Skip to main content
  Back to Faculty

Michelle Lee

Assistant Professor
Contact:

Overview

Michelle K. Lee is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organizations at the Smith School of Business, Queen's University. Her research covers social class, strategic leadership, shareholder activism, and corporate social responsibility.

Download Image ​

Academic Area

  • Strategy and Organizations

Interest Topics

Faculty Details

Profile

Full Bio

Professor Lee’s current research focuses on how the social class background of executives influences their careers including selection into the chief executive position and the class pay gap. Her research has been published in the Academy of Management Journal and has been covered by the Wall Street Journal. She is the winner of the 2022 Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Outstanding Dissertation Award.

Professor Lee teaches Business and Corporate Strategy at the undergraduate level. She previously taught Strategic Management at the University of Washington and received the Excellence in Teaching Award multiple times.

Professor Lee received her PhD from the University of Washington and her bachelor's degree from Binghamton University, where she graduated with President's Honors from the PwC and Binghamton Scholars Programs. Prior to academia, she worked for Deloitte and Mazars in New York City.

Academic Degrees

PhD in Strategic Management
University of Washington, Foster School of Business (2021)

Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Binghamton University, State University of New York (2009)

Academic Experience

Smith School of Business, Queen's University
Assistant Professor of Strategy and Organizations (2021 - Present)

Publications

Academic Journals

Lee, M., Gupta, A., and Hambrick, D. The Distinct Effects of Wealth- and CSR-oriented Shareholder Unrest on CEO Career Outcomes: A New Lens on Settling Up and Executive Job Demands. Forthcoming at Academy of Management Journal.

• Media coverage by Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ceo-social-political-issues11624307505

Lee, M., Kish-Gephart, J., Mizruchi, M., Palmer, D., and Useem, M. Social Class in Organizations: Entrance, Promotion, and Organizational and Societal Consequences of the Managerial Elite. Forthcoming at Journal of Management Inquiry. *Equal Authorship

 

Teaching

Teaching Experience

MGMT 430: Strategic Management (capstone senior undergraduate course)

Foster School of Business, University of Washington

Research

Research Interests

Social Class, Corporate Elites, Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility

Presentations

Conferences and Invited Presentations

“Social Class in Organizations: Entrance, Promotion, and Organizational and Societal Consequences of the

Managerial Elite” with Jennifer Kish-Gephart, Mark Mizruchi, Donald Palmer, and Michael Useem

  • Academy of Management (AOM) 80th Annual Meeting. Panel symposium organizer and moderator.Virtual Conference. Sponsored by OMT, STR, SIM divisions. August 2020

“Shareholder Unrest and Its Influence on CEO Career Outcomes” with Abhinav Gupta and Donald Hambrick

  • Strategic Management Society (SMS) 40th Annual Conference. Virtual Conference. October 2020 • Academy of Management (AOM) 80th Annual Meeting. Virtual Conference. August 2020
  • TCU Corporate Governance Doctoral Consortium, Fort Worth, TX.

“Status and Evaluation in Online Communities: Deviation and Conformity among Newly-Elite Evaluators” with Warren Boeker. 

  • Strategic Management Society (SMS) 37th Annual Conference. Houston, TX. October 2017
  • Academy of Management (AOM) 77th Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. August 2017

Awards

SMS Best PhD Paper Nomination, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference in London, 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Washington, 2018-2021

SMS Best Paper Nomination, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference in Houston, 2017

SMS Doctoral Scholarship, Strategic Management Society Annual Conference in Houston, 2017

Outstanding Performance Award (top performer award), Deloitte Tax LLP, 2014-2015 Binghamton Scholars Program & PwC Scholar, 2005-2009

Service

Professional Memberships

  • Academy of Management                                
  • Strategic Management Society
  • The American Institute of CPAs 

Service Activities

  • Ad-hoc Reviewer: Human Relations, AOM Annual Meeting OMT, STR, and TIM divisions
  • Mentor: University of Washington Undergraduate Research Program

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer for Neighborhood Legal Clinic (Pro Bono legal clinic), 2018-2021

Volunteer for Relief Bus, Shower to the People (homeless outreach in NYC and Seattle), 2013-2015, 2018-Present  

Professional Certifications

Certified Public Accountant, New York State (2011)