David McAllister-Wilson assumed the office of president at Wesley Theological Seminary on July 1, 2002. This makes him one of the longest-serving presidents within The Association of Theological Schools. He has served the institution for nearly 40 years, beginning in Wesley's Development Office as a fundraiser, and later as executive vice president.
He has contributed many articles in various publications, including a chapter in Christian Reflections on the Leadership Challenge. His recent book (2018), A New Church and A New Seminary, is being used at a number of theological schools.
Most recently, he served as president of the Board of Campus Compact Mid-Atlantic, an association of colleges and universities engaged in service learning and civic engagement. Under his leadership, CCMA expanded to become one of the largest regional associations. David is also on the board of directors for Raising A Village Foundation, which provides high-quality intervention programs and community resources to children, youth, and families in the areas of education, health and wellness, and the arts. A member of the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, McAllister-Wilson was ordained Deacon in 1988 and Elder in 1993.
McAllister-Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts in history from California State University. He earned his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Wesley Theological Seminary. With a strong interest and focus on leadership development, particularly in local congregations, he helped to establish the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley. He regularly teaches leadership in the Doctor of Ministry program in its specialized tracks of Global Asian and Military Chaplains.