She finished her Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in supply chain management for global sourcing. Before joining Parsons, she taught at Washington State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Columbia University. Her current research areas include design management, branding, innovation, e-commerce, and sustainability. Her articles have appeared in several academic journals, such as Urban Studies, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business Research, Information and Management, Journal of Consumer Affairs, International Journal of Consumer Studies, and so on. She also has a wide range of funding and entrepreneur experiences supported by such sources as The New School, the Center of International Business Education and Research, the Filene Research Institute, etc.