Dr. Knapp served from 2017 to 2024 as the 13th president of Washington & Jefferson College, one of America’s oldest and most distinguished liberal arts institutions, founded in 1781. Earlier, he was president of Hope College from 2013 to 2017. In these roles, he led major program innovations, strengthened competitiveness, enhanced graduate outcomes, and secured more than $150 million in new philanthropic support.

His service to higher education also has included founding and directing academic centers focusing on ethics and leadership at Samford University and Georgia State University, as well as creating an independent executive education institute serving hundreds of businesses and professional firms in the Southeastern U.S. Since 2004 he has convened and led the annual Oxford Conclave on Global Higher Education, a retreat for college and university presidents held at the University of Oxford, UK. He served for two years as chair of The New York Times President's Council, an advisory panel on higher education issues.

Dr. Knapp's consulting clients in higher education have included Emory University, Vanderbilt University, Kennesaw State University, Candler School of Theology, Georgia State University, and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. He has served in numerous national and regional leadershp positions in education-related organizations:

• Council of Independent Colleges, Board of Directors
• Pennsylvania Consortium for the Liberal Arts, Board of Directors
• Presidents Athletic Conference, Presidents Council 
• Robert J. Rutland Institute for Ethics, Clemson University, Advisory Board
• Great Lakes Colleges Association, Board of Directors
• The New York Times Presidents Council, Chair
• Michigan Independent Colleges & Universities, Board of Directors
• Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Board of Directors
• Alabama Humanities Foundation, Board of Directors
• Georgia Humanities Council, Board of Directors
• Van Andel Institute, Board of Governors
• American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges & Universities, Board of Directors
• Hope College, Trustee Emeritus.
• Georgia State University Foundation, Trustee Emeritus
• Georgia State University Alumni Association, vice president
• Emory University, Public Affairs Advisory Council
• Southeast Consortium on Business Ethics Education, chair
• Columbia Theological Seminary, President's Advisory Committee
• Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges, Atlanta Board of Governors

John Knapp's experience as an independent consultant began in 1986 when he founded a leading Atlanta-based communication management firm (Knapp Inc.). Since then, he has been a trusted advisor to many of the nation’s best-known institutions and corporations, helping them achieve objectives in:

• Protecting institutional reputation
• Managing change
• Building trust with stakeholders: customers, shareholders, communities, employees and others
• Responding effectively to unexpected problems or crises
• Managing sensitive issues
• Establishing organizational values and ethical standards

In surveys by Atlanta Business Chronicle, clients and competitors named him the region’s most respected consultant in crisis management, and rated his firm as one of Atlanta's top three communication firms for corporate, financial, medical, product, and crisis-management expertise. He co-chaired the Crisis Management Committee for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and was the lead consultant for the 1996 Olympics' Sponsor Protection Program. 

The national magazine Inside PR ranked Knapp Inc. No. 1 in the South and 17th in the nation on its annual “Report Card” ranking of the best independent firms - a recognition backed by more than 75 regional and national awards for professional excellence in crisis management and corporate communication.

John Knapp has been invited to deliver major presentations and keynote speeches to several hundred audiences in the U.S. and abroad. Here are some noteworthy examples:

Business and Professional

• Association of Internal Auditors, Chief Audit Executives Conference, keynote address
• The Conference Board, National Diversity Council, expert speaker
• Practising Law Institute, Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute, course leader
• Insurance and Accounting Systems Association, annual meeting keynote address
• Genuine Parts Company, management conference keynote
• Georgia Power Company, annual managers' ethics/compliance meeting keynote
• Investment Management Consultants Association, speaker for 14 regional conferences
• Society of Financial Services Professionals, Business Ethics Awards, keynote address
• Travel Industry Association, national conference, keynote address
• Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter, annual meeting keynote address
• American Council of Independent Laboratories, Dr. Earl Hess Endowed Lecture on Ethics
• Birmingham Society for Human Resources Management, annual conference keynote address
• Southern Employee Benefits Conference, annual meeting keynote address
• National Executive Liability Conference, keynote address
• National Investor Relations Institute, Atlanta Chapter, annual meeting, keynote address
• Risk and Insurance Management Institute, national conference, keynote address
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, National Conference on Ethics and Compliance, conference speaker
• International Association of Exposition Managers, international conference, keynote address
• Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, national conference speaker
• Atlanta Diversity Management Network, chair/facilitator of 5-year program for 43 major employers

Governmental and Nonprofit

• Council of Europe and Organization of American States, "Global Forum on Academic Freedom, Institutional Autonomy and the Future of Democracy," moderator
• U.S. Federal Reserve System, "National Conference on Diversity Leadership," keynote address
• Arab Republic of Egypt, National Council for Women, conference on "Women, Leadership and Social Justice," keynote speech and high-level panelist
• Georgia Chamber of Commerce, annual meeting, keynote address
• Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Conference for Banking Officials from Russian Federation, Keynote Address
• Leadership Birmingham (AL), graduation address
• National Urban League, Black Executive Exchange Program, national conference, invited speaker
• Junior Achievement of Western North Carolina, Annual Business Leadership Luncheon, keynote address
• Georgia Society of Association Executives, annual conference speaker
• Georgia Economic Developers Association, annual meeting, keynote address

Educational Institutions and Organizations

• Kennesaw State University, Spring Commencement Address
• Stellenbosch University, South Africa, Seboka on Higher Education and Ethical Leadership, conference director
• Lebanese Society for Education & Social Development, Beirut leadership conference, keynote address
• Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame, Conference on Corporate Communication, invited speaker
• Middle East University, secondary educators conference, invited speaker
• Lebanese American University, keynote address
• University of Pittsburgh, Humanities @ Work Conference, keynote address
• University of San Francisco Quito, Ecuador, Chancellor’s Lecture
• Southern Association of Independent Schools, annual meeting keynote address
• Georgia Department of Technical & Adult Education, facilitator of ethics program for leaders of technical colleges
• Consortium for Global Education, Annual Meeting keynote address
• Association for Accreditation of Collegiate Schools of Business, Associate Deans Conference, keynote address
• Board of Regents, University System of Georgia, facilitator of special session on ethics and governance
• Brenau University, Fall Convocation address
• Atlanta Board of Education, facilitator of special session on ethics and governance
• University System of Georgia annual Presidents' Retreat, presentation on ethics in higher education administration
• Georgia Council for Economic Education, annual teachers' conference, keynote address
• Georgia Board of Education, facilitator of special session on ethical responsibilities in public education
• Mercer University Research Symposium, keynote address
• University of the Holy Cross, Endowed Lecture in Ethics and Society
• Pennsylvania State University, Academic Leadership Academy
• International Christian University, Japan, university-wide lecture on ethics
• Clemson University, Presidential Colloquium keynote address
• University of Mississippi, Ethics Week keynote address
• Emory University, Oxford College, college-wide Lecture on Ethics and Values
• Emory University, Center for Ethics, Public Lecture Series
• Augusta State University, Distinguished Lecture in Ethics
• University of South Carolina, Aiken, Forum on Business Ethics, keynote address
• Georgia Council for the Social Studies, annual teachers' conference, keynote address
• Council on Spiritual and Ethical Education, national conference, keynote address

Books

Ghostwriting and The Ethics of Authenticity, Palgrave Macmillan (co-authored with Azalea Hulbert, Ph.D.)

For the Common Good: The Ethics of Leadership in the 21st Century, Praeger Publishers (foreword by President Jimmy Carter)

Leaders on Ethics: Real-World Perspectives on Today's Business Challenges, Preager Publishers

The Business of HIgher Education (3 Volumes), Praeger Publishers/ABC-CLIO (co-edited with David Siegel, Ph.D.)

How the Church Fails Businesspeople (and What Can Be Done about It), Wm. B. Eerdmans Company

Other Notable Publications

"CEO Leadership and Compliance,"​ Lexis/Nexis Group (chapter in Corporate Compliance Practice Guide)

"Creating a Culture of Ethics,"​

Practising Law Institute (PLI); chapter in Corporate Law and Practice Handbook

"Rethinking Ethics Training: New Approaches to Enhance Effectiveness," Information Age Publishing; chapter in Experiences in Teaching Business Ethics, edited by Ron Sims , Ph.D. and William Sauser, Ph.D.

"Lying in Public Relations: The Dysfunctional Cycle of Corporate Self-Deception,"​

PR Week

"Ethics, Leadership and the CEO: Leadership Perspectives after Sarbanes-Oxley,"​

Business and Professional Ethics Journal (co-authored with Catharine B. Kuchar)

"Repairing Our Stewardship of Creation: Abrahamic Social Thought and the Global Economic Crisis," The Caux Round Table (paper written collaboratively with international scholars)

"A Christian Theological Response,"  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (chapter in We Can Make The World Economy a Sustainable Global Home by Lews S. Mudge, Ph.D.)

"Finally, Moving to Outlaw Bribery in International Trade," Atlanta Business Chronicle (co-authored with DeWitt Rogers) .

"Seven Stages of a Corporate Crisis," Reputation Management (co-authored with P. William Huey) 

"Where to Draw the Bottom Line: Wall Street's Rapid-Fire Accounting System Doesn't Factor in the Long-Term Value of Ethics," Portland Business Journal

"Do Business Ethics and Earnings Go Hand-in-Hand?" San Francisco Business Times

"Global Ethics and the Collaborative University," Journal of Ethics in Leadership

"Bridging Christian Ethics and Economic Life: How Theological Education Falls Short," Business and Professional Ethics Journal

Major Reseach Projects Directed

"Evaluation of the Uses and Value of the Certification of Physician Assistants," a stakeholder study of employers, payers, state licensing authorities, medical associations, and physician assistants, for the National Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants

"The Value of Advice: National Study of Client Perceptions of Professional Financial Advice," a landmark study for the Financial Planning Association

"Best Practices in Corporate Reputation Management: A Comprehensive Review of Programs at Ford Motor Company, The Walt Disney Company, Nike Inc., IBM Corp., Mobil Corp., Georgia- Pacific Corp.," a study for The Coca-Cola-Company

"Ethical Issues in the Practice of Association Management," a study for the Georgia Society of Association Executives

"The Cost of Competition: Ethical Challenges and Economic Development," a study for the Georgia Economic Developers Association 

"Stakeholder Perceptions and Expectations of Atlanta Public Schools," a study involving community leaders, parents, PTA leaders, board of education members, central office personnel, principals, and teachers; conducted for the Ford Foundation 

"Evaluation of Stakeholder Needs and Issues Regarding the Medical Subspecialty of Rheumatology," a study of practitioners, referring physicians, payers, medical students, and faculty; conducted for the American College of Rheumatology

"Survey of United States CEOs on Business Ethics," a study by the Georgia State University Center for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility in partnership with Clemson University

"Survey of Southeast CEOs on Business Ethics," a study by The Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics in partnership with Clemson University

"Ethical Practices of College and University Presidents in Georgia," a study by Kennesaw State University with The Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics

"Survey of Georgia CEOs on Business Ethics,"  a study by The Southern Institute for Business and Professional Ethics in partnership with The Smeal School of Business, Pennsylvania State University

"Review and Assessment of Programs in Leadership and Ethics at U.S. Institutions of Higher Learning," a study with recommendations for the President's Office, Kennesaw State University

"Assessment of Ethical Environment and Risk at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina," a study of employee knowledge and perceptions

"Assessment of Organizational Ethics at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia," an internal study for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia," a study of employee knowledge and perceptions

"The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy on Customer Decisions," a study for BellSouth Corp.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., Theology & Religious Studies, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Dissertation: "Self-Deception and Moral Blindness in The Modern Corporation"
• M.A., Theological Studies, Columbia Theological Seminary
• B.S., Urban LIfe/Communication, Georgia State University

Continuing Education

• Certificate in Values-Based Leadership, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University
• Association of Governing Boards Institute for Board Chairs and Presidents
• Pennsylvania State University Academic Leadership Academy
• Harvard U.S. Presidents Leadership Seminar 
• Council of Independent Colleges Presidents Governance Academy
• CIC Presidents Institute
• Harvard Seminar for New Presidents
• The Oxford Conclave on Global Higher Education
• ARC Regional Leadership Institute

Academic Awards

• 200 Outstanding Graduates of the First 200 Years, Bicenennial Celebration of University of Wales Trinity St. David, U.K.
• D. Litt. (honorary), Hope College
• Georgia Governor's Award in the Humanities, Georgia Humanities Council
• Florrie Wilkes Sanders Prize in Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary
• Inductee, Martin Luther King Jr. International Collegium of Scholars, Morehouse College
• Pennsylvania Education Power 100, City & State Magazine

Other Honors and Recognition

• Multiracial Friendship Award, Urban League, Birmingham, AL
• George Goodwin Award for Public Service, Public Relations Society of America
• "40 Under 40," Georgia Trend/Business Atlanta Magazine
• 10 Outstanding Young People of Atlanta, Outstanding Atlanta Foundation
• Leadership Atlanta
• Leadership Georgia
• Fellow, Caux Round Table
• Who's Who in Atlanta, Atlanta Business Chronicle

Professional and Community Service

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Atlanta Board of Directors
• Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter, Board of Directors
• Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Board of Directors, Vice Chair
• Georgia Cooperative Services for the Blind, Board of Directors
• YES Atlanta (Atlanta Youth at Risk), Board of Directors
• Regional Leadership Institute, Atlanta Regional Commission
• Georgia State University Alumni Association, Vice Chair; Young Alumni Council, Chair
• Atlanta Press Club, Board of Directors
• Boy Scouts of America, Gerald R. Ford Service Council, Advisory Board
• Center for Women in Transition, Holland, MI, Board of Directors
• Presbyterian Church (USA): Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, elected member
• Georgia Committee for Ethical Judicial Campaigns, Executive Committee
• Atlanta Regional Commission, Communication and Public Involvement Committee
• Carl G. Renfroe Middle School PTA, President
• Regional Leadership Foundation (Atlanta), Issues Committee, co-chair
• Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, Crisis Management Committee, co-chair
• The Atlanta Project, Communications Advisory Council, Carter Presidential Center
• Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter, Board of Directors