. As Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and University Relations (SPUR) at Palo Alto University (PAU), she leads the University’s efforts to strengthen external relationships, elevate institutional visibility, and build initiatives that connect PAU’s mission with the broader community. Her portfolio includes development, alumni relations, business development, community and government relations, and brand, communications, and engagement.
A licensed clinical psychologist and proud PAU alumna, Dr. Nazzal has been part of the PAU community since 2008, contributing to nearly every dimension of the University’s growth. Before her appointment as Vice President, she served as Senior Director of Strategy and Community Engagement in the Office of the President, where she advanced strategic initiatives, cultivated government and community partnerships, and led executive communications.

During her earlier tenure at PAU, Dr. Nazzal served in multiple roles, including Director of Educational Excellence, Director of Undergraduate Engagement and Success, and Associate Director of the M.S. Psychology Program. In these positions, she championed the advancement of teaching excellence and innovation, student belonging, and academic achievement, while helping to shape a university-wide culture of continuous improvement in teaching and learning. Over more than a decade, she also taught undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students, advancing student learning and success.
Beyond PAU, Dr. Nazzal’s consulting work has focused on helping organizations optimize operations, strengthen employee cultures, and promote well-being through evidence-based strategies, assessments, and training.

Her scholarly and professional work integrates mental health scholarship, transformative teaching practices, and community-engaged research, areas that closely align with PAU’s mission of improving lives through education, innovation, and service.
Dr. Nazzal earned her PhD and MS in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University and her BS in International Business from the University of San Francisco. Before joining PAU, she worked in human resources in San Francisco and London.

Deeply committed to PAU’s mission, Dr. Nazzal is dedicated to fostering environments where students, faculty, and staff thrive. Through her leadership, she continues to advance work grounded in purpose, strengthened by partnership, and dedicated to human well-being.

Sharon J. Washington, PhD

Interim Provost & Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs

Sharon J. Washington, PhD, is the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Palo Alto University. Dr. Washington brings over three decades of experience in non-profit and higher education leadership, K-12 education, not-for-profit boards, and the arts. She is known for her commitment to fostering inclusive work and learning communities that advance equity and opportunity.

Dr. Washington has served as a trusted consultant to PAU leadership for over eight years, offering strategic guidance and support on a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing institutional effectiveness and advancing the University’s mission. Prior to joining PAU as Interim Provost, Dr. Washington served as Interim Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Mills College in Oakland, California. During her tenure, she led the implementation of a new core curriculum, transitioned the College to the Carnegie credit system, negotiated a collective bargaining agreement for adjunct faculty, streamlined the curriculum to enhance access and flexibility, and launched new academic programs. From 2008 to 2013, Dr. Washington served as Executive Director of the National Writing Project, a national professional learning network of nearly 200 university-based sites focused on improving writing instruction at all levels. Under her leadership, the organization secured over $105 million from federal, foundation, corporate, and individual donors.

A hallmark of Dr. Washington’s leadership is her dedication to developing cohesive teams and building leadership capacity at every level of an organization. She has held numerous leadership roles, including Provost and Professor of Education at Spelman College in Atlanta; Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Initiatives at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina; and Interim Director of Faculty Equity Programs at the University of California Office of the President in Oakland. Throughout her career, Dr. Washington has championed high-quality instruction and professional development for educators across the K-16 spectrum. As the Founding Director of Project SPIRIT at Springfield College in Massachusetts, she led efforts to increase student retention and graduation rates among Black and Latino/a pre-service teachers, established a teacher mentorship program, and developed a collaborative academic enrichment partnership with a community college, a large urban school district, and a local college to encourage high school students of color to pursue post-secondary education.

Her early career was rooted in experiential education, collaborating with classroom teachers to design hands-on learning experiences. Dr. Washington has served as a tenured faculty member at both Kent State University and Springfield College, and as a visiting faculty member at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. She was also a Visiting Scholar in the Office of the President at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, focusing on higher education administration.

Dr. Washington holds a PhD in Education and a BS from The Ohio State University and an MA from Central Michigan University. Her scholarly work centers on social justice education, with recent writings addressing multicultural alliances and the challenges of teaching social justice topics. Dr. Washington believes that leadership is a collective journey grounded in collaboration, shared responsibility, and the continual development of skills and perspectives. Her approach to leadership at PAU is deeply rooted in these values, guiding the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence and transformative education.

Residing in Oakland, California, with her spouse, Dr. Washington enjoys home improvement projects, ballroom dancing, and travel.

Patricia A. Zapf, PhD

Vice President for Innovation

Patricia A. Zapf, PhD is Vice President for Innovation at Palo Alto University (PAU). By connecting academia with the broader business and innovation ecosystem, the Division of Innovation plays a crucial role in driving growth and innovation while fostering collaborations between the academic institution and external partners. Prior to her current role, Dr. Zapf served as the Vice President of Continuing and Professional Studies, after bringing her professional training company, CONCEPT, to Palo Alto University in 2018. Dr. Zapf founded CONCEPT Professional Training in 2009 with the mission of elevating the level of practice in psychology and related professions.

Prior to coming to PAU Dr. Zapf was a professor of psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York (CUNY) for 16 years, during which time she was instrumental in the development of a new doctoral program in clinical psychology with an emphasis in forensic psychology and served as the program’s first Director of Clinical Training. Prior to her time at CUNY, she was on the psychology and law faculty at the University of Alabama.

Dr. Zapf is a past President of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS; Division 41 of the American Psychological Association). In 2006, she was named a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and a Distinguished Member of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the science and profession of forensic psychology. She currently serves on the board of directors for the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (IAFMHS), and as the book series editor for the International Perspectives on Forensic Mental Health series. She served as an associate editor for Law and Human Behavior for more than a decade and as the editor of the American Psychology-Law Society book series for 10 years. Dr. Zapf has published more than 10 books and manuals and over 100 peer-reviewed publications on topics related to forensic evaluation, criminal competencies, ethics, bias, and forensic psychology.

Vice President for Enrollment Management

Currently Recruiting

Palo Alto University is actively recruiting for its next Vice President for Enrollment Management, who will provide university-wide enrollment planning. This cabinet-level role will support institutional growth, strengthen recruitment pathways, and champion an equitable, student-centered enrollment experience.

A full biography will be posted once the appointment is finalized.