Ashlyee Freeman

CV

LAST UPDATED JUNE 2025


Ashlyee Freeman

Emory University | Goizueta Business School | Atlanta, Georgia

Education

PhD

MBA

BA


Emory University
Goizueta Business School

Emphasis: Organization and Management


University of Michigan
Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Emphases: Management and Organizations; Accounting


Pepperdine University
Frank R. Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Majors: Broadcast Journalism; Advertising

Expected 2026

2018

2010

Dissertation


Title: Under the Surface: How Secret Conversations Mobilize Networks, Influence Emotion Regulation, and Impact Work Attitudes


Secret conversations are covert conversations between a subset of meeting participants during a meeting. These interactions represent a dynamic form of network mobilization, serving as a mechanism for securing resources to cope with negative affective events and advance work objectives. Drawing on employee critical incident interviews and egocentric network data, I document the prevalence of these interactions, identify five distinct types of secret conversations, investigate the emotional triggers associated with them, and assess network patterns. I designed and conducted an experiment in which I held negative emotion constant and found that secret conversations enhance team and job satisfaction while reducing turnover intentions. Increased feelings of being understood and decreased feelings of isolation mediate these effects. To assess within-person variability in how secret conversations moderate the link between emotion regulation and key work outcomes, I will conduct an experience sampling study. This research deepens our understanding of dynamic network mobilization and emotional regulation in the workplace.

Committee: Jill Perry-Smith (Chair), Emily Bianchi, Karen Hegtvedt

Research Interests

• Organizational Social Networks

• Interpersonal Emotion Regulation

• Emotional Labor

• Affective Events at Work

Publications

[1] Freeman, A. M., Koçak, Ö. (2023). Designing Organizational Identities for Inclusion. Journal of Organization Design.


Research Under Review & In Preparation for Submission


[2] Perry-Smith, J.E., Fernandes, C.R., & Freeman, A.M. Interpretive Load. Preparing manuscript for resubmission. Target Journal: Organization Science.


Research in Progress

[3]  Freeman, A.M. Secret Conversations as Workplace Network Mobilization. Late-stage data collection.
Target Journal: Academy of Management Journal.

[4]  Freeman, A.M., Lewis, A.N., & Nwadei, T., Symbolic Management and Emotional Dissonance. Late-stage data collection. Target Journal: Organization Science.

[5]  Freeman, A.M. & Perry-Smith, J.E., Meeting Emotion Regulation and Secret Conversations. Late-stage data collection. Target Journal: Journal of Applied Psychology.

[6]  Perry-Smith, J.E., Fernandes, C.R., & Freeman, A.M. Interpretive Load and Status Inconsistency. Early-stage data collection. Target Journal: Academy of Management Journal.

[7]  Freeman, A.M. Emotion Regulation and Networks. Working paper from dissertation.
Target Journal: Academy of Management Review.

Organized Conference Symposia

Freeman, A.M., Jacobsen, D.H, Hubbard, A.M (2025). Network GPS: The Role of Individual Attributes in Navigating Workplace Networks. Academy of Management Annual Meeting. Division Sponsors: Organizational Behavior Division, Organization and Management Theory Division, Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division. Copenhagen, Denmark. July 29, 2025.

- Speakers: Ashlyee Freeman, Dennis H. Jacobsen, Eva Hsin-Lian Lin, Andrew Parker, Stefano Tasselli (Discussant).


Presentations & Invited Lectures


[1] Accepted Paper Presentation. “Inside out at work: secret conversations & emotions.” East Coast Doctoral Conference, hosted by Columbia Business School and NYU Stern School of Business. April 26, 2024.

[2] Invited Lecture. “Positive leadership in work and life.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. January 27, 2024.

[3] Accepted Paper Presentation. “Secret conversations & emotions.” East Coast Doctoral Conference, hosted by MIT Sloan School of Management. October 25, 2023.

[4] Accepted Symposium Presentation. “Hierarchy and Teams.” Academy of Management. August 8, 2023.

[5] Invited Lecture. “Job Crafting in Real Life.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 10, 2022.

[6] Invited Moderator. “Positive Organizations Consortium Panel with Jane Dutton, Kim Cameron, and Bob Quinn.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. April 14, 2021.

[7] Invited Lecture. “Job Crafting in Real Life.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 10, 2021.

[8] Invited Lecture. “[Job] Crafts & Hustles.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 11, 2020.

[9] Invited Lecture. “[Job] Crafts & Hustles.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. February 28, 2019.

[10] Invited Lecture. “Becoming a Positive Leader.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. May 8, 2018.

[11] Invited Lecture. “Building a Digital Presence.” University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. December 10, 2016.

[12] Invited Lecture. “Charting Your Path Post-Graduation.” Pepperdine University. April 11, 2013.

[13] Invited Lecture. “Turning the Capstone Project into a Business.” Pepperdine University. October 4, 2012.


Teaching Experience


Invited Lecture. Leading Remote and Hybrid Teams. Executive MBA. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. March 23, 2024. Average instructor rating: 4.56/5.

Teaching Assistant. Groups & Teams (OAM 620).

- Executive MBA. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Spring 2024.

- Executive MBA. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Spring 2023.

- Evening & Weekend MBA. Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Spring 2021.

Invited Guest Lecture. Job Crafting & Side Hustles. Center for Positive Organizations Capstone Course. Undergraduate. Average instructor rating: 4.58/5.0.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. February 8, 2023.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 9, 2022.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 10, 2021.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. March 11, 2020.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. February 28, 2019.

- University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. May 8, 2018.

Facilitator. Impact Hackathon: Innovation Beyond Shareholder Value. Executive MBA. University of Michigan & GSV. July 12-13, 2018.

Instructor. How to Get a Job in Consulting. Full-time MBA. University of Michigan (Self-initiated and designed). Fall 2017.

Invited Lecture. Building a Digital Presence. Undergraduate. University of Michigan. December 10, 2016.

Invited Lecture. Charting Your Path Post-Graduation. Undergraduate. Pepperdine University. April 11, 2013. Invited Lecture. Turning the Capstone Project into a Business. Undergraduate. Pepperdine University. October 4, 2012.

Instructor. GRE How To Series: Making Studying for the GRE More Tolerable. YouTube. Ongoing.

Honors & Awards


Sheth Fellowship. Awarded for achieving PhD candidacy Centennial Scholars Fellowship. Spring 2023.

Centennial Scholars Fellowship. Awarded for outstanding academic achievement. 2020-2025.

Dean’s List. Awarded to top 10% at Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Spring 2018.

Senior +Lab Fellowship. Selected for advanced application of Positive Organizational Scholarship. Fall 2017.

Skills & Languages


Programming: R; Python; Mplus

Applications: LISREL; PowerBI; Tableau; Excel; PowerPoint; Final Cut Pro

Languages: English (Native); Spanish (Intermediate)

Academic Affiliations

Academy of Management
Member: Organizational Behavior, Managerial and Organizational Cognition, Social Network Society


Center for Positive Organizations
Member: Positive Relationships at Work Microcommunity

Management Doctoral Student Association
Member: Research Committee

Southern Management Association
Member

Relevant Coursework

Statistical Analysis

•  Advanced Network Analysis

•  Structural Equation Modeling

•  Multivariate Analysis II

•  Introduction to R

•  Statistical Methods I & II  

Seminars

•  Organizational Behavior

•  Organizational Theory

•  Evaluations in Social Interaction

•  Social Psychology

•  Business Research Methods

Professional Experience


Accenture Strategy. Senior Manager. CEO Advisory.

Google. Project Manager. YouTube Partnerships.

Sony Pictures Entertainment. International Marketing Assistant. Sony Pictures Television

Internships

Global Citizen Year. Growth Strategy.

Sony Pictures Entertainment. International Marketing.

CNN. Entertainment News.

Real Simple Magazine (American Society of Magazine Editors Fellow). Editorial.

Seventeen Magazine (Argentina). Editorial.

Follow Along

Keep in touch with me and my research on the platforms below

@ Copyright 2023 Ashlyee Freeman | All rights reserved