James E. Smith
Chair
James E. Smith, PhD, serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Westat. He joined the company in 1985, became a Vice President in 1989, was appointed President and CEO in 2011, and CEO and Chair in 2017; he has served on the Board since 2006.
Prior to joining Westat, Smith performed academic research, publishing, and teaching in demography and social statistics, most recently in association with a demographic research group at Cambridge University.
Smith has served on a community college advisory group and was instrumental in establishing a Westat scholarship for disadvantaged students. He also serves as an advisor to a foundation serving adults with autism, and as volunteer executive for the Boy Scouts of America.
Education
- PhD, Sociology (Demography), University of Southern California
- MA, Sociology (Demography), University of Southern California
- BS, Sociology, Brigham Young University
