Stefanie Benjamin

Dr. Stefanie Benjamin (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE and Associate Professor in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management Department at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research seeks to challenge existing paradigms and traditional perspectives, offering fresh insights and transformative perspectives to the tourism field. With an extensive publication record, Dr. B has published numerous academic journal articles amplifying counter-narratives and disseminating this research within popular press pieces inclusive of AFAR Travel Magazine, the Conversation, and Conde Nast Traveler. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. B actively engages in community outreach and collaboration with industry leaders and organizations striving to bridge the gap between academia and the tourism industry. Driven by a deep-rooted commitment to disrupting dominant ideologies, Dr. B continues to make ‘good trouble’ through her research, teaching, and service. Her critical scholarship serves as a pedagogical framework, shedding light on how oppressive systems must be dismantled in order to reimagine a more inclusive and sustainable academic and touristic world.