Dr. James McDonald currently serves as the Senior Executive Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility for the Office of the Regional Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6. Prior this role, he served as the Assistant Regional Administrator where is he led the mission support management operations for the Regional Office which in includes 5 states and 66 federally recognized tribes.

Dr. McDonald started his career at EPA in 1992 as an Environmental Protection Specialist. During his tenure at EPA, he has held several leadership and management positions including Chief of Staff to the Assistant Administrator for Environmental Information (OEI); Director, Office of Administrative Law Judges; and Special Assistant to the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and the Associate Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations.

Dr. McDonald holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Alcorn State University; Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies from the University of Maryland, University College; Master of Public Administration from the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri-Columbia; Juris Doctor from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida; Master of Arts in Human Resources from Webster University; and Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University.

Dr. McDonald is a former chair for the Dallas Fort-Worth Federal Executive Board. He is a member of the Board of Managers for the Mooreland Family YMCA at Oak Cliff, the African American Federal Executive Association, the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the 100 Black Men of America Greater Dallas Chapter, and life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.