About Me

I began my career as a lawyer, earning my J.D. and Law & Business Certificate from Vanderbilt Law School after studying Applied Mathematics and Economics at William & Mary (Tribe Pride!), with a year abroad at the London School of Economics. While practicing law in-house with several entrepeneurial firms, I became increasingly interested in the broader strategic and ethical implications of legal policies in the business world. That curiosity—along with marrying another academic—led me to transition into research and teaching, earning my Ph.D. in Organization Management from Rutgers University.

Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to benefit from the mentorship and collaboration of incredible scholars. The Strategic Human Capital Interest Group of the Strategic Management Society (SMS) has been an invaluable community in shaping my research, as has my network of mentors and co-authors, including Petra Christmann, Danielle E. Warren, John E. Delery, and Dorothea Roumpi. My work continues to be influenced by leading experts in the field, particularly Evan P. Starr, whose research on non-compete agreements has deepened my understanding of human capital strategy. And I wouldn't be the scholar I am today had I not, in the very first month of my Ph.D. program, read Matt Marx’s 2009 Michigan experiment paper on non-competes.

With nearly a decade of teaching experience, I have taught business strategy and ethics at Baruch College and Rutgers University. I am also a regular guest lecturer for friends and colleagues and actively mentor Ph.D. students, guiding them through research development, independent studies, and the dissertation process. 

My courses emphasize critical thinking, real-world application, and ethical decision-making, challenging students to analyze complex business problems, consider multiple perspectives, and develop frameworks they can apply beyond the classroom. I bring in current events, case studies, and interactive discussions to make strategy and ethics tangible and relevant. 

Beyond the classroom, I serve as a Faculty Mentor at the Midtown Manhattan Small Business Development Center (SBDC), part of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). In this role, I work with entrepreneurs and small business owners on strategic decision-making, HR best practices, and ethical business challenges. Whether I’m working with students or business leaders, my goal is to help people navigate complex decisions with clarity and confidence.

Outside of research and teaching, I’m an avid home baker (particularly of cookies), a passion I’ve passed down to my daughter, who has already won multiple local and national baking competitions. I also love cooking, traveling, and enjoying good wine—though, let’s be honest, who doesn’t? But above all, I’m a proud mom of two, and lucky to have a husband who not only supported but inspired my transition from law to academia. Without him, I might still be an in-house lawyer in Oregon—but instead, I get to spend my days researching, teaching, and obsessing over non-compete agreements (which, somehow, he still patiently listens to).