Clara Fangfang Ma is an educator, author, and entrepreneur whose work examines how culture and communication shape leadership, workplace inclusion, and international student success. Her research interests include global talent intercultural competence, international students’ adaptation and belonging, and intercultural bias in artificial intelligence. She studies how neuroeducation can influence teaching and leadership development.
At Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Dr. Ma teaches business communication, leadership, and ethics. Her teaching connects research with practical strategies for communicating across cultures, navigating ethical challenges, and building inclusive organizations.
Dr. Ma is also coauthor of Effective Communication and Academic Success for International Students (Routledge). She is the founder of Inception Consulting and serves on the Board of Directors of Hostelling International USA. Her earlier professional experience includes work as a United Nations interpreter, television host, and senior account executive in human resources consulting.
Education
- PhD, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Johns Hopkins University
- MS, Educational Leadership, Johns Hopkins University
Research Publications
- Bjorn, G., & Ma, C. F. (2027). Effective communication and academic success for international students. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Effective-Communication-and-Academic-Success-for-International-Students/Bjorn-Ma/p/book/9781041020271
- Liu, Y., Liu, F., & Ma, F. (2025). Evaluating cultural and linguistic alignment across the LLMs [Conference workshop paper]. LLM Evaluation Workshop, 39th Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS 2025). https://openreview.net/forum?id=S4qF7Yd8ao
- Liu, Y., Liu, F., & Ma, F. (2025). Cross-cultural communication and linguistic challenges in AI language models [Conference paper]. NeurIPS 2025 Workshop. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395720109_Cross-Cultural_Communication_and_Linguistic_Challenges_in_AI_Language_Models
- Ding, K., Forbes, S., Ma, F., Luo, G., Zhou, J., & Qi, Y. (2024). AI bias in lung cancer radiotherapy. Exploration of Digital Health Technologies, 2(6), 302–312. https://doi.org/10.37349/edht.2024.00030
- Ma, C. F. (2023). Understanding Chinese international students’ acculturative stress and supporting students with intercultural training [Doctoral dissertation, Johns Hopkins University]. JScholarship. https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/68437/MA-DISSERTATION-2023.pdf?sequence=1
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
Teaching
Current and recent courses
Business Communication; Business Leadership and Human Values; Strategic Human Capital.
Previously taught
Marketing Research; Global Business Environment; Intercultural Communication.
Honors and distinctions
Carey Faculty Service and Mentorship Award Nominee, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, 2024 and 2026.
Diversity Advocate Award, Johns Hopkins University, 2022 and 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 and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Ma is the Founder of Inception Consulting, an international education and leadership consulting firm. She builds partnerships with educational institutions, corporations, and HR consultancies worldwide, translating research on cross-cultural communication, leadership, and cultural adaptation into practical strategies for educational and professional success.
Professional and Community Service
Board Member, Hostelling International USA (2026–present): Supports the organization's mission of promoting intercultural exchange, global citizenship, and meaningful connections across communities.
Board Member, Brain-Targeted Teaching Institute: Supports the advancement of neuroscience-informed education, leadership development, and the application of brain-based teaching strategies to foster effective, inclusive, and engaging global learning environments.
Research Affiliate, Higher Learning Lab: Contributes to interdisciplinary research and initiatives focused on global educational innovation and equitable learning opportunities.
Advocacy and Educational Impact
Immigrant Employee Inclusion: Advocates for immigrant employee voice, workplace equity, and professional advancement among immigrant populations.
International Student Success: Promotes academic achievement, social belonging, mental health awareness, and career readiness for international students.
BTT® — Brain-Targeted Teaching® and Social-Emotional Learning: Advances the application of BTT® and social-emotional learning principles to support inclusive and supportive learning environments.
Public Engagement
Keynote Speaker, Johns Hopkins University Women's Leadership Conference (2025): Delivered a virtual keynote address exploring impostor syndrome among female immigrant employees, highlighting cultural barriers, professional identity, self-confidence, and pathways to leadership.
“Architects of Possible,” Johns Hopkins Magazine (Fall 2023): Featured for her perspectives on immigrant mentorship, representation, and pathways to leadership.