Smith’s Rebecca Ratner Leads the Association for Consumer Research

Dean’s Professor of Marketing Rebecca Ratner is assuming the role of President of the Association for Consumer Research (ACR). Last year, she served as President-elect and will serve as Past-President in 2026. During her term, she has been helping to guide the organization in fostering research on consumer behavior and expanding its ability to meet the needs of an increasingly large group of members.

ACR plays a critical role in connecting business school professors and PhD students worldwide, facilitating the exchange of ideas that shape the marketing field. For Ratner, the presidency is both professionally valuable, allowing her to collaborate with scholars from institutions across the country and globally, and personally fulfilling as she fosters connections that amplify the impact of consumer research worldwide.

“Research gains real impact when it reaches beyond a single institution,” says Ratner. “If research stays within one lab, it’s like a tree falling in a forest. Does it make a sound? But when others cite it, expand on it, and apply it, that’s when ideas truly take off.”

A key priority during Ratner’s presidential term has been to further professionalize ACR’s conference and association management. As ACR has expanded over the past two decades, its existing staffing structure, including an Executive Director and one conference manager to support conference co-chairs, was no longer sufficient to support growing needs. To address this, Ratner created and led a task force from fall 2024 through January 2025 to identify a conference and association management company that could provide additional support for ACR’s Executive Director. As a result, ACR has now partnered with Podium, a firm that will assist in managing the organization in the coming years. Ratner will continue working closely with the Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition during her term.

Another priority is enhancing member engagement across their academic career. Ratner is committed to supporting programs and initiatives that engage current doctoral students and early to mid-career faculty. Additionally, ACR will explore ways to involve senior scholars, including efforts to help build an endowment for the organization.

Ratner will deliver her Presidential Address at ACR 2025 in Washington, D.C., from October 9-11, 2025. The conference will bring together leading scholars to discuss emerging trends in consumer research and showcase the latest advancements in the field.