AIIAS welcomes Dr. Leonardo Nunes and Beverly Nunes from Brazil as they begin their work at AIIAS. Dr. Leonardo Nunes is an assistant professor in the Biblical Studies Department, and Beverly Nunes is taking up her duties as director of the Writing Center.
Dr. Nunes was born in Brazil to missionary parents Luiz and Lia Nunes. He grew up as a missionary kid who lived in different locations, including the Amazon area. He graduated from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary of Latin America, Brazil, with a degree in Biblical Theology, later earning his Master in Pastoral Theology degree from the same institution. In 2020, Nunes completed his ThD in Biblical Studies at Andrews University. His dissertation was entitled “Function and Nature of the Heavenly Sanctuary/Temple in the New Testament.”
Nunes is passionate about church planting, church growth, and evangelism. He served beginning in 1996 as a religion teacher and full-time pastor at Salvador Adventist College, then as a district pastor in Salvador and Candeias (Bahia Conference) from 1998-2001. This was followed by three years in João Pessoa under the Northeast Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. Before beginning his term at AIIAS, Nunes was a professor and dean of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary of Latin America. He has also worked as an adjunct professor for Andrews University Theological Seminary since 2016.
Nunes’ research interests include the heavenly sanctuary, salvation, discipleship, mission, biblical theology, the book of Hebrews, general epistles, and Pauline epistles. He has published chapters in several books and multiple articles in magazines and scientific journals. He translated materials in systematic theology and has become a well-known speaker and lecturer in many countries around the world.
Leonardo is married to Beverly Scardini Menegazzo Nunes, also from a Brazilian pastoral family. Beverly specializes in Special Education. She earned her Master’s in Special Education from Andrews University with her thesis entitled “Teacher’s Attitudes Towards Instructions of Students with Disabilities in an Inclusive Setting.” She is currently a PhD in Education candidate at the Lusofona University of Portugal.
Since 1995, Beverly has taught early childhood education and religious education in various institutions in Brazil. She also served as a higher education professor, taught English language courses, special education, psycho-pedagogical therapy, pedagogy, psychology, and research and development. Beverly comes to AIIAS from her recent position as a university professor at the South Brazilian Adventist Institution of Education (IASBE).
The Nuneses have two grown children, Larissa (22), a law school graduate working as a Global Mission Pioneer in Turkey, and Eduardo (19), who is studying veterinary medicine in Brazil.
