James Garbarino served as President of the Erikson Institute for Advanced Study in Child Development from 1985 to 1994. He earned his B.A. from St. Lawrence University in 1968 and his Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University in 1973

Dr. Garbarino has served as consultant or advisor to a wide range of organizations including the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, the National Institute for Mental Health, the American Medical Association, the National Black Child Development Institute, the National Science Foundation, the National Resource Center for Children in Poverty, Childwatch International Research Network and the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse & Neglect.