Before joining the management & entrepreneurship department as a full-time lecturer, Christie Ekern was a coach for the UT full-time MBA program, working with students on the delivery of consulting engagements for local non-profits. She later expanded her work with the department to include adjunct lecturer roles for MBA and undergraduate courses.

Ekern’s professional background has focused on market development with technology-focused organizations across a variety of industries, from software to nanotechnology. As a native Michigander, Christie received a bachelor’s degree from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, and after relocating to Knoxville with her young family, earned an MBA from UT.