Misericordia University Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

James J. Pierson, J.D., CPA, serves as the Dean, College of Business, at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA. He previously served as the Chair, MBA Program Director and Assistant Professor in the Business & Entrepreneurship Department at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA, and also served as the Program Chair, Undergraduate Accounting and Lead Faculty, at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. His teaching and research interests include taxation, accounting, business law (consumer protection), and entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship.

James (Jim) has extensive business experience as a practitioner. He served in various financial leadership roles as a chief financial officer, controller, and tax director, primarily in the engineering and construction industries. His financial leadership experience includes many years with companies with revenues more than $1 billion, both publicly traded as well as privately held companies, conducting global operations. Jim initially developed his technical accounting and tax skills while providing service to many industries in public accounting, where he served as a tax manager with Ernst & Young. Prior to his business career, Jim served on active duty in the United States Army, in various roles from private to captain.

Jim’s service to his local community includes serving as the founder of the newly established Misericordia University Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC), serving nine counties in Northeastern, PA, with an aggregate population of one million residents. The LITC clinic is funded in part by a grant from the Internal Revenue Service, and Jim serves as its clinic director. He also previously founded and served as the site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic at Franklin, University, in Columbus, OH, where he trained student volunteers to prepare tax returns for the low-to-moderate income tax community. 

Jim is actively involved in professional organizations and appointments, serving in the American Bar Association (ABA) as the co-chair of the economic justice committee in the Civil Rights & Social Justice Section, as a member of the ABA’s Tax Section and its pro bono and tax clinics committee, and as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  In addition, Jim is currently appointed as an ABA Section Advisor to the Uniform Law Commission’s drafting committee for the Virtual Currency Customer Protection Act.  He also is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs.

Jim earned his B.S.B.A. in accounting and management from Youngstown State University, his M.S. in Taxation from Robert Morris University, and his J.D. in law from Duquesne University.  He is licensed as an attorney and certified public accountant in Pennsylvania and is certified as a chartered global management accountant.   He is married to Kathleen Pierson, and they have two daughters and a granddaughter in Philadelphia, and a son in Pittsburgh. 

Jim Roberts is Chief of Staff, Chief Marketing Officer, and Secretary to the Board of Trustees at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania.

In this role, he provides strategic support and leadership to the president and his management colleagues in key areas such as board governance, marketing, community relations, internal communications, and planning. He regularly collaborates with trustees, students, government officials, consultants, and area leaders. He provides guidance to a highly independent and talented marketing director and marketing team who help to achieve Misericordia’s enrollment and branding goals.


He specializes in working with a diverse set of constituents on cross disciplinary projects to advance the mission and vision of Misericordia University. As chief of staff, Jim leverages his talents as a senior administrator, communicator, "person who gets stuff done," and strategic planner. Jim has significant experience in public relations, media relations, and crisis communication, and he has successfully led comprehensive campus rebranding and renaming efforts, including as co-chair of the university status committee in 2006-2007.

Jim is an honors graduate of Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mass Communications. He completed an immersion experience at Harvard University on creating and sustaining innovation in organizations. He has also completed training with FEMA and the Public Relations Society of America in crisis communications. Jim is a 1999 graduate of Leadership Northeast and a current member of CUPRAP - a voluntary organization of communications professionals from colleges, universities and independent schools dedicated to advancing the understanding of higher education. Additionally, Jim has over 30 years combined experience with service on and leadership of regional non-profits boards.

Prior to joining Misericordia University, Jim held positions of progressive responsibility in the insurance and health care industries.

Dr. David B. Rehm began serving Misericordia University as vice president of academic affairs in July 2017. In that position, he oversees the faculty and the academic curriculum, including institutional and programmatic accreditation. He came to Misericordia from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD, where he served as Professor and Provost over a 22-year period. Dr. Rehm has served since 2015 as a Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and, since 2020, he has chaired the Commission’s Follow-Up Activities Committee. Dr. Rehm earned his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College in 1983 and his doctorate in Philosophy in 1994 from the University of Chicago.