Professor Judy West

Wharton MBA, 18 years corporate experience in business and finance roles, followed by 15 years as a business focused Economics Professor.

Born in Minneapolis, West completed a B.A., cum laude, with a major concentration in Economics, Wellesley College, Massachusetts. She was one of two students chosen annually to spend her junior year at the London School of Economics, London, U.K.

West began her career with 6 years working at oil trading firms. Initially the Sun Oil Trading company, including as financial liaison between the U.S. trading office and the financial office located in Bermuda for tax purposes. 50% of time in Bermuda to manage accuracy of complex international trading deals. As Sun, West became the first woman promoted to be a full products and futures trader. Then one of four partners who set up a new subsidiary, REFCO Petroleum Corporation, at the large financial services firm Refco, to focus on oil markets.

She followed this with an MBA at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, with a major in Finance.

Then 11 years at Conrail, a publicly traded industrial railroad with over $3 billion in revenue. Part of the team that sold Conrail to the Norfolk Southern and CSXT Railroads for $10 billion in 1999.

Most recently, starting on 2006, Economics Professor at De Anza Community College in Cupertino, California. Developed the curriculum for and taught a new undergraduate Behavioral Economics class in addition to Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Particular interest in the history of Economics.

Judy, and her husband of 42 years, John, now divide the year between Cupertino, California and a second home facing on Newnham College

At Clare Hall, Judy is accompanied by her husband, John West, retired CEO of Solexa UK/US) and Personalis (US).