Stephanie Powell Thomas

Dr. Stephanie Powell Thomas is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Supply Chain Management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas. She serves as Executive Director of Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence (WISE) and founded the WISE Future Leaders Symposium. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Texas Tech University.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Logistics/Supply Chain Management from Georgia Southern University
• MBA in Logistics and Marketing from University of Tennessee
• BA in Speech Communications from University of Tennessee

Dr. Thomas's research focuses on several interconnected domains within supply chain management:

• Behavioral aspects of supply chains, particularly psychological stressors affecting truck drivers
• Negotiation strategies and their impact on buyer-supplier relationships
• Transportation policy implications for workforce well-being
• Pedagogical innovations in supply chain education

She incorporates industry experience from Lowe's Companies, IBM, and Stanley Tools into her research and teaching approaches.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on human factors in supply chains, with recent work examining negotiation expectation violations and driver burnout. Research employs experimental methods and theoretical frameworks to analyze behavioral patterns in logistics contexts. Teaching-focused publications highlight simulation-based pedagogical tools.

Significant recognition includes:

• Named among Top 100 Most Influential Women in Supply Chain Management (B2G Consulting, 2019)

Through her leadership of WISE, Dr. Thomas develops initiatives supporting women in supply chain professions and mentors undergraduate students in the supply chain program.