Dr. Beausoleil refers to herself as a “pracademic” who teaches design methodologies for business innovation and leads research on organizational innovation process design, navigation, and management. A former communications designer, senior strategist, and innovation lab executive, she applies her extensive industry experience to crafting high impact student-centred learning experiences. At Rotman, Dr. Beausoleil is the Academic Director of the Business Design Initiative, an emerging education and research centre focused on design-led innovation leadership. She also teaches human-centred design, innovative leadership, and creativity to executive, MBA, and commerce students. She has worked on corporate brands such as Starbucks, McDonalds, Sony, The Gap, Telus, and global initiatives such as the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Society of Digital Innovators (SoDa). Prior to Rotman, she taught at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business and remains a visiting lecturer of Applied Innovation at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Dr. Beausoleil is Canada’s first PhD to focus on innovation literacy (innovative leadership) using design processes and methods.

Dr. Beausoleil holds a BAA in Communication Design and Commerce from Ryerson University; and the MA in Interdisciplinary Studies (Innovation Intermediaries Studies) and PhD in Innovation Pedagogy from the University of British Columbia.