Staff Spotlight: James Patton

The Heravi Peace Institute and Department of History, Cultures & Ideas are pleased to highlight James Patton, Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the Religious Studies Program. Professor Patton holds a Master of Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. His distinguished career bridges diplomacy, peacebuilding, and multifaith engagement at the highest levels of international leadership.

Professor Patton brings more than two decades of experience in global conflict prevention, social reconciliation, and stability operations. He most recently served as President and CEO of The International Center for Religion & Diplomacy, where he led initiatives advancing religious engagement in peace processes worldwide. His leadership experience also includes serving as a founding partner of Lead Integrity Consulting and serving in senior conflict management and mitigation roles with the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Department of State.

Across governmental and non-governmental sectors, Professor Patton has directed and supported peacebuilding initiatives in complex environments in over 40 countries around the globe. His work has included coordinating citizen security and reconciliation efforts with Indigenous and Afro-descendent women in the Andean region; facilitating the role of Cambodian Buddhists in post-conflict stability; partnering with the Saudi Ministry of Education to advance pedagogical reforms emphasizing tolerance and critical thinking; and developing frameworks to equip religious leaders in North Africa to prevent extremism. He also led U.S. State Department stability operations in South Sudan and strengthened religion and conflict portfolios for USAID in Latin America.

A recognized leader in the field, Professor Patton is a Lifetime Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Senior Visiting Fellow at Wheatley Institution, and a Senior Fellow at the Rumi Forum. He is the co-author the United States Institute of Peace publication Religion and Conflict Guide Series: Religion and Reconciliation.

Beginning this fall, he will teach courses in Religious Studies and Peacebuilding, including a Careers in Peace Success Workshop (PI 4910), enriching students’ learning with deep practical insight drawn from decades of international experience at the intersection of religion, diplomacy, and conflict transformation.

Get a hold of Professor Patton via email: James.Patton@usu.edu