Kelly Ashihara, MBA

Teaching Areas

• Strategic Management
• Global Management

Personal Bio:

Kelly Ashihara has 20+ years of professional experience at the crossroads of education, technology and law. Kelly has served in academia for last 14 years as an Assistant Professor in Strategy and International Business - most recently at Konkuk University in Seoul. Research focus includes topics of sustainability, governance (ESG), data privacy and cloud computing. Prior to academia, Kelly launched a global IT brand for Samsung in international marketing, served as the APAC regional chief of staff at Sun Microsystems and worked at Microsoft. Policy and governance experience includes bringing Konkuk University through initial AACSB accreditation and serving as Vice Chair of AACSB accreditation, leading a case at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and advising Korean Government on work-family balance to address diversity & inclusion policy. Kelly strives to be an empowering communicator, collaborative leader and colleague who believes in the power of a shared vision and purpose. Formal education includes a MBA in finance and marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, study abroad at INSEAD, Korean Language certificate from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea / Japanese Language from Keio University in Tokyo, Bachelors degree from the Henry M. Jackson School at University of Washington. Kelly has lived abroad in Asia for 20 years and traveled extensively throughout the developing world, including circumnavigating the world by cargo ship and porting in the Amazon, going on a safari in Tanzania, townships of South Africa, trekking through temples in Myanmar and war tunnels of Vietnam.