UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business has appointed Professor Jennifer Chatman as its 16th Dean, effective July 1, 2025. The announcement follows Chatman’s interim stewardship since July 2024. She is the third woman to lead Haas in the school’s 126-year history.
UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
Photo Copyright Noah Berger / 2025
Chatman is deeply rooted in the Berkeley community, earning both her BA (Psychology, 1981) and PhD (1988) before joining the Haas faculty in 1993. She remarked, “As a proud ‘Double Bear’ … it is an incredible honor to be leading Haas.” With her background and bond to the institution, she’s poised to carry forward Haas’s legacy of innovation, excellence, and impact.
Professor Jennifer Chatman brings a distinguished and transformative leadership portfolio to her new role as Dean of Berkeley Haas. As the Paul J. Cortese Distinguished Professor of Management, her academic focus has centered on organizational behavior and executive leadership. Her administrative tenure includes pivotal roles such as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Associate Dean of Learning Strategies, and Acting Dean. Notably, Chatman has been a strategic architect of several high-impact initiatives: she played a key role in launching the Flex MBA cohort within the top-ranked Evening & Weekend MBA program, the interdisciplinary MBA/MCS dual degree in business and climate solutions with the Rausser College of Natural Resources, the Spieker four-year undergraduate business program, and the school’s inaugural alumni chapter in Austin, Texas. These efforts have not only bolstered Haas’s financial stability, but also expanded faculty diversity and enriched student experiences across its six core academic programs.
Chancellor Richard Lyons, who himself previously led Haas, emphasized why Chatman is the ideal choice: “From Jenny’s own research into workplace culture, we know that the most successful organizations are those that prioritize adaptation to change while staying true to their core values.” He cited her track record—especially her skill in helping organizations navigate change while staying anchored in core principles—as crucial for Berkeley Haas in the years ahead.
Working with Berkeley Executive Education, Chatman developed impactful programs like the Berkeley CEO Program, the Leading Strategy Execution Through Culture Program, and the Berkeley Transformative Chief HR Officer Leadership Program in collaboration with Laszlo Bock and Professor Sameer Srivastava. Raised in Berkeley and inspired by her father, a UC professor, Chatman’s affinity for research began early—eventually leading her to co-create the Organizational Culture Profile, a pioneering tool in quantifying corporate culture. Her research has shaped how organizations think about leadership, culture, and performance—especially her work on adaptive cultures and the risks posed by narcissistic leadership.
Recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Management, Chatman is celebrated not only as a scholar, but also as a highly rated instructor and mentor. Her influence is further acknowledged in the upcoming release of her book, Making Organizational Culture Great, co-authored with Stanford’s Glenn Carroll. As Marc Badain, MBA ’01, put it, “Certain professors leave an indelible mark on their students long after they’ve moved on from their studies. Jennifer Chatman has that impact on all her students. She goes beyond any statistical measurement and improves them as students, leaders, and people.”
Read the full announcement here.
