2025 Lam-Larsen Distinguished Professorship Award Winners

Research Professorship Awards

The Distinguished Research Professorship Awards recognize faculty for their research impact, including productivity, publishing and awards, as well as societal impact, and fostering multi‐disciplinary collaborations within the Lam Family College of Business, across San Francisco State University and broader society through community engagement, research, partnerships and more.

Join us in congratulating the five award recipients for 2025 – 2027, Finance Professor Todd Feldman, Accounting Professor Theresa Hammond, Management Associate Professor Priyanka Joshi, Management Associate Professor Veró Rabelo, and Finance Associate Professor Yi Zhou.

The Award

The objective of the Lam-Larsen Distinguished Research Faculty Awards is to recognize the outstanding intellectual contributions of faculty towards enhancing the academic reputation and research environment of the college. Awardees, designated as Lam-Larsen Distinguished Research Professors, receive a $10,000 annual stipend for two years and present their work to the college’s community.  These awards are funded by the Lam-Larsen Global Innovation Fund.

Eligible faculty must be tenured Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB) faculty and employed at San Francisco State University for a minimum of seven years. The committee also considered exceptional cases, limited to tenured Associate Professors, who have built a distinctive and compelling research record while in residence at the LFCoB in less than the stipulated seven-year period.

The primary consideration is academic impact, measured by the quality and quantity of peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals. Academic impact is also reflected in the authorship of academic books, membership on prestigious editorial boards, and “Best Papers” awards from academic associations. Other examples include refereed papers in prominent and highly rigorous national and international conferences, book chapters and monographs, citations, referrals, and peer reviews.

Another consideration is societal impact, as reflected in fostering multi-disciplinary collaborations within the LFCoB, SF State, and society. Examples include sustained community engagement, research with graduate and undergraduate students, partnerships with Bay Area business and civic communities, research impact on curricular innovations, speaking invitations, media citations, books and articles in the popular press, and press releases. Beyond engagement and service, however, the societal impact has to be validated in terms of research publications.

Read about some of the achievements of each of this year's distinguished awardees:

Todd Feldman, Ph.D.

Professor, Finance

Professor Todd Feldman’s research explores critical areas in finance, behavioral economics, fintech, and market dynamics, with a focus on investor sentiment, asset price behavior, financial regulation, decentralized finance (DeFi), and agent-based modelling. His research tackles contemporary financial challenges by integrating these fields to offer new insights into market behavior, investment strategies, and the evolving financial landscape. He has published over 20 articles, including one rated A* and 6 rated A.

Equally commendable is Professor Feldman’s role in fostering a research culture and pedagogical innovation at SFSU. From founding new courses in fintech and sustainable investing to mentoring students, collaborating with colleagues, and organizing research conferences to engage with industry, his impact extends far beyond individual scholarship.

Theresa Hammond, Ph.D.

Professor, Accounting

Professor Theresa Hammond is a nationally recognized scholar whose groundbreaking research on Black Certified Public Accountants has shaped the field of Accounting. Her seminal book, A White-Collar Profession, has sold over 7,000 copies since its publication 20 years ago, with glowing reviews on Amazon averaging 4.9 stars. Theresa’s scholarly work has been published widely; she has over 20 publications, with many in the highest quality journals, including 9 A* and 9 A rated publications. She continues to inspire a new generation of Black CPAs.

Her global reach includes work with Black chartered accountants in South Africa and mentoring one of the country’s first Black female Ph.D. in accounting. Her work was instrumental in the development of the PhD Project that advances diversity in business fields. Theresa’s service in the past three decades culminated in her 2023 induction into the PhD Project Hall of Fame. She continues to co-author with and mentor junior faculty within and outside her department. Her award-winning work now includes critical histories of both Black and LGBTQ+ accountants. Above all, Theresa exemplifies her commitment to making the business profession more just towards marginalized groups through her research, teaching, and service.

Priyanka Joshi Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Management

Professor Priyanka Joshi’s research aims to create sustainable workplaces for all by addressing important social problems, such as justice and fairness in organizations, and biases against female leaders. Her academic productivity is exemplified by her lead authorship of 10 peer-reviewed journal articles, and six articles published in the highest quality (A*) journals in management and organization. Her research on gender differences in communication has been widely cited by scholars in the fields of management, psychology, gender studies, and communications, attesting to its broad academic impact in these areas.

Priyanka’s impressive methodological expertise includes field studies, survey methodology, analysis of archival data, textual analysis, big data analysis, behavioral lab studies, and meta-analytic and research synthesis techniques, each adding to her scientific rigor in addressing the research questions. Her academic leadership is also exemplified by her service on the communications advisory board at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, where she helped translate research findings to broader audiences, and to society at large.

Veró Rabelo, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Management

Professor Vero Rabelo’s research productivity is demonstrated by 23 peer-reviewed publications, four of which in A* and one in A ranked journals. Their pioneering research on how people experience, cope with, and resist injustice in organizations has made an impressive academic and societal impact. The numerous research awards, as well as over 1800 Google Scholar citations of Vero’s research, attest to its relevance and academic impact. Vero’s publications, presentations, and speeches have initiated important conversations on sensitive topics such as inequality and marginalization in organizations, especially harassment and mistreatment against women of color. Vero’s recent appointment as Associate Editor of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and editorial board member of the Journal of Business and Psychology further attests to the value and impact of their research.

In addition to having an impressive academic impact, Vero’s scholarship has reached the SFSU community and society at large through campus workshops, public lectures, practitioner publications, public appearances, and speaking engagements. The greatest testimony to the societal impact of their research is the fact that it has been cited in Supreme Court briefs, triggering the expansion of federal legislation (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) to include greater protections for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals.

Yi Zhou, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Finance

Professor Yi Zhou’s research stands out for its breadth and depth. Her research areas span empirical asset pricing, derivatives, credit risk, default risk, volatility, art and finance, climate risk, weather risk, and generative AI (Gen AI). She has an exceptional publication record, demonstrated by 5 A* and 4 A publications. Her research has gained significant academic visibility, with 140+ university seminar and conference invitations as well as extensive media coverage in outlets such as Yahoo Finance and the Huffington Post. She has also served as an ad-hoc referee for 30+ journals.

She was the only professor of finance invited to the prestigious International Climate Computer Summit, an NSF-sponsored event in 2024, which convened experts to evaluate a specialized computational system for high-resolution global climate projections. Her participation fostered collaborations between climate scientists and financial experts and the broader academic community.

Teaching Professorship Awards 

Four Lam Family College of Business faculty members are recognized for their long and distinguished record of outstanding and high-impact teaching and mentoring with our bi-annual Lam-Larsen Distinguished Teaching Professorship Awards for 2025 – 2027: Management Professor Sally Baack, Economics Professor Venoo Kakar, Management Professor Eric Lamm, and Decision Sciences Professor Julia Miyaoka!

Funded by the Lam-Larsen Global Innovation Fund, the Distinguished Teaching Professorship Awards recognize faculty not only for excellent teaching but also for innovative instruction and significant contributions to improving the curriculum in our college. Each awardee receives a $10,000 annual stipend for two years and mentors another faculty member each award year.

Join us in congratulating these three award recipients for 2025-2027!

Sally Baack, Ph.D.

Professor, Management 

Professor Sally Baack is a distinguished educator and leader in the field of management education, with over 25 years of dedicated service at San Francisco State University. A highly respected teacher and mentor, Professor Baack has consistently demonstrated excellence in the classroom, evidenced by student evaluation scores that average an impressive 1.21 across both undergraduate and MBA programs, including 17 perfect 1.0 section evaluations. Her commitment to student-centered learning and innovative pedagogy is widely recognized, including her selection as the College of Business CEETL Teaching Fellow in 2018 – 2019 and multiple College of Business Professor of the Year awards.

A thought leader in experiential and case-based learning, Professor Baack has authored numerous acclaimed teaching cases and pedagogical articles. She is known for blending rigor with creativity — integrating humor, interactive exercises, and global perspectives into her courses.

Professor Baack’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is exemplary. She integrates DEI principles through meaningful classroom practices, diverse case selection, and student engagement strategies that affirm identity and belonging. Her approach to mentorship — supporting both students and junior faculty — is personal, thoughtful, and impactful.

With a sustained record of scholarship, service, media engagement, and pedagogical innovation, Professor Baack embodies the very best of academic excellence and community impact. She is a cornerstone of the Management Department and a deeply valued member of the Lam Family College of Business.

Venoo Kakar, Ph.D.

Professor, Economics

Professor Venoo Kakar has been with San Francisco State University and the Lam Family College of Business for 12 years. She has provided transformative educational experiences by directly engaging students in teaching and research, resulting in co-authored publications and competitive job placements. Her students have regularly presented their class projects at the Grad Slam and the Graduate Research Showcase and have won awards at the CSU-wide research competition.

She has taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate Economics courses and has consistently received exceptional SETE scores with several perfect evaluations. She continuously updates her teaching materials to include recent events that are relatable to students, such as through her presentation on the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse. 

Her flipped classroom approach, featuring publicly accessible YouTube videos, has freed class time for applied problem-solving and lab work, fostering deeper engagement. This approach has deepened student learning while also reaching a global audience. To date, she has created 214 instructional videos, which have collectively garnered 710,753 views. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and reports with students and provided research assistantships to 18 students, many of whom were first-generation college students.

She is also leading a collaborative project titled Using GenAI Tools to Engage Students with Economics Research. The goal of this pedagogical research is to make economics research more accessible and approachable for students at the introductory level.

Eric Lamm, Ph.D.

Professor, Management

Professor Eric Lamm exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in teaching, curriculum development, and academic mentorship. Over the past several years, he has taught five distinct management courses in various modalities, consistently achieving exceptional student evaluations. His average SETE score of 1.24 (1.16 excluding an outlier) places him significantly above the departmental average of 1.58, underscoring his ability to foster a rigorous yet engaging classroom environment. Despite a reputation as a demanding instructor, students repeatedly describe his courses as enjoyable, enriching, and deeply engaging.

Professor Lamm is also an innovative pedagogue. He co-authored a first-of-its-kind interactive, digital-only textbook with Pearson that incorporates videos, drag-and-drop exercises, and real-time performance tracking — an effective response to changing student learning habits. His scholarship includes multiple articles in Management Teaching Review and conference presentations on experiential exercises that deepen learning through application and reflection.

Professor Lamm is also a dedicated mentor. He has supported over 15 junior faculty through comprehensive classroom evaluations and ongoing coaching.  In particular, his mentorship of Monique Domingo, now a tenure-track faculty member at Louisiana State University, is a testament to his ability to inspire and guide students toward academic careers.

In summary, through his teaching, innovation, mentorship, and DEI leadership, Professor Lamm has made a lasting impact on management education in the Lam Family College of Business and San Francisco State University.

Julia Miyaoka, Ph.D.

Professor, Decision Sciences

Professor Julia Miyaoka has been with San Francisco State University and the Lam Family College of Business for 22 years. She has taught a wide range of Decision Sciences courses and has consistently received exceptional SETE scores. She is regarded as one of the most caring and effective teachers by her students and peers.

Outside the classroom, Professor Miyaoka has engaged in various curriculum innovation, course development, and pedagogical research. She was involved in improving one of the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program's (BSBA) core courses, Operations Management, including the initiation of a student-led supplemental instruction section, the development of an activity-based version of the course, and an online version during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, Professor Miyaoka has received a community engagement mini-grant and supervised facilitators for a summer high school program, with the goal to bring real-world math applications in business to incoming first-year high school students.

Service Professorship Awards

Three Lam Family College of Business faculty members received the 2025 – 2027 Lam-Larsen Distinguished Service Professorship Award in recognition of their outstanding and diverse service contributions to our campus community and the general community at large: Labor and Employment Studies Program Director and Professor John Logan, Management Professor Antoaneta Petkova, and International Business Professor Lihua Wang.

Each awardee receives a $10,000 annual stipend for two years and is expected to share their service experiences and methods to balance teaching, research, and outstanding service with the college community. This award is supported by the Lam-Larsen Fund for Global Innovation.

Read more about the three award recipients and join us in congratulating them!

John Logan, Ph.D.

Director and Professor, Labor and Employment Studies Program

Professor Logan has revived the Labor and Employment Studies program, making it a vibrant place where ideas flourish and students grow into leaders. His innovative internship and mentorship pipeline has launched the careers of dozens of first-generation, underrepresented students who now lead in unions, advocacy groups, and international labor institutions. Outside the classroom, Professor Logan’s national and global media coverage and policy advocacy have provided extraordinary visibility to SF State. His work has acted as a catalyst connecting academia, labor, and community change, earning recognition from organizations like the AFL-CIO and the California Labor Federation. Professor Logan exemplifies how dedicated faculty service transforms lives—a legacy vividly seen in his students’ success.

Antoaneta Petkova, Ph.D.

Professor, Management

For more than 15 years, Professor Petkova has provided exceptional academic leadership and service at the Lam Family College of Business. As Director of Assurance of Learning, she developed one of the CSU’s premier assessment programs, positively impacting more than 100 faculty members and leading four successful AACSB re-accreditations. Her extensive service spans departmental, college, university, and professional communities, where she has chaired Retention, Tenure and Promotion (RTP) and sabbatical committees and shaped national academic standards through her editorial and conference roles. Professor Petkova’s dedication to student success is equally remarkable, having mentored hundreds of graduate students through socially impactful consulting projects. Her strategic, student-centered, and civically engaged approach has significantly elevated our college’s integrity and reputation. Professor Petkova truly embodies service above self.

Lihua Wang, Ph.D.

Professor, International Business

Throughout her nearly 20-year tenure at San Francisco State, Professor Wang has provided transformative leadership within the Lam Family College of Business and across the University. As Co-Director and subsequently Senior Assistant Dean of Accreditation, she was instrumental in the college’s successful AACSB re-accreditation for 2024 – 2030, overseeing strategic planning, data analysis, and institutional effectiveness. Professor Wang created the Lam-Larsen Emerging and Developing Economies Initiative, launching a groundbreaking mentorship program that has benefited more than 400 students, many of whom are first-generation or international students. She has also established strong industry partnerships, including with Women in International Trade and the Customs Broker and Forwarder Association, providing direct career opportunities for our students. Professor Wang’s extraordinary commitment, collaborative spirit, and global perspective set the benchmark for distinguished service.