Joel S. Hellman (born March 1, 1963) is an American political scientist currently serving as dean and distinguished professor in the practice of development at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

[2] Hellman began his academic career as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University and a Fellow at the Harriman Institute for Russian and East European Studies.

In 1997, Hellman joined the Office of the Chief Economist at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in London, where he served as senior political councillor.

[6] He managed the World Bank’s governance operations in the South Asia region, covering such countries as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

In July 2015, he was selected as Dean in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University as well as Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Development.