James Austin

James Austin is a seasoned professional in change management and project leadership with extensive experience across various industries. Currently serving as a Senior Change Management Advisor at Wintrust Financial Corporation, James delivers enterprise-wide change management solutions and has established a Change Management Center of Excellence. Previous roles include Project Manager Sr. at COUNTRY Financial®, where James led high-impact initiatives and contributed to the Change Management Community of Practice, and as an Organizational Change Management Consultant at TiER1 Performance Solutions, where James managed the global rollout of communication tools following a merger. James has also held notable positions at Mondelēz International, Mars, Disney English, and EF Education First, demonstrating a strong background in academic management, program development, and employee training. James holds a Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sports & Recreation Development from Leeds Beckett University.