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Dr. Karen Peesker

Dr. Karen Peesker

Associate Professor | Director, Sales Leadership Program
DepartmentHospitality and Tourism Management
EducationHBA, MBA, PhD
OfficeTRS 3-044
Phone(416) 979-5000 x 553790

Image © 2020 Karen Peesker

Dr. Karen (Boehnke) Peesker's primary teaching focus is marketing, sales, and organizational behavior.

Before academia, Dr. Karen Peesker held a global career working in 15 countries with an exceptional record of exceeding revenue targets and client expectations.

She brings a unique blend of corporate experience and academic rigor to students, resulting in her winning the prestigious Provost's and Dean's Teaching Awards. As a multiple award-winning sales director and published researcher, she has led TMU to become a Canadian leader in sales education. She was recently recognized as one of Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by WXN.

Dr. Peesker is an enthusiastic and motivating Associate Professor who infuses her extensive sales and marketing experience into every course. She uses an engaging, interactive, and coaching approach with a blend of real-world experience and leading-edge research to excel in the classroom and teach effectively. This approach works with students and adult learners in executive education. Her research focuses on international sales and leadership.

Karen holds a Ph.D. in Marketing and Sales from tripled-accredited (i.e., AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) Cranfield School of Management, UK, and an MBA and HBA from Ivey Business School Canada. She has contributed as a lecturer, guest lecturer, or a fundraising co-chair to international schools, including Toronto Metropolitan University, Ivey Business School, and DeGroote School of Business in Canada, as well as the School of Business at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and the University of Western Sydney, Australia.

linkedin.com/in/karen-peesker (external link, opens in new window) 

 @karenpeesker (external link, opens in new window) 

Marketing, Sales and Leadership

Peer-reviewed publications

Peesker, K., Kerr, P., Bolander, W., Ryals, L., Lister, J., & Dover, H. (2022). Hiring for sales success: the emerging importance of salesperson analytical skills (external link) Journal of Business Research144, 17-30. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.070

Peesker, K., Ryals, L., Rich, G., & Davis, L. (2021). An ecosystems analysis of how sales managers develop salespeople (external link) Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 36(4), 654-665. doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-01-2020-0037 

Knight, P., Peesker, K., & Mich, C. (2021). The development of self-efficacy and self-leadership within USA accredited sales programs: An exploratory study on sales career preparedness (external link) Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 12(1), 26-49. doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-12-2020-0254

Peesker, K., & Lister, J. (2020). Walking the talk: LinkedIn’s best practices to advance women in sales, Journal of Selling, 20(2), 79-89.

Peesker, K., Ryals, L., Rich, G., & Boehnke, S. (2019). A qualitative study of leader behaviors perceived to enable salesperson performance (external link) Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, 39(4), 319-333doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2019.1596816

Peesker, K., Ryals, L, Rich, G., & Boehnke, S. (2019, June 5-8). A qualitative study of leader behaviours perceived to enable salesperson performance (external link)  [Conference Session]. Global Sales Science Institute Conference, Panama City, Panama. 

Peesker, K., & Ryals, L. (2018, April 11-13). Exploring leadership behaviours perceived to enable salesperson performance [Conference session]. National Conference for Sales Management, San Diego, CA, USA. doi.org/10.1080/08853134.2019.1596816

Boehnke, K., Bontis, N., DiStefano, J., & DiStefano, A. (2003). Transformational leadership: An examination of cross‐national differences and similarities (external link) Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 24(1), 5-15. doi.org/10.1108/01437730310457285

Current Courses
  • HTM 604 - Hospitality and Tourism Sales
  • HTM 621 - Advertising and Promotion
  • HTL 701 - The Power of Branding in Hospitality and Tourism
  • HTH 601 - Organizational Behaviour
Honours & awards
2022 Provost's Experiential Teaching Award, Ryerson University
2021 Dean’s Teaching Award, Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University
2004 Emerald Literati Club Award for Excellence for Outstanding Paper in Leadership & Organization Journal