Organizational Behavior (OB)

Dear OB Division Members,

If you have ever wondered about how to launch, join, or grow a micro-community of likeminded scholars, we invite you to join a virtual fireside chat on April 17th. This live, virtual one-hour session will host organizers of existing OB micro communities sharing practical guidance and lessons learned along the way. Our session will feature a stimulating conversation between the panelists followed by audience Q&A.

The Micro-communities initiative is one way the OB Division shrinks our big community down to human scale. Through it, our division supports small, self-organized groups around shared interests, identities, regions of the world, or professional goals—creating space for meaningful conversations, ongoing engagement, and a stronger sense of belonging. Micro communities are a way for members to find “their” people and stay connected throughout the year.

Date: April 17
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM EST
Registration Link: https://aom-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/538TNJ9ITXmwwC7YzExFLg#/registration

Event Speakers

Bobbi Thomason, Professor, Pepperdine University
Bobbi Thomason hosts the Women of Organizational Behavior Writing Retreat, now in its 4th year in Malibu, California. The annual retreat creates a unique space where “the retreating is just as important as the writing. Where we don’t need to perform but rather have the chance to fill our cups. Where we welcome each other with nods and hugs and laughs and listening”. Bobbi will share invaluable insights on how to seed a community for yourself and others when there may not have been one in your home institution.

Jon Jachimowicz, Assistant Professor, Harvard Business School.
Jon is the co-organizer of the May Meaning Meeting, a community of 30-50 meaning(ful) work scholars that has, to date, been referenced in the acknowledgements of over 100 publications. The community stays connected by meeting annually for a 3-day retreat in rotating, inspiring locales (e.g. a Colorado Dude Ranch in May 2026). Jon can especially offer advice on sustaining communities during transitions, as he recently took over the responsibility from Amy Wrzsesniewski who launched the micro community in 2003.

Rita Shea-Van Fossen, Professor, Nova Southeastern University
Rita Shea-Van Fossen is one of the organizers of the Women of OB Group. What started out as Facebook group to bring women scholars in our field together has since grown to include in person events such as the Join the Women of OB (WOB) roundtable, an in-person gathering to allows women in Organizational Behavior and related disciplines (like management, I/O psychology, leadership, etc.) to connect and discuss topics such as mentorship, career trajectory, and research in a safe space. Rita can share guidance on meeting in virtual spaces and how to keep such a large and diverse community flourishing.

Contact: For any questions or concerns about this event or the micro communities initiative please contact OB executive representatives Kira Schabram (schabram@psu.edu) or Chris Myers (cmyers@jhu.edu).

We hope you will join us for this engaging and practical discussion on strengthening our division through micro communities.