Erika H. James is the dean of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. 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. An award-winning educator, accomplished consultant, and innovative researcher, she has paved the way for women in leadership both in education and corporate America. James has been instrumental in developing groundbreaking executive education programs, including the Women’s Leadership program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School.

James is a sought-after thought leader whose expertise has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, and numerous other media outlets. She has been widely recognized as one of the most powerful and influential women in business and education by Barron’s, Black Enterprise, and Ebony.

In addition to her academic responsibilities, James is a board member of Morgan Stanley, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc., and several organizations that align with her passions for education and advancing women in business. Additionally, she serves as an advisory board member to Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management and as an executive board member to the Indian School of Business.

James has authored two books: "The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before" which she co-authored with Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University and "Leading Under Pressure: From Surviving to Thriving Before, During, and After a Crisis" which she and Wooten are also co-authors of.

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.

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