Patrick Harker

Biography

Patrick T. Harker is a distinguished scholar, academic leader, and public policy expert with a career spanning the highest levels of academia, government, and finance. He currently serves as the Rowan Distinguished Professor, Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and as Director of Academic Engagement for Penn Washington, where he helps connect the University’s thought leadership with national policy discussions in the nation’s capital.

From 2015 to 2025, Dr. Harker was the 11th President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, where he played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. monetary policy as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee. During his tenure, he helped to guide the economy through significant challenges, including the post-Great Recession recovery, the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent inflationary pressures. He also spearheaded initiatives to advance economic mobility, workforce development, and financial inclusion across the Federal Reserve’s Third District and nationally.

Prior to his tenure at the Federal Reserve, Dr. Harker served for nearly a decade as President of the University of Delaware, where he led a successful campus-wide strategic transformation, significantly expanded interdisciplinary research, and forged new partnerships with industry and government. Earlier, as Dean of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, he transformed one of the world’s top business schools by enhancing global engagement, launching innovative research centers, expanding executive education, and investing in technology to support cutting-edge teaching and learning. His leadership helped elevate Wharton’s reputation as a hub of applied knowledge, entrepreneurship, and global economic insight.

A recognized authority in management science, financial services, and economic policy, Dr. Harker has authored or co-authored more than 100 scholarly articles. His research has advanced understanding of how financial institutions can use data and modeling to improve efficiency, manage risk, and serve customers more effectively.

Dr. Harker has also served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards, including those in the healthcare, energy, technology, and education sectors. His governance experience spans audit, risk, and strategy committees, reflecting his deep expertise in enterprise operations and financial oversight.

Early in his career, Dr. Harker served as a White House Fellow and Special Assistant to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, gaining insight into the intersection of public policy, national security, and institutional leadership.

Dr. Harker holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Engineering and a Master of Arts in Economics, all from the University of Pennsylvania.