Dr. Erika James

Biography

Erika H. James became the dean of the Wharton School on July 1, 2020. She is a trained organizational psychologist and a leading expert in crisis leadership, workplace diversity, and management strategy. Prior to her role at Wharton, she served as the John H. Harland Dean of Emory University’s Goizueta Business School from 2014 to 2020. As a board member for SurveyMonkey and the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), she aligns her passion for education with the advancement of women in business. Additionally, she is on the advisory board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management and is an executive board member of the Indian School of Business. Dean James has been recognized internationally, named as one of the "Top 10 Women Power in Education" by Black Enterprise and included in the "Power 100" list by Ebony. She has been quoted as a thought leader in major media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and MSNBC. Her academic credentials include a PhD and a master’s degree in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pomona College of the Claremont Colleges in California.

Research Interests