Leavey Professor Tammy Madsen to Lead Prestigious Academy of Management
Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business is proud to announce that Professor Tammy L. Madsen has begun her term as President of the Academy of Management (AOM), the world’s preeminent professional association for management and organization scholars.
The transition was marked this August in Copenhagen during the AOM Annual Meeting - the first time the global conference has convened outside North America - with more than 13,500 scholars in attendance.
“Tammy’s appointment as President of the Academy of Management is an extraordinary recognition of her scholarship, leadership, and service,” said Ed Grier, Dean of the Leavey School of Business. “Her global perspective and commitment to advancing the science of management not only strengthen the Academy but also enrich our entire Leavey community. We are incredibly proud of the impact she continues to make on a worldwide stage.”
Global Leadership in Management Scholarship
Founded in 1936, the Academy of Management is home to nearly 22,000 members across more than 120 countries. Its membership includes professors and PhD students in business schools, scholars in related social sciences, and practitioners committed to knowledge creation and application. Grounded in top-tier research, AOM leads global conversations on issues such as innovation, leadership, diversity and inclusion, equality and discrimination, work-life balance, corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, and organizational well-being.
Through its mission - to build a vibrant and supportive community of scholars by expanding opportunities to connect and explore ideas - and vision - to inspire and enable a better world through scholarship and teaching about management and organizations - AOM continues to shape how management research informs practice and policy worldwide.
Path to the Presidency
Professor Madsen, who holds the W.M. Keck Foundation Chair in Strategic Management and Innovation at Leavey, brings both scholarly expertise and a record of leadership to her new role. Her research explores the intersection of strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and competitive dynamics, with current projects on temporary advantage, ecosystem growth, co-innovation platforms, and industry responses to disruptive change.
Her work has appeared in leading journals such as Strategic Management Journal, Organization Science, and Journal of Management Studies, and she is the co-author of the widely used textbook Modern Competitive Strategy. At Leavey, she teaches strategy in the MBA and Executive MBA programs, where she has been honored with the President’s Special Recognition Award and the school’s Extraordinary Faculty Awards for teaching, research, and service. Before academia, she worked as an engineer and program manager at General Motors.
“Leading the Academy of Management during this pivotal time is both a privilege and a responsibility,” said Madsen. “As a global community of scholars, we are advancing the science of management, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring that our work has meaningful impact across borders and industries.”
A Vision for the Future
Madsen has been a central figure in driving AOM’s Vision 2030 Strategy, which emphasizes delivering innovative content, fostering inclusive communities, and expanding global access to management scholarship. The plan underscores the Academy’s commitment to relevance, equity, and reach, while reinforcing its role as a global leader in research and teaching. Earlier this year, under her leadership, the Board of Governors also reaffirmed its dedication to academic freedom.
In addition to her presidency, Madsen remains deeply engaged with AOM members. At this year’s conference, she participated in a panel on Efficiency and Innovation in Teaching, joining fellow global scholars to discuss content development, classroom engagement, and the future of teaching in business schools.
As President, she now leads the Academy at a time when management scholarship is increasingly called upon to address global challenges - from equity and inclusion to entrepreneurship and organizational resilience. Her presidency not only elevates Santa Clara’s visibility on the international stage but also exemplifies Leavey’s mission to develop business leaders who create transformative impact.