WHO IS DR. SUNITA SAH?
Dr. Sunita Sah investigates what makes us comply, when we should defy, and how to speak up when it matters. She is a bestselling author, a seasoned public speaker, an award-winning organizational psychologist, and tenured professor at Cornell University who conducts groundbreaking research on defiance, advice, and influence.
A trained physician, she practiced medicine in the United Kingdom and worked as a management consultant for the pharmaceutical industry. She currently teaches executives, leaders, and students in healthcare and business. Dr. Sah is the bestselling author of Defy, a sought-after international speaker and consultant, advisor to government agencies, and former Commissioner of the National Commission on Forensic Science. Her multidisciplinary research and analyses have been widely published in leading academic journals and media entities including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American.
DEFY: The Power Of No In A World That Demands Yes
“A POWERFUL TRANSFORMATIVE READ”
—Daniel H. Pink
“A MUST READ FOR ALL”
—Robert B. Cialdini
“A CULTURE SHIFTING MANIFESTO”
—Jonah Berger
“A POWERFUL BOOK”
—Adam Grant
MORE ABOUT SUNITA
Dr. Sah is a professor, author, speaker, and consultant who helps executives and leaders make key decisions, think critically, negotiate, and transform their organizations.
Speaker
Dr. Sah engages audiences across business, healthcare, and academia with her inspiring and insightful talks. She delivers keynotes and workshops on various topics, including decision-making, critical thinking, leadership, defiance, and negotiation skills. She has given hundreds of invited talks to businesses, governments, and academic institutions worldwide.
Morgan Stanley’s Women in Leadership Summit |
Rotman Lifelong Learning Conference |
United Nations Foundation |
National Conference of State Legislatures |
London School of Economics |
Academy of Institutional Investors |
American Association of Provider Compensation Professionals |
Memorial Sloan Kettering |
Morgan Stanley’s Women in Leadership Summit | Rotman Lifelong Learning Conference | United Nations Foundation | National Conference of State Legislatures | London School of Economics | Academy of Institutional Investors | American Association of Provider Compensation Professionals | Memorial Sloan Kettering |
Consultant
Dr. Sah provides objective, evidence-based consultation and expert witness testimony in civil and criminal litigation, as well as advisory services for government bodies, regulatory inquiries, institutional commissions, and corporations.
US Department of Justice |
Australian Government’s Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation, and Financial Services Industry |
US National Commission on Forensic Science |
UK Government Open Innovation Team |
US Securities and Exchange Commission |
Ohio Public Defender’s office |
US Department of Justice | Australian Government’s Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation, and Financial Services Industry | US National Commission on Forensic Science | UK Government Open Innovation Team | US Securities and Exchange Commission | Ohio Public Defender’s office |
Author
Dr. Sah is a national bestselling author. Her multi-award winning book DEFY has been published in more than a dozen languages and explores why it is so hard to speak up even when we know something is wrong. Her short articles and op-eds are also widely published in leading media.
Researcher
Dr. Sah is a an award-wining tenured Professor of Management and Organizations at Cornell Univeristy’s SC Johnson College of Business. As an interdisciplinary scholar she studies defiance, advice, and influence with the aim of improving outcomes and mitigating inequalities in healthcare and wider society.
Publications
An active researcher, Dr. Sah has published over 50 peer-reviewed academic papers and reports — selected papers are available here. For a fuller list of her academic works visit her Google Scholar page.
Qualifications
Ph.D. and M.S. in Organizational Behavior from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper Business School
Executive MBA with Distinction from London Business School
MBChB (M.D.) in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Edinburgh
BSc (Hons) in Psychology from the University of Edinburgh
Notable Recognition
UK HM Government Letter of Recognition from the Open Innovation Team (2023)
Mid-Career Achievement Award, Health Care Management, Academy of Management (2022)
Diversity and Inclusion Initiative Award, Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management (2021)
Russell Sage Foundation Scholar and Researcher Fellowships (2019-2021)
Cornell research fellowship awards: Institute of Social Sciences Fellowship (2018–2019), Balen Sesquicentennial Faculty Fellowship (2015-2020), and the Half-Century Club Faculty Research Fellowship (2017-2019)
US Department of Justice Certificate of Recognition for Service on the National Commission of Forensic Science (2017)
Multiple Best Paper Awards from the Academy of Management and the International Academy of Management and Business