Dr. Jim Downey, PhD, is a senior strategy consultant who works with organizations in the areas of futuring, strategic planning, leadership, and organizational change. Jim recently completed a 30-year career in higher education acting in roles from Professor to Vice President at five different institutions. In addition, Jim served in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years, retiring at the rank of Colonel. Jim’s last role was the Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In that position, Jim was responsible for leading a $15 million strategic planning effort as well as developing a 10-year campus master plan. Jim also managed accreditation and institutional effectiveness activities and lead the Admissions department for five years.

Outside of his professional career, Jim has been active in a variety of capacities serving the community, including anti-racism work as a workshop facilitator and presenter. Additionally, Jim is on the Board of Bridge to the Mountains, a non-profit assisting people through street medicine and related services. Jim also consults with colleges and universities and teaches online courses in physics.

Jim holds a graduate degree in nuclear physics from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois. He also was a fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Jim completed the SCUP Planning Institute in 2015. Jim has a broad background in systems thinking, organizational theory and culture, change management, strategic planning, higher education administration, and institutional effectiveness.