Professor Wiley Davi has been at the center of regional and national attention in recent days, as search teams continue looking for the missing Bentley University professor last seen on Peaks Island, off the coast of Portland, Maine. As of November 19, 2025, the search remains active, with multiple agencies and community volunteers involved in efforts to locate the 57-year-old scholar.
Table of Contents
Timeline of the Disappearance
The search effort began after Davi was reported missing from Peaks Island, where they reside.
They were last seen on the island on Saturday evening, November 15. In the days that followed, local and state agencies organized a coordinated response, bringing in ground, water, and K-9 resources.
Authorities have focused their efforts on wooded trails, inland areas, and the waters surrounding Peaks Island. Officials have also urged residents to check sheds, garages, and other outbuildings for any sign of the missing professor.
At the time of the most recent updates, there has been no public announcement that Davi has been found, and the search remains ongoing.
Who Is Wiley Davi? Academic Role and Career
Davi is a long-time member of the faculty at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. They hold the title of Wilder Professor in the English and Media Studies department and have taught at the business-focused institution for many years.
Their academic training includes a Ph.D. from Tufts University, with earlier work rooted in medieval British literature and an enduring interest in authors such as Chaucer. Over time, their teaching and scholarship expanded to include gender studies, leadership, and inclusive communication in organizational contexts.
Colleagues and students describe Davi as a respected educator who bridges humanities, leadership, and social justice issues in a business school setting. Their work often connects literary analysis with contemporary questions of identity, equity, and power.
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Much of Davi’s more recent public and academic work centers on diversity, equity, and inclusion. They design and lead programs that help professionals and students examine systemic bias, understand intersectionality, and develop more inclusive leadership practices.
Key themes in their teaching and facilitation include:
- Recognizing implicit bias in decision-making
- Creating inclusive environments in classrooms and workplaces
- Understanding how gender, race, class, and other identities intersect
- Encouraging dialogue across differences rather than avoidance
Davi has worked not only at Bentley University but also with international partners, including executive education and leadership programs in Europe. In these contexts, they have been invited to speak on intersectionality, inclusive leadership, and the importance of moving beyond traditional binaries in organizational cultures.
Public Writing and Thought Leadership
Beyond classroom teaching, Davi has contributed essays and commentary on issues of gender, language, and leadership. Their work often explores how everyday communication can reinforce or challenge exclusion.
In campus publications, they have written about nonbinary identities and the long global history of gender diversity, highlighting cultural traditions that recognize more than two genders. They emphasize that modern discussions of nonbinary identity have deep historical roots across different cultures.
Their leadership-focused writing urges managers and executives to confront implicit bias as a core leadership skill, not an optional topic. Davi often emphasizes the need for leaders to pause, reflect, and adjust behavior once they recognize the presence of bias.
Identity, Pronouns, and Visibility
Davi identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, a fact that is reflected in institutional profiles and public-facing interviews. In their writing and teaching, they frequently address the importance of respecting pronouns and names as a basic element of inclusion.
Their work highlights how language can serve either as a barrier or as a bridge. By modeling the use of nonbinary pronouns in academic and professional spaces, they have helped normalize conversations about gender identity within business education, which has traditionally focused more on markets and management than on identity politics or personal expression.
For many students, especially those from marginalized communities, Davi’s visibility as a nonbinary professor has been meaningful. It demonstrates that business schools can host robust conversations about identity while still engaging with core topics such as leadership and organizational behavior.
Community and Campus Response to the Search
News of the disappearance has deeply affected both Peaks Island residents and the Bentley University community.
On Peaks Island, neighbors and local residents have cooperated with search instructions, staying off certain trails when requested and checking their properties for any signs of the missing professor. The island, located a short ferry ride from downtown Portland, is typically known for its outdoor recreation, quiet neighborhoods, and close-knit community.
At Bentley, administrators have shared public statements recognizing Davi as a longtime and valued member of the campus. Faculty, staff, and students have expressed concern and hope for a safe outcome, reflecting Davi’s impact over many years of teaching and mentoring.
Agencies Involved in the Search
The ongoing search involves several local, state, and federal partners. Among the key participants are:
- Maine Warden Service, leading ground efforts on island trails and wooded areas
- Maine Marine Patrol, searching the surrounding waters of Casco Bay
- Portland Police Department and Portland Fire Department
- Maine Search and Rescue Dogs and the Maine Association for Search and Rescue
- Brunswick Police Department
- United States Coast Guard units supporting marine and coastal searches
Search teams have used boats, K-9 units, and coordinated grid searches to cover as much terrain as possible. Officials have emphasized that they will continue operations until they are confident that key areas have been thoroughly examined.
Why This Story Has Drawn Wide Attention
The case has drawn broad attention for several reasons. Davi is a prominent educator whose work reaches across traditional academic boundaries, connecting literature and culture to leadership and organizational life. Their disappearance on a small, familiar island has raised concern well beyond Maine and Massachusetts.
The story also intersects with ongoing national conversations about campus safety, mental health, and community support for educators and public figures who live at the intersection of multiple identities. For many, the situation underscores how deeply connected academic communities can be, even when faculty and staff live far from campus.
In addition, the case highlights the role of regional search and rescue organizations and the coordination required when a person goes missing in a coastal environment with wooded areas, trails, and surrounding waters.
Profile Overview of the Scholar at the Center of the Search
To summarize key biographical details shared publicly about professor Wiley Davi:
- Age: 57
- Role: Wilder Professor of English and Media Studies at Bentley University
- Education: Ph.D. from Tufts University
- Residence: Peaks Island, off Portland, Maine
- Academic Interests: Medieval literature, gender studies, leadership, inclusive communication
- Professional Focus: Diversity, equity, inclusion, and intersectional leadership in business education
- Pronouns: They/them
These details frame the life and career of the person at the center of the current search and help explain why students, colleagues, and community members are closely following developments.
Use of the Key Name in Wider Coverage
As news outlets, campus channels, and social media users share updates, the name professor Wiley Davi has become a central search term online. Many people are looking for reliable information about Davi’s background, institutional role, and the status of the search.
For readers encountering the story for the first time, this context helps distinguish verified information from rumor and keeps the focus on facts: the missing-person report, the active multi-agency search, and the professor’s documented contributions to academia and inclusion work.
Final Thoughts
The ongoing search for Davi brings together law enforcement agencies, coastal search teams, an island community, and a university network that spans the United States and beyond. While the situation remains active, what is clear today is the depth of concern and respect expressed for a professor whose career has centered on understanding people, challenging bias, and building more inclusive spaces.
Share your thoughts and reflections below, and check back for verified updates as this developing story continues to unfold.
