Lisa W. Wardell is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adtalem Global Education. She was appointed Chairman of the board in 2019. She has been President and CEO since 2016 and has been a member of Adtalem’s Board of Directors since 2008.
Wardell is the only African American female Chairman and CEO in the S&P 400 Index.
Prior to Adtalem, Wardell was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for The RLJ Companies. Prior to joining The RLJ Companies, she was a Principal at Katalyst Venture Partners, a private equity firm.
Wardell serves on the Board of Directors for Lowe’s Home Improvement, as well as THINK450, the innovation engine of the National Basketball Players Association. She is also a member of The Business Council, the Executive Leadership Council, CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion and the Fortune CEO Initiative.
Wardell earned her Bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and her law degree from Stanford Law School. She earned her Master’s degree in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
