NEWARK, N.J. – Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, has appointed Christine James as Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Newark, effective September 1, 2026.

James succeeds Sister Donna L. Ciangio, O.P., D.Min., of the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell, who served as Chancellor since 2018.

“Christine brings exceptional leadership experience, sound judgment and a deep commitment to the mission of the Church,” Cardinal Tobin said. “I am grateful for her willingness to serve the Archdiocese of Newark and look forward to working with her as Chancellor.”

James brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience in investment management to her new role. She served as managing director of business development and client relations at Allspring Global Investments in New York and previously held a similar role at Wells Fargo Asset Management in New York and Philadelphia. She also served as managing director and portfolio manager with Evergreen Investments and as chief operating officer at Tattersall Advisory Group in Philadelphia.

James earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Villanova University, as well as a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration from Montclair State University. She is pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership and Administration at Caldwell University.

An alumna of Lacordaire Academy, James has chaired its board of trustees since 2009. She also has served as president of the board of trustees of the Montclair Art Museum since 2024 and as a trustee of the Montclair Foundation since 2020. She previously served as a trustee of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2021, James became a Lay Dominican Associate and became more actively involved with the Caldwell Dominicans’ Committee on Global Issues. She volunteers in spiritual ministries at her parish and has served on the Parish Finance Council and the Pastoral Council of Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair. James also served on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council and the Planning Commission for We Are His Witnesses, the Archdiocese of Newark’s pastoral initiative to strengthen parish life and plan for the future of the local Church.

Raised in Montclair, James returned to her hometown after living in the Philadelphia area for 30 years. She resides there with her husband, Nick

About the Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics across northern New Jersey’s Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties. Led by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, the Archdiocese includes 211 parishes, 64 Catholic schools and numerous missions and ministries committed to faith, education and social service. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.

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Media Contact: Sean Quinn | Archdiocese of Newark | Office of Communications | Sean.Quinn@rcan.org | 973-497-4248