Lisa Wardell Biography and Net Worth

Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE) is a leading workforce solutions provider and the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, ACAMS, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University.

Wardell was appointed executive chairman of the board in 2021. In her role as executive chairman, Wardell leads the board of directors and helps guide the company’s mission and strategy, as well as continues to represent the company and interact with key stakeholders to help advance Adtalem’s mission. Wardell has been part of Adtalem’s board since 2008, most recently serving as chairman of the board since 2019.

In addition to her role on Adtalem’s board, Wardell served as president and CEO of Adtalem from 2016 to 2021. During her tenure as CEO, Wardell oversaw the strategic repositioning of Adtalem’s portfolio, successfully acquiring and integrating companies in Adtalem’s financial services vertical, and leading turnarounds and divestitures of Adtalem’s non-core assets. Through her commitment to high performance and positive social impact, Lisa’s leadership has resulted in superior outcomes for Adtalem’s students, significant value creation for shareholders and positioned the company for long-term growth.

Under her leadership, gender and ethnic diversity has increased at the Adtalem board to 67%. Wardell has also led the higher education sector in implementing new standards in transparency and financial literacy, and in cultivating quality partnerships to fill critical global workforce needs. Her strategic and mission-focused leadership positions Adtalem’s global community for sustainable success.

Prior to joining Adtalem, Wardell was executive vice president and chief operating officer for The RLJ Companies. As COO, Wardell was responsible for managing The RLJ Companies portfolio, including strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, operations and finance. Prior to joining The RLJ Companies, Wardell was a principal at Katalyst Venture Partners, a private equity firm that invested in start-up technology companies, and a senior consultant for Accenture in the organization’s communications and technology strategic services practice.

Wardell earned her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and her law degree from Stanford Law School. She earned her MBA in finance and entrepreneurial management from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Wardell serves on the board of American Express (NYSE: AXP), a Fortune 100 company. She serves as a vice chair, executive committee of The Business Council, and as a vice chair of the Kennedy Center Corporate Fund. Wardell also is a member of the board of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Executive Leadership Council, CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion and the Fortune CEO Initiative. Additionally, Lisa has been featured on CNBC as well as in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Business Insider, Black Enterprise, Cheddar and other publications.