Janell TownsendDr. Janell Townsend is a Professor of Marketing and International Business, and Chair of the Management & Marketing Department at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, USA. The department supports over 2,300 business students with more than 50 full and part-time faculty. She has also taught at Michigan State University, TU-Wien Technical University of Vienna, Wayne State University, and the University of Zurich. Professor Townsend earned her PhD from Michigan State University, with current research focused on marketing strategy and falling within the nexus of branding, product design and innovation, in a global marketplace. With over 30 academic publications in top tier business journals and books, she has appeared on Fox News and been quoted in the Wall Street Journal to share her expertise. She is an active member of the academic and business communities, serving on various boards and committees. Professor Townsend regularly consults and collaborates with major global automotive OEM’s, suppliers, and market research firms.