James A. Gash (JD ’93) is the eighth president and chief executive officer of Pepperdine University. Prior to his presidency, Gash was the associate dean for strategic planning and external relations at the Pepperdine School of Law, where he also served as a professor of law and as director of the Sudreau Global Justice Program. Since 2010 Gash has visited Uganda nearly 30 times with Pepperdine students to support the Ugandan judiciary and assist the country in its justice reform efforts. He is a specialist advisor to the High Court of Uganda and was named chancellor of LivingStone International University in Mbale, Uganda. Gash is a member of the State Bar of California and the Christian Legal Society. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance, summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University in 1989 and his juris doctor degree, summa cum laude, from the Pepperdine School of Law in 1993.