James' Story

James Page is a nationally recognized leader and board member focused on advancing culture,  

diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in academic, non-profit, and Fortune 500 environments across a  broad range of industry sectors (environmental, healthcare, and technology). An engineer by training,  he brings an analytic, quantifiable approach to diversity and inclusion, which includes designing programs that foster employee engagement, boost productivity, and yield tangible returns on investment while furthering the goals of equity and mutual understanding.  

With 20+ years of experience in HR, strategic leadership, organizational design, and talent  

management, James’ decorated career has included senior positions at Dell, Inc., DAVITA, Johns  

Hopkins, Penn Medicine, Lancaster General Health, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. 

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Currently, James serves as the Global Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the world’s  largest environmental NGO operating in 79 countries and territories and protecting over 2.5 million acres in all 50 states. In his daily work, he advises the CEO, global board of directors, boards of trustees, senior leadership, and external partners on strategies  to shape culture, practices, and reduce disparities associated with climate change and prevention. 

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Prior to his tenue at TNC, James served as the Vice Chancellor and the Chief Diversity Officer at Vanderbilt University, where he  partnered with the chancellor and other senior leaders to support and advance best practices in equity, diversity, and inclusion for  Vanderbilt’s 11 schools, 2 residential colleges, and 39 residential halls/apartments. 

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Additionally, James served as the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins Medicine and University. As a result of his leadership, Johns Hopkins Medicine received the 2017 Innovations in Diversity and Inclusion Award from Profiles in Diversity  Journal, which also awarded him its 2018 Diversity Leader Award. 

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Early on in his career, James spent over a decade at Dell, leading the company’s global diversity, global ethics, compliance, and  privacy organizations. 

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James brings equal dedication and passion for board and advisory work. Over an eight-year span, James served on the Corporate  Advisory Committee for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and on the Disparities in Health Care Subcommittee. He was  also appointed to Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell’s Workforce Investment Board Leadership Council. James is a lifetime  member of the National Black MBA Association, and has served on the boards of the Baltimore Education Scholarship Trust, the  United Way, the Milagro House Women’s Shelter, and the NAACP. 

James earned his BS in computer technology from Purdue University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.