Dr. James E. Samels, President

Dr. James E. Samels is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of both The Education Alliance and The Samels Group, a full service higher education consulting firm specializing in academic planning and program development, enrollment management, campus, multi-campus and system-wide change management, strategic alliances, new academic program development, executive leadership search and organizational development, international education, and distance learning.

Dr. Samels is the founding partner of Samels Associates, a law firm serving independent and public colleges, universities, foundations, non-profit and for-profit higher education organizations across the nation and overseas.

Dr. Samels has served on the faculties of the University of Massachusetts and Bentley College, and as a guest lecturer at Boston University and Harvard University. Prior to his appointment at the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Samels served as the Deputy and Acting State Comptroller in Massachusetts, Special Assistant Attorney General, Massachusetts Community College Counsel, and General Counsel to the Massachusetts Board of Regents.

Dr. Samels holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Master’s degree in Public Administration, a Juris Doctor degree and a Doctor of Education degree.

Dr. Samels has published a number of scholarly articles, monographs, and opinion editorials appearing in the Chronicle of Higher Education,AGB Trusteeship, The Christian Science Monitor, The London Guardian, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Boston Business Journal, The Journal of Higher Education Management, and the SCUP Planning Journal.  He is the co-author of Merging Colleges for Mutual Growth (Johns Hopkins, 1994), and First Among Equals: The Role of the Chief Academic Officer (Johns Hopkins, 1997).

Dr. Samels has previously consulted on projects and presented research papers at universities, colleges, schools, and ministries of education in China, Canada, Great Britain, France, Korea, Sweden, Thailand, and Turkey.


Contact information:

205 Newbury Street, Suite 302
Framingham, Massachusetts  01701
Phone: (508)820-1177 or (508)820-2754
Fax: (508)820-1133
Email: edall@edalliance.com