Jay M. Bernhardt

Jay M. Bernhardt is the 13th president of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, having assumed the role in 2023. Previously, he served as the dean of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin, where he founded the Center for Health Communication. His broad career includes notable positions at the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A New Jersey native, Bernhardt actively participates in various honor societies and serves on the boards of several prestigious organizations.

Bernhardt is recognized for his contributions to academia and leadership, particularly in health communication. He strongly advocates mental health, supporting numerous charities and nonprofit organizations. He also profoundly appreciates the arts, theater, and culinary exploration.
At Emerson College, which also maintains campuses in California and the Netherlands, Bernhardt is committed to enhancing the institution's academic standing and promoting personal growth among students and faculty. He took over from Bill Gilligan, who had served as interim president since 2021.

Before his presidency at Emerson, Bernhardt was the dean of the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin from March 2016. During his tenure, he established the Center for Health Communication and held professorships in the Department of Communication Studies and the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations.

Bernhardt 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. His achievements include the John T. McGovern Health Communication Award and the Charles Atkin Outstanding Translational Health Communication Scholar Award.