Overview

Gender

female

Erika H. James became the Dean of the Wharton School on July 1, 2020. Trained as an organizational psychologist, James is a leading expert on crisis leadership, workplace diversity, and management strategy.

Prior to her appointment at Wharton, James was the John H. Harland Dean at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School from 2014 to 2020. An award-winning educator, accomplished consultant, and researcher, she is the first woman and first person of color to be appointed dean in Wharton’s 139-year history. As such she has paved the way for women in leadership both in education and corporate America. She has also been instrumental in developing groundbreaking executive education programs, including the Women’s Leadership program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School.

Known internationally for her expertise on, and impact within, business education, James has been quoted as an expert thought leader by the Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, CNN.com, and numerous other media outlets. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she has served on a number of boards aligned to her passions, including Momentive (formerly Survey Monkey), the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the Philadelphia Orchestra and Save the Children. Additionally, she is an advisory board member to Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management and an executive board member to the Indian School of Business. James holds a Ph.D. and Master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pomona College of the Claremont Colleges in California.