Rebecca Lester

Rebecca Lester is an Associate Professor of Accounting at Stanford Graduate School of Business, with a focus on tax policies and their impact on corporate decision-making. She holds a PhD from MIT and prior experience at Deloitte. Her research examines how tax incentives influence investment, employment, and cross-border strategies, with notable studies on R&D tax deductions and partnership tax structures. She has received multiple academic awards, including the Stanford MBA Distinguished Teaching Award and recognition as one of Poets & Quants' '40 Best Business Professors Under 40.'

• Education: PhD in Accounting (MIT, 2015), Masters of Accountancy (University of Tennessee, 2002), BS in Accounting (University of Tennessee, 2002)
• Research Interests: Taxation, multinational location decisions, and place-based tax policies.

Her work bridges academia and policy, with findings influencing debates on tax reform and economic development. She co-leads the Stanford Initiative for Business, Taxation, and Society and collaborates across disciplines, including with Stanford Law and the IRS.