Kate Westberg

Professor Kate Westberg is an award-winning marketing educator and passionate researcher who explores issues that influence consumer wellbeing and facilitate behaviour change.

Kate is a Professor of Marketing in the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing at RMIT. She is a passionate educator and is committed to providing students with industry-relevant, collaborative learning experiences. Her teaching has been recognised by University and National teaching awards and with a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (UK).

Kate is a leader of the Consumer Wellbeing Research Group (CWRG) in the School of Economics, Finance and Marketing. The CWRG is a multi-disciplinary group committed to providing research and insight into consumption behaviours and influences that facilitate or inhibit the health, wellbeing and quality of life for consumers.

Kate’s research has been widely published in international journals including European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Macromarketing and Sport Management Review.

Kate's areas of interest include: social issues in sport (including alcohol advertising and unhealthy food); food literacy and intergenerational transmission of food skills and knowledge; ageing and wellbeing; and, family identity and risky consumption behaviour. Kate has been involved in consumer wellbeing-related projects with organisations such as the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Football Victoria, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, Melbourne City Mission, Special Broadcasting Services (SBS), the Victorian Cancer Council and Victorian Health Promotion Foundation.

Industry experience:
Prior to academia, Kate held marketing roles in Australia and Canada in both the commercial and not-for-profit sectors including financial services, telecommunications and health services.

Awards:
2018:
-Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (UK)
-RMIT University, College of Business Research Excellence Award for Best Publication (book)

2017:
-RMIT University Teaching Excellence Award for Services Supporting Student Learning
For designing and implementing the Marketing Careers Initiative to facilitate industry-ready marketing graduates through events and resources that develop employability skills and foster industry connection.

2015:
-RMIT Media Star Award for Research
-This University award acknowledged the extensive media coverage generated for a research project that explored how alcohol sponsors use sport-linked communication to engage consumers on social media. This research was funded by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education in Canberra
-Highly Commended Academic Paper Award (one of three awards presented for academic papers), World Social Marketing Conference, April 20-21, Sydney
-'Exploring the use of sport-linked alcohol marketing on social media', K. Westberg, C. Stavros, A. Smith, G. Munro and K. Argus
-Outstanding Reviewer Award, Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal
-Best Paper Award (Track: International Marketing), Australia New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference
-The influence of extended family on high involvement purchases in emerging economies: Tensions with tradition, in Innovation and Growth Strategies in Marketing, 2015 ANZMAC Conference, Sydney, Australia, 30 November - 2 December 2015, pp. 511-517
Nguyen, L, Westberg, K, Stavros, C and Robinson, L

2010:
-Australian Learning and Teaching Council (now: Office of Learning and Teaching), Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
-This National teaching award was received for sustained innovation and institutional leadership in developing industry-relevant curricula, resources and assessment to enhance student learning and engagement with large undergraduate marketing cohorts.