Return to Ascend Team

James White

Senior Program Manager

Ascend at the Aspen Institute

The Ascend Team

James White is the senior program manager for Ascend’s leadership initiatives, where he plays a central role in program design, technical assistance for Fellows’ action plans, and alumni activation for the Ascend Fellowship. He’s led Ascend’s learning and action communities on fatherhood and child well-being and served as a lead author in the resulting publications from those bodies of work.

Prior to joining Ascend in 2018, James supported a portfolio of programming dedicated to elevating youth voice within the Aspen Institute and beyond and led the team’s strategic communications efforts. Before joining the Institute, James worked as a public relations intern at Time Inc., where he supported brand communications efforts across a portfolio of brands including TIME, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated.

A native New Orleanian, James holds a B.S. in communication with concentrations in persuasion and social influence and media studies from Cornell University and works remotely from Sacramento, California.

Stories Featuring James White
August 22, 2023
Centering Child Well-Being in Child Support Policy
Read More
May 25, 2023
Announcing Ascend Fellowship Impact Fund Awardees for the Class of 2021
Read More
May 2, 2023
Discovering Ubuntu in South Africa
Read More
January 11, 2023
An Evidence-Based Approach to Child Support
Read More
February 23, 2022
Making Black History and Forging Black Futures
Read More
November 15, 2021
Rebuild Right: Leadership for an Equitable Tomorrow
Read More
June 16, 2021
Bringing Fathers Into Focus for Child & Family Well-Being
Read More
December 9, 2020
Investing in Futures Means Investing in Families: Announcing the Two-Generation Prenatal to Three Learning and Action Community
Read More
October 23, 2020
Here’s to Warriors and Weavers for Care
Read More
October 12, 2020
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Is an Opportunity to Reexamine History and Reimagine Our Future
Read More
Explore how the Ascend Network mobilizes over 500 organizations using 2Gen approaches to enhance the well-being and potential of families.