RaJade Berry-James
Fellow

Dr. RaJade Berry-James

Member Since 1969

Biography

RaJade M. Berry-James is the Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. With over 35 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Berry-James has held key administrative roles in university administration, including the Office of Institutional Research and the School of Liberal Arts. Her expertise encompasses academic affairs as Chair of the Faculty, Director of Graduate Programs, Ph.D. Program Coordinator, MPA Program Coordinator, Graduate Assistantship Coordinator, and faculty member across various graduate programs.

A consultant specializing in efficient and effective public management, Dr. Berry-James focuses her research, teaching, and community engagement on the theory of change and the applied practice of public administration to enhance postsecondary education. She has served as the past chair of the NAPA Standing Panel on Social Equity in Governance, past president of NASPAA, and two-time past chair of the NASPAA Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA). In addition, she was elected to serve on the ASPA National Council, representing District II for nearly 10 years.

History of Employment

Position Division Organization Start End
Program Evaluator Center for Environmental Farming Systems North Carolina State University 2017 2022
Executive Trainer COPRA Accreditation Institute Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2017 2020
Resident Fellow Genetic Engineering & Society (GES) Center North Carolina State University 2014 2015
Faculty Liaison Office of Institutional Equity & Diversity (OIED) North Carolina State University 2012 2015
Associate Professor, Public Administration School of Public and International Affairs North Carolina State University 2010 2021
Director of Graduate Programs, Public Administration School of Public and International Affairs North Carolina State University 2010 2013
Program Evaluator Grant: Disproportionate Minority Contact Summit County Juvenile Court, Ohio 2008 2010
Research Associate Institute for Health and Social Policy The University of Akron 2000 2010
Associate Professor, Public Administrtion Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies The University of Akron 2006 2010
Assistant Professor, Public Administration Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies The University of Akron 2000 2006
MPA Program Coordinator/Assistant Professor Department of Government and Sociology Georgia College & State University 1999 2000
Special Assistant to the President Office of the President Kean University 1995 1996
Assistant to the Dean School of Liberal Arts Kean University 1993 1999
Managing Associate Director Office of Institutional Research Kean University 1991 1993
Assistant Director Office of Institutional Research Kean University 1987 1991
Research Assistant Educational Opportunity Fund Program New Jersey Department of Higher Education 1985 1987
Affiliate Faculty Research Institute for Social Equity (RISE) Virginia Commonwealth University 2021 Current
Professor, Public Administration School of Public and International Affairs North Carolina State University 2021 2022
Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Academic Affairs and Professor L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Virginia Commonwealth University 2022 Current
Past-President Executive Council, Board Governance Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2024 2025
President Executive Council, Board Governance Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2023 2024
President Research Triangle Chapter, Governance American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) 2022 2025
PhD Coordinator Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies The University of Akron 2006 2007
Graduate Assistant Coordinator Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies The University of Akron 2005 2010
Associate Chair Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies The University of Akron 2009 2009
Adjunct Instructor, Problem Solving & Comprehension; Vocabulary Development Project Health EPIC/SCience STAR Precollege Program Kean University 1994 1997
Adjunct Instructorm Freshman Seminar Center for New Students Kean University 1990 1996
Adjunct Instructor, Inquiry and Research General Education Kean University 1995 1996
Adjunct Instructor, Cultural and Linguistic Competence College of Education University of Cincinnati 2007 2007
Adjunct Instructor, Policymaking, Implementation, and Evaluation Department of Public Administration University of Cincinnati 2022 2022
Teaching Assistant, Epidemiology School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) Rutgers University - Newark 1997 1997
Adjunct Instructor, English Center for Academic Skills Essex County College 1997 1997
Chair-Elect Faculty Senate, Shared Governance North Carolina State University 2020 2021
Chair of the Faculty Faculty Senate, Shared Governance North Carolina State University 2021 2022
Co-Chair 12th Annual Social Equit Leadership Conference National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 2012 2013
Co-Chair 20th Annual Social Equity Leadership Conference National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 2020 2021
Chair Social Equity in Governance Standing Panel National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 2022 2024
Vice Chair Social Equity in Governance Standing Panel National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 2021 2022
Co-Chair Membership Review Ad Hoc Committee Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2022 2022
Executive Council Elected Member, Board Governance Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2017 2020
Chair MPA Program Site Visitor, COPRA Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2015 2020
Chair Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) 2012 2014
National Council District II Elected Representative, Board Governance American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) 2000 2010
Acting President Greater Akron Chapter, Governance American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) 2003 2004
Chair Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Exemplary Practices Award Committee American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) 2002 2003
Chair Nominating Committee ASPA Gloria Hobson Nordin Social Equity Award 2004 2005
Chair Scholarships & Awards Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2014 2014
Chair Scholarships & Awards Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2005 2008
Chair Scholarships & Awards Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2001 2003
Co-Chair Diversity and Public Policy Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2002 2003
Co-Chair Charter & By-Laws Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2001 2003
Chair Public Management and Social Policy (PMSP) Journal Committee Conference of Minority Public Administrators (COMPA) 2005 2007
Co-Founder Kean University Student Chapter National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) 1994 1994
Co-Chair, Diversity Standing Committee Conference Track on Theory and Methods Association for Research on Nonprofit Organization and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) 2011 2012
Community Reviewer Department of Public Safety State of North Carolina 2011 2016
Adjunct Instructor, Intro to Public Administration Department of Public Administration Kean University 1997 1997
Adjunct Instructor, Administration of Public Policy Department of Public Administration Kean University 1998 1998
Adjunct Instructor, Critical Issues in Public Administration Department of Public Administration Kean University 1998 1998

Expertise

Primary Sector

Academic

Primary Functions

Academic Faculty Academic Administration Academic Research Advocacy Change Management Data Analytics Grants Management Nonprofit / NGO leadership Performance Measurement Program Evaluation Strategic Planning

Contact

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