Jim Harkness was the President of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy from 2006-2013. He previously served as Executive Director of the World Wildlife Fund in People’s Republic of China  from 1999–2005, working on rural development, natural resource management and environment. Harkness also worked as the Ford Foundation's Environment and Development Program Officer for the People’s Republic of China, and served as an adviser for the World Bank and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Harkness received his graduate degree in Development Sociology from Cornell University.