James brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning and innovation across higher education, with a history of transformative work advising universities, investors, and nonprofit organizations including research universities, governments, and education companies across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Before joining Michigan, he co-founded Huron Consulting Group's Global Education and Digital Education Practices, notably establishing Huron's presence in the Middle East by opening offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Amman. As Founding Executive Director of the University of Michigan's Center for Academic Innovation, James is dedicated to shaping university strategy and new models for teaching, learning, and lifelong education. He is driven by a deep commitment to the future of learning and work, with a history of impactful board and advisory roles, including with Anthropic, Coursera, Collage AI, and UPCEA.