James Sasser

James Sasser is an Emeritus Professor of the Practice at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee (1977–1995) and later as U.S. Ambassador to China (1996–1999). During his Senate tenure, he chaired the Senate Budget Committee, driving fiscal reforms that eliminated the federal deficit. Post-Senate, he was a Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School (1995) and a Visiting Professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs (2000).

He advises major corporations like FedEx and APCO Worldwide, and holds leadership roles in organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations, Committee on US-China Relations, and US-China Foundation. He also serves on UNC’s Honors Seminar Advisory Board.

His expertise spans international diplomacy, fiscal policy, and U.S.-China relations, with a focus on strategic global partnerships and governance.