Dr. Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® is a respected professor in the School of Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, where he leads the graduate program in Charitable Financial Planning. With a unique blend of academic excellence and real-world fundraising experience, Russell is deeply passionate about helping others understand and inspire generosity through planned giving.

A proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law, Russell earned his degree cum laude while serving as a member of the Missouri Law Review. He received the United Missouri Bank Award for Most Outstanding Work in Gift and Estate Taxation and Planning. He later earned his Ph.D. in consumer economics, also from the University of Missouri, focusing his dissertation on charitable giving—a topic that continues to drive his groundbreaking research.

Before entering academia, Russell spent over a decade in nonprofit leadership, first as Director of Planned Giving and then as President of Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri. Under his leadership, the college completed two successful capital campaigns, built several new debt-free buildings, and more than tripled its enrollment—a testament to his vision and ability to inspire transformational giving.

Russell is a prolific researcher, having authored more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific journal and law review articles. He’s also written several influential books for fundraisers, including The Storytelling Fundraiser, The Socratic Fundraiser, The Biblical Fundraiser, Inside the Mind of the Bequest Donor, and Visual Planned Giving.

His work has been featured in major media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and his neuroimaging research into charitable decision-making was profiled in The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine.

Russell’s contributions to the field have earned him recognition as a member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Hall of Fame and an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

With his rare ability to blend deep research with practical insight, Russell continues to inspire, educate, and equip fundraisers across the globe to connect more meaningfully with donors and drive lasting impact through philanthropy.