Business Women Awards 2022
Woman to Watch Education Services Christy Ashley, University of Rhode Island College of Business
In 2015, marketing professor Christy Ashley gave up tenure at another university to return to her beloved alma mater, the University of Rhode Island, for a then lower-ranking, nontenure-track position.
The risk paid off. Last year, Ashley, who received her Ph.D. from URI in 2006, was promoted to associate dean at the university’s College of Business in South Kingstown.
“There’s something really special about the University of Rhode Island,” Ashley said. “And it’s a place where I felt I could make a difference. I still feel that way.”
In her current role, Ashley spends about half of her time on administrative duties such as curriculum development and implementing the college’s strategic goals. She also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses – including Social Media for Marketing and Strategic Marketing Management – and mentors Ph.D. students. In addition, Ashley conducts research, primarily on customer experience management and consumers’ emotional connections with brands.
Promoting gender equality in business is a thread that runs throughout her various duties at the college.
“Dr. Ashley is an accomplished leader and marketing professor who dedicates her life to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of business professionals and leaders, with special emphasis on women leaders,” said Sean Rogers, executive director of inclusive excellence and associate professor at URI’s College of Business.
As associate dean, Ashley says she focuses on trying to make faculty feel “included and heard.
“I try to be as transparent as I can in terms of decision-making and what the processes are with making changes,” she said.
Ashley says she was honored to recently become a member of the national Women in Business Education initiative, a global network that looks to build gender balance and greater diversity among business school leaders.
In the classroom, she often focuses on experiential learning and enjoys partnering with Rhode Island companies for student projects. She also wants to make sure that students leave URI equipped with practical job skills. For young women, learning how to negotiate a salary can be especially important, she added.
“I want to help all of our students learn how to advocate for themselves,” Ashley said.
