Dr. James A. McNamara, a graduate of the University of California Berkeley, received his dental and orthodontic education at the University of California San Francisco, and a Doctorate in Anatomy from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, he serves as the Thomas M. and Doris Graber Endowed Professor Emeritus in the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry and Research Professor Emeritus at the Center for Human Growth and Development. He is the author of the text Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. The speaker was the recipient of the 2008 Albert H. Ketcham Award, considered by many the highest award in orthodontics worldwide. In 2021, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in Orthodontic Research by the American Association of Orthodontists, and in 2023 he was named the recipient of the Norton M Ross Award of Excellence in Clinical Research by the American Dental Association. He also maintained a private orthodontic practice in Ann Arbor for 52 years.