Dedicated to fostering inclusive and positive workplace cultures, Clara Fangfang Ma has leveraged her extensive research and entrepreneurial ventures. As a global leadership researcher and entrepreneur, she passionately connects forward-thinking talents worldwide.
Prior to her career as a professor and entrepreneur, Ma worked as a United Nations interpreter, TV host, and senior account executive for Asia's largest HR consulting firm. Driven by her commitment to enhancing global business relations and promoting cultural understanding, she employs neuroscience-based teaching approaches to achieve these goals.
Residing in Baltimore, Maryland, with her two lively boys and husband, she holds a doctoral degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University.
Education
- PhD, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Johns Hopkins University
- MS, Educational Leadership, Johns Hopkins University
Research
Working papers
- “International Students’ Mental Health Support” in collaboration with Shelby Forbes, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- “Immigrant Employees Silence” in the U.S. in collaboration with Irem Dermikan, Loyola University Maryland
- “Cross-Cultural Leadership among Asian Immigrant Employees” in collaboration with Lindsay Thompson, Johns Hopkins University
Teaching
Current
- Strategic Human Capital
Previous
- Market Analysis
- Global Business Environment
- Intercultural Communication
Honors and distinctions
- Diversity Advocate Award, Johns Hopkins University, 2022, 2023
- Global Leadership in Education Award, UNESCO, Beijing, 2021
- Multiculturalism Human Resource Management Excellence Award, Human Resource Management Forum in Asia, Beijing, 2020
Impact and engagement
Business
Clara Ma, founder and CEO at Inception Consulting, spearheads partnerships with corporate HR consultancies and educational institutions worldwide.
Community
Advocacy for immigrant employees' workplace success
Advocacy for social-emotional learning principles in classrooms