Jay M. Bernhardt

Jay M. Bernhardt serves as the 13th president of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, a position he has held since 2023. Before his current role, he was the dean of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, where he established the Center for Health Communication. His career has spanned significant roles at the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A New Jersey native, he actively participates in numerous honor societies and serves on the boards of several prestigious organizations.

Bernhardt is widely recognized for his contributions to leadership and scholarship, particularly in health communication. He is a committed mental health advocate, supporting various charities and nonprofit organizations. Additionally, he enjoys the arts, theater, and culinary exploration.

In his tenure at Emerson College, which also includes California and the Netherlands campuses, Bernhardt is dedicated to providing effective leadership and fostering a nurturing educational environment. He succeeded Bill Gilligan, who served as interim president since 2021.

Before Emerson, he began his deanship at the Moody College of Communication in March 2016. Before that, he was a professor with appointments in the Department of Communication Studies and the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations. His commitment to health communication also led him to found the Center for Health Communication at the University of Texas at Austin.

Bernhardt founded Digital Health Impact, Inc. in Gainesville, Florida, in 2011, focusing on consulting in digital health technologies and health communication. His tenure at the University of Florida was marked by his role in advancing digital health-focused academic programs and research initiatives.

He earned his Ph.D. in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his M.P.H. and B.A. degrees from Rutgers University. The John T. McGovern Health Communication Award and the Charles Atkin Outstanding Translational Health Communication Scholar Award are among his awards.

Residing in Boston with his wife, Cassandra, Bernhardt balances his professional activities with his interests in the arts and philanthropy, exemplifying the values he champions at Emerson College.