Prior to joining the faculty at Montana State in 2012, he held faculty positions at UNC Charlotte and Purdue University. Oakley earned a Ph.D. in marketing from Northwestern University in 2002. His primary research interests lie in the areas of marketing strategy and branding, and their impact on consumer behavior. His research has been published in a variety of international outlets and has been cited in the media a number of times, including Financial Times and Business Week. Oakley is also a member of the Executive Board for the Association for Marketing & Health Care Research and serves as the program chair for the association’s international conference.