Welcome to our New Lang Faculty Members!
The Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics is excited to welcome a new cohort of distinguished faculty members who are joining our community. Bringing a wealth of expertise, diverse perspectives, and innovative research, these educators and scholars are poised to enrich the academic experience of our students and contribute to the continued growth and excellence of Lang. In this article, we are proud to introduce our newest faculty members, showcasing their backgrounds, areas of specialization, and the unique insights they bring to our school.
Meet Dr. Zhe (Betty) Ji: Bringing Real World Insight and Responsible Leadership to Marketing Education
Dr. Betty Ji joins the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics with a rich academic foundation and a passion for teaching that traces back to her earliest inspirations. After completing her undergraduate studies at McMaster University, she earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and later returned to McMaster to complete her PhD. Before joining Lang, she was a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia and returned to Ontario to be closer to family.
Her path to academia was shaped by two influences: her mother, a teacher who instilled in her a love for education, and a former supervisor who introduced her to the world of digital marketing. After several years of professional experience, this guidance motivated her to shift her career toward research and teaching in a field she now describes as the perfect fit. One she has never regretted choosing.
In both the classroom and her research, Dr. Ji is committed to making learning accessible and relevant in the real world. She combines her teaching with current examples to help students understand how marketing operates in an increasingly digitized landscape. Her research focuses on marketing strategies in the presence of externalities in the platform economy, livestream shopping, and influencer marketing, using econometric methods, and mathematical modelling. She also works to address real-world business challenges by collaborating with industry partners and engaging with emerging market trends.
Dr. Ji strongly identifies with Lang’s commitment to “business as a force for good.” For her, this means fostering ethical and responsible decision making, both personally and within her academic community. She encourages students to take ownership of their learning and to think critically about how they engage with evolving technologies, including AI, with an emphasis on responsible and ethical use.
Outside the academic world, Dr. Ji enjoys travelling, golfing, and unwinding with movies and TV shows. Her curiosity and passion for teaching makes her a valuable addition to the Lang community.
Meet Dr. Charles Macaulay: Exploring Culture, Leadership, and Social Change Through Sport
Dr. Charles Macaulay brings a unique, socially driven perspective to the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, shaped by an academic journey that began in Vancouver and carried him across North America. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of British Columbia, where he first discovered his passion for understanding how culture, technology, and identity intersect. A pivotal conversation with a faculty advisor helped him apply these ideas to the world of sport, sparking a research project on how American sport connects to racial identity. After presenting his work at conferences and earning mentorship that shaped his academic direction, he went on to earn both his master’s degree in sport management and his PhD in leadership and educational policy at the University of Connecticut.
Before joining Lang, Dr. Macaulay served as an assistant professor at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, where he examined sociology, normative and cognitive structures, and the role of activism in sport. His passion for academia stems from his love of asking complex questions, what he describes as “feeling like a detective” and uncovering the deeper meaning behind what happens in the business of sport.
In the classroom, Dr. Macaulay hopes students take away one big idea: culture matters. He emphasizes that culture and strategy are inseparable, and that doing simple things with intention can drive long-term success. His goal is for students to recognize how organizational culture can shape outcomes, and how leaders must be attentive to what they choose to emphasize or ignore.
Dr. Macaulay’s research focuses on how different stakeholder groups influence organizational strategy, culture, and impact. One of his current projects examines how queerness has shaped sport over time, revealing that meaningful inclusion often originates with fans rather than leagues. He believes that when organizations embrace communities, whether LGBTQ+ fans, women in sport, or other groups, they can create more powerful and socially meaningful experiences beyond the game itself.
Looking ahead, he hopes his research will help reduce barriers between organizational leaders and their constituencies. By bringing these groups together, he hopes to support organizations in shaping environments that are rooted in equity and positive change.
At Lang, Dr. Macaulay is eager to contribute both academically and within student life. He has already become involved with the Great Ethical Dilemma case competition and plans to continue advancing his research through grants and new projects. For students, he hopes to create opportunities that connect classroom learning with real world issues in the sports industry, whether through competitions, mentorship, or experiential learning.
His message to the Lang community is simple but powerful: double down on using business as a force for good. He believes we can address global injustices and create meaningful impact here in Guelph and beyond through research and teaching.
Meet Professor Connie Zavitz: An Educator Shaping the Future of Accounting at Lang
Professor Connie Zavitz brings over 25 years of industry expertise and a deep passion for teaching to the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. Before transitioning into academia, she spent a distinguished career with KPMG, working in offices across Ottawa, Sydney Australia, Waterloo, Toronto, and in global training and development. During a planned sabbatical, she quickly discovered how much she enjoyed the post-secondary environment.
Her growing impact led to expanded roles, including nine years as Manager of External Relations and Student Advising, as well as significant contributions to curriculum development within Lang. Now a faculty member in accounting, Professor Zavitz focuses primarily on teaching, a role that brings her joy and a sense of purpose as she helps shape the next generation of professionals.
Her teaching philosophy is focused on collaborative facilitation rather than the traditional "sage on the stage" approach. Drawing on her corporate background, she creates highly interactive classrooms filled with hands-on activities that keep students engaged and encourage collaboration. She believes learning happens best when students actively participate, and she designs her courses to reflect real-world principles rather than purely technical content. Staying connected with alumni and professionals allows her to continuously integrate current trends and workplace realities into her teaching.
While her primary focus is teaching, Professor Zavitz also pursues meaningful research in two areas: ethics in accounting, particularly how ethical orientations align with academic behaviour, and financial literacy for nonprofit organizations. Her work often intersects with curriculum development and CPA competencies, and she collaborates closely with CPA Ontario and industry partners to ensure Lang’s programs remain aligned with the evolving needs of the profession.
Outside of the classroom, Professor Zavitz embraces what she affectionately calls her “grandma hobbies.” She enjoys biking, gardening, and scrapbooking, and is known for her love of decorating, especially around Christmas, when her office transforms into a festive, homey space that reflects her warm personality.
Professor Zavitz is a valued member of the Lang community whose work continues to enhance both the curriculum and student experience.
Meet Professor Hee Mok Park: Turning Data into Decisions, Curiosity into Insight
Professor Hee Mok Park joins the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics as a marketing analytics scholar with expertise in advanced quantitative methods, including machine learning, casual interference, and hierarchical Bayesian modeling. His academic journey began at Yonsei University in Korea, where he earned his undergraduate degree in business administration and a master’s degree in applied statistics, before completing his PhD in Marketing at the University of Michigan. Prior to Lang, Professor Park taught at the University of Connecticut and the University of Manitoba. He was drawn to Lang for its strong research culture and growing emphasis on business analytics, which closely align with his academic interests and values.
Professor Park’s passion for academia stems from an early realization that many business decisions rely heavily on intuition and case-based discussion without sufficient data support. Motivated to strengthen decision making through rigorous analysis, his research focuses on reducing uncertainty by grounding business insights in data, logic, and analytical structure. His work explores social networks, peer influence, and consumer behaviour, examining how purchasing decisions and digital engagement are shaped not only by firms but also by social connections. His research has been published in leading journals such as Marketing Science and the Journal of Marketing Research and has been featured in major media outlets including The Wall Street Journal.
In the classroom, Professor Park brings a highly interactive and discussion-based teaching style. He emphasizes real time problem solving, in class exercises, and active participation, encouraging students to apply concepts as they learn and build confidence in their analytical reasoning. He advises students to approach their university experience with intention, finding what motivates and excites them, as curiosity and enjoyment often lead to deeper learning and personal growth.
Outside of work, Professor Park values time with his family, especially being present as a father through everyday moments like cooking meals and supporting his children’s activities. A fun fact his students may appreciate: during the COVID-19 pandemic, he endured four quarantines totaling 56 days and emerged with a perfectly mastered quarantine routine.
Meet Dr. Ian Herzog: Exploring Housing, Infrastructure, and Urban Well Being Through Economics
Dr. Ian Herzog brings a passion for urban economics, real estate, and infrastructure to the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. His academic path began right here at the University of Guelph, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Environmental Economics and Policy. While living in Vancouver and eventually earning PhD in Economics at the University of Toronto, Ian became increasingly interested in the range of challenges facing big cities, especially the intersections between housing, infrastructure, and community wellbeing. These experiences ultimately brought him back to academia and back to Guelph, a place he has always loved.
Before joining Lang, Dr. Herzog explored other careers but ultimately found himself drawn to the intellectual curiosity and problem solving that define academic life. He discovered that developing questions, searching for answers, and learning to think with confidence were what fulfilled him most. What spoke to him about returning to Guelph was the collaborative atmosphere and the opportunity to engage with students across programs who are eager to explore meaningful challenges.
In the classroom, Dr. Herzog’s teaching philosophy centers on inquiry, perspective, and open dialogue. He focuses on helping students learn how to see the world through multiple lenses, ask thoughtful questions, and articulate ideas with clarity, whether in group discussions, case studies, or one-on-one conversations. By bringing ongoing research projects and unfinished case work into class, he encourages students to explore real world problems such as housing needs and infrastructure planning from their own lives and perspectives.
Creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment is central to his approach. Dr. Herzog recognizes that students engage differently, so he offers multiple avenues for participation: group work, after class conversations, project-based exploration, and more. He encourages students to choose topics that matter to them and contribute in ways that align with their strengths, ensuring that every voice has a place in the learning experience.
His research bridges theory and practices, informed by his involvement with groups like the Real Estate Students’ Association (RESA) and industry advisory boards. Much of his work centers on public policy and how economic insights can support better outcomes in housing, infrastructure, and community development. Through this, he hopes to prepare students to navigate and influence the real-world challenges that shape society.
Dr. Herzog believes business education plays a powerful, often underrated role in tackling global challenges. Its inherently interdisciplinary nature, spanning economics, marketing, accounting, sustainability, and more, provides students with a broad and adaptable foundation for advancing equity, innovation, and responsible decision making.
Outside the university, Dr. Herzog enjoys playing guitar and going on canoe trips with his wife, activities that reflect the creativity and curiosity he brings into his work every day.
Dr. Herzog is a welcome addition to the Lang community.
Meet Dr. Pei Wang: Exploring How Management Controls Motivate Employee Development and More Sustainable Workplaces.
Dr. Pei Wang joins the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics with a passion for understanding how organizations can better motivate employees to work, learn, and innovate. He completed his PhD in Accounting at the University of Waterloo, where his research focused on employee behaviour, specifically, how management control systems influence employee helping, learning, and creativity. Using experiments that help test causal relationships between variables, Dr. Wang works to gain insights that can help organizations improve both people and performance.
Before entering academia, Dr. Wang worked a few years in audit and corporate finance, an experience that continues to push him to seek impact in his research and teaching. His industry background helps him to explain complex accounting and management concepts with practical, real-world examples. In the classroom, he is committed to helping students think about where things can go wrong and how to improve. For him, business as a force for good goes beyond numbers; for instance, mass production may reduce fixed costs and allow products to be priced lower but can also harm the environment.
Dr. Wang’s path to academia began during his professional years, when he sought more intellectually stimulating work. His curiosity about how workplace policies can improve workplace practices and decision making, ultimately led him to graduate studies and a career dedicated to research and teaching. When he interviewed at Lang, he was struck by the faculty’s supportive culture and how strongly the school’s mission of “business as a force for good” resonated with his own values.
His research continues to evolve alongside emerging trends in management accounting and employee development. He is particularly interested in how organizations motivate employees across multiple tasks, how innovative control systems shape behaviour, and how sustainability metrics are increasingly being integrated into performance measurement structures. Dr. Wang believes these developments will play a critical role in shaping more ethical and sustainable organizations.
Aligned with Lang’s commitment to inclusive leadership, his work emphasizes creating environments where employees feel safe to experiment and fail. These are ingredients for fostering creativity and long-term organizational growth. His focus on employee-centered systems showcases the importance of people as the core of any business.
For students, Dr. Wang shares important advice: the freedom in university comes with responsibility, and sometimes the responsibility to improve one’s knowledge and skills is overlooked. He also believes lifelong learning is essential in a fast-evolving, technology-driven world.
Outside of work, Dr. Wang enjoys spending time with his family. Before his academic journey, he played guitar and violin, and he hopes to return to music when life becomes less busy.
Dr. Wang brings a fresh perspective to Lang’s accounting and management community.
Meet Dr. Preetinder Kaur: Bridging Strategy and Ethics to Drive Real World Impact
Dr. Preetinder Kaur brings a global perspective and a passion for strategic marketing to the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. Her journey into marketing and sales began early, at just 20 years old, when she was studying business while working in customer service and sales roles for corporate and franchisee organizations. This hands-on experience, combined with time spent working across three countries over the next few years, sparked her curiosity about how chain organizations make decisions and how franchise owners navigate competitive markets.
In 2017, Dr. Kaur transitioned into the world of academia, ultimately completing her PhD in 2022 in the field of marketing, specifically firm strategy and growth. Her research interests naturally evolved from the real challenges franchise owners face, such as where to open new locations, or how to compete with other store owners across multiple locations, and how social media strategies influence store performance. Prior to joining Lang, she taught at the University of Windsor before being drawn to Guelph for its academic excellence and strong sense of community. Now at Lang, she teaches sales and marketing courses while continuing to explore the strategic questions that matter most to business owners today.
Dr. Kaur’s professional background deeply shapes her approach to both teaching and research. Her experience in marketing strategy and digital marketing helps her stay closely aligned with industry needs, ensuring students gain knowledge that is both practical and forward-looking. She believes in helping learners connect theoretical concepts to real world applications, encouraging them not to wait until graduate school to seek meaningful learning opportunities, but to actively engage, get involved, and pursue hands on experiences throughout their undergraduate journey.
Her research remains grounded in solving real business challenges. She is currently examining issues such as “health washing” in fast food chains and how brand perception influences consumer decision making. Her goal is to develop insights that help guide business owners and provide marketers with responsible, evidence-based strategies. This aligns closely with Lang’s commitment to “business as a force for good,” a value Dr. Kaur embraces both personally and professionally. She emphasizes the importance of ensuring that business activities create value for all stakeholders, holding companies accountable for misleading marketing practices, and educating students on the role ethical marketing plays in society.
Outside of her academic work, Dr. Kaur enjoys spending time with her two young kids, who keep her busy and grounded. During the summer months, she also loves gardening, finding joy and relaxation in taking care of her plants.
Meet Chef Riley Bennett: Cooking Up Sustainable Leadership, One Plate at a Time
With more than two decades of experience spanning professional kitchens, wineries, classrooms, and global culinary stages, Chef Riley Bennett brings a rare blend of industry depth, academic leadership, and a passion for sustainable food systems to the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.
Riley began his culinary journey in the small town of Falkland, B.C., where he grew up on his family’s farm and started working in his parents’ restaurant at just nine years old. His early connection to food, and the people and environments behind it, set the foundation for a career defined by curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Over 15 years as a professionally trained chef, Riley worked across hotels, restaurants, catering operations, wineries, and entrepreneurial ventures. A decorated competitor, he trained under renowned chefs across Canada, earning multiple gold medals and awards provincially, nationally, and internationally. His culinary excellence led him to global stages such as the Food and Hotel Asia competition in Singapore, where he helped secure a world championship title.
Transitioning into academia, Riley spent another 15 years as a Chef Professor at three colleges and developed a first of its kind Bachelor of Commerce in Culinary Management program at George Brown College, where he served as program lead for seven years. His teaching portfolio is broad, ranging from culinary arts and sensory evaluation to restaurant operations, sustainability, and strategic decision making. At the University of Guelph, Riley teaches HTM*2700 Understanding Food, HTM*3120 Strategic Operational Analytics where he connects business strategy with real world hospitality challenges and an understanding of the science of cooking.
Riley holds an MBA in Sustainable Commerce from the University of Guelph, along with the prestigious Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) designation, two interprovincial Red Seals in Cooking and Baking/Patisserie, and International Sommelier Guild Level 2 certification. His academic work and industry research explore food systems, sustainability, operational analytics, and the growing need for nutritionally trained culinary graduates. He has presented at international conferences, including the World Research Summit in Florida.
A passionate educator and mentor, Riley’s teaching philosophy is inclusive and grounded in compassion and empowerment. He prioritizes experiential learning, creating opportunities for students to cook, collaborate, compete, and connect with industry leaders. Whether through interdisciplinary case studies Canada wide study tours examining supply chains from farm to plate, Riley encourages students to be curious, confident, and thoughtful decision makers.
For Riley, Lang’s mission of “business as a force for good” reflects his deep belief that hospitality and commerce must consider people, place, planet, and long-term impact. He is committed to shaping future leaders who understand that sustainable value creation goes far beyond profit.
Outside the classroom, Riley is grounded by nature and family. He loves hiking, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his dog. As a twin, and a father of twins, he brings a strong sense of community and connection to everything he does.
Chef Riley Bennett’s journey continues to inspire a new generation of students at Lang.
Dr. Ryan Snelgrove: Designing Sport Programs and Events for Social Impact
For Dr. Ryan Snelgrove, joining the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics felt like a natural fit. Drawn to Lang’s mission of “business as a force for good,” he saw a direct connection between the school’s values and his own work exploring the role of sport in shaping social impact. His research examines how sport programs and events can be designed and leveraged to create value for participants and communities, offering insights that support Lang’s growing sport management programs.
Although his academic career began with a desire to become a high school teacher, Dr. Snelgrove’s experiences in business and lifelong involvement in sport led him naturally toward sport management. Academia became a space where teaching, inquiry, and applied work could intersect, and pursuing a PhD allowed him to explore practice-informed questions while staying closely connected to sport.
In the classroom, Dr. Snelgrove believes students learn best when they understand why course concepts matter. He emphasizes practical decision-making, real-world applications, and creating an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions. His teaching is rooted in experiential learning and helping students see learning as an ongoing process rather than a test.
When advising students, he encourages them to embrace opportunities that stretch them, such as joining new activities, meeting new people, and stepping into unfamiliar spaces. These experiences, he says, often become the most transformative part of university life.
Dr. Snelgrove’s research addresses real organizational challenges by examining how sport programs and events can be designed and adapted to respond to varied participant needs and shifting social environments. By focusing on participation, meaning, and community outcomes, his work offers practical insights for organizations seeking to create positive social impact through sport.
Outside of his academic work, Dr. Snelgrove is dedicated to family life with his spouse and three children. Whether traveling, exploring new places, or staying active outdoors, sport and adventure continue to shape how he spends his time, including his excitement for the winter season ahead.
Xi Chen – Assistant Professor of Management
For Dr. Xi Chen, management research has always been about people, how they make sense of change, fairness, and meaning in their work. Her academic journey began during her undergraduate studies, when she became fascinated by China’s quick institutional transition and how shifting systems reshaped everyday life. That curiosity led her to study how people judge what was fair during periods of economic change, forming the basis of her undergraduate thesis. When the work was later published, it gave her the confidence to pursue a career in academia and the questions she was genuinely curious about.
That path led Dr. Chen to New York University, where she completed her PhD in Management. While involved in organizational behaviour, her perspective was shaped by a lived experience. She spent several years working and conducting research in China, gaining firsthand insight into how market development influences values, motivation, and meanings of work. This work was published in a leading journal on China research—Management and Organization Review. This emphasis on meaning strongly aligns with Lang’s commitment to “business as a force for good.” Dr. Chen’s research finds that market-driven institutions can sometimes reduce work to financial outcomes alone, weakening people’s sense of purpose. Her findings suggest that meaning is a fundamental human need, one that sustains motivation and long-term economic development. Drawn to Lang’s continued growth and mission, she saw a strong alignment between her research interests and the school’s vision.
Dr. Chen’s research today focuses on entrepreneurial cognition, social networks, and performance. While helping a startup in Waterloo bring a product to market, she became immersed in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and worked closely with founders navigating early-stage uncertainty. Through conversations with entrepreneurs in Canada, Chile, and China, she observed a common challenge: many founders hesitate to invest time and resources into customer engagement and market validation, despite knowing their importance. Her research revealed that confidence plays an important role in shaping entrepreneurial behaviour and performance, insights that have been published in top journals including Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Journal of Business Research.
In the classroom, Dr. Chen integrates research and real-life experiences into her teaching, connecting theory to practice through case studies, scenario simulations, and group exercises. With a background in psychology, she encourages students to think critically about trust, decision making, and institutional systems, using lived examples to make learning both relevant and engaging.
Outside of academia, Dr. Chen enjoys playing the piano, watching films, and exploring new places, often drawing inspiration from these experiences to inform her research and teaching.
Yuchen Zhang – Assistant Professor of Finance
Dr. Yuchen Zhang joined the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics in 2025, bringing a strong background in corporate finance and corporate social responsibility (CSR). After completing his undergraduate studies in supply chain management at Sun Yat-Sen University and a master’s degree at UBC, Dr. Zhang developed a research focus on how CSR initiatives play out in industries like healthcare. He was drawn to Lang for its collaborative research environment and the balance it offers between teaching and scholarship, allowing him to contribute meaningfully to both.
Dr. Zhang’s passion for academia was sparked during his time as a teaching and research assistant at UBC, where he applied theoretical tools to real world challenges. In his teaching, he hopes to equip students with strong decision making skills and an understanding of economic reasoning, while fostering an inclusive and engaging classroom where all students feel respected and valued.
His research explores how CSR initiatives can enhance organizational reputation and long term success, showcasing the impact of reasonable business practices on both for-profit and non-profit organizations. By connecting theory with practical application. Dr. Zhang aligns closely with Lang’s mission of promoting sustainable, ethical, and inclusive leadership. Outside of academia, he enjoys exploring food spots, traveling, hiking, reading, and spending time with his cat.