Faculty and Staff
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Tenure-Track Faculty
Zhuo Ban
Assistant Professor, Communication
119C McMicken Hall
Omotayo O Banjo
Associate Professor, Communication
121-A McMicken Hall
Gail T. Fairhurst
Professor, Communication
119B McMicken Hall
Chandra Nirmala Frank
Post Doc Fellow, Communication
EDWARDS 1 Edwards Center
Chandra’s dissertation and book project looks at the everyday experiences of the transnational feminist and queer Black, Migrant and Refugee Movement in the Netherlands during the 1980s. Using an innovative methodology based on Dutch colonial water infrastructures, she looks at how water functions as a form of domination, border and control and how, at the same time, it offers a theoretical and methodological framework to look at queer diasporic subjectivities. She frequently is invited to deliver lectures and keynotes at international academic and art institutions. Chandra has taught at Goldsmiths, School for International Training, and California State University Los Angeles. Her areas of teaching include queer and feminist theory, popular culture, visual cultures and critical race studies. Currently, Chandra is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Charles Phelps Taft Research Center at the University of Cincinnati.
In Fall 2020, Chandra is teaching COMM 4040: Cultural Studies, cross-listed with WGS 4001: Special Topics: Gender, Sexuality, and Visual Cultures. In Spring 2021, Dr. Frank is teaching WGS 4029/7029: Gender, Sexuality and Culture, with an emphasis on visual cultures. For further information, you can reach Dr. Frank at frankc6@ucmail.uc.edu.
Abel Thomas Gustafson
Assistant Professor, Communication
145A McMicken Hall
Before joining the University of Cincinnati, he was a postdoc at Yale University (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, 2018-2020) and earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara (Communication, 2018).
Stephen M Haas
Professor of Communication, Communication
145B McMicken Hall
His teaching and research interests are in the areas of Health Communication and Interpersonal/Relational Communication. Much of his work has explored communication dimensions of: (a) Relationship Maintenance in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples (b) Social Support in Couples/Families Coping with Chronic Illness (e.g., HIV/AIDS), (c) Uncertainty Management Theory, and (d) Patient Self-Advocacy in Doctor-Patient Communication. His research has been published in Communication and Medical Journals such as Human Communication Research, Communication Monographs, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Health Communication, AIDS Care, Journal of Nursing in AIDS Care, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, and he serves on the editorial boards of the flagship journals Health Communication and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
Dr. Haas has been the recipient of 5 national-level awards; including the National Communication Association's Golden Anniversary Monograph Award recognizing the top scholalry jounral articles/books published in the Communication discipline for his work on the team that orginated Uncertainty Management Theory (Communication Monographs, 2000) as well as receiving the Health Communication Distinguished Article of the Year Award from the Health Communication Division of the National Communication Association--an award that recognizes research with a significant impact on the field of Health Communication. In addition, he received the National Communication Association's Gerald R. Miller Dissertation Award for the top dissertation in the field of Communication in 1999, as well as receiving the joint National Communication Association/International Communication Association's top dissertation award from the Interpersonal Communication Divisions.
His research has been funded by several National Institute of Health agencies including the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases AIDS Clinical Trials Division. He also is a former faculty member at Rutgers University.
Delaney Harness
Asst Professor - Adj, Communication
McMicken Hall
Ronald L Jackson II
Professor of Communication, Communication
146C McMicken Hall
Eric Scott Jenkins
Assistant Professor, Communication
144-C McMicken Hall
Nancy A Jennings
Professor, and Director of the Children's Education and Entertainment Research (CHEER) Lab, Communication
120CA McMicken Hall
John A. Lynch
Professor, Communication
144A McMicken Hall
Shaunak Sastry
Associate Professor, Communication
120A McMicken Hall
Heather M. Zoller
Professor, Communication
143 McMicken Hall
Her research in organizational and health communication investigates the politics of public health, emphasizing the intersections of community organizing, health activism, and corporate PR/issue management. She focuses on how discursive illness attributions and constructions of health influence our ability to address the socio-political and environmental roots of health disparities. Topics include corporate health promotion and occupational heath, environmental health activism and sustainability, power and resistance, alternative economies, as well as dialogue and participation.
Her work appears in journals such as Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Communication Yearbook. She co-edited the book "Emerging Issues and Perspectives in Health Communication: Meaning, Culture, and Power" with Mohan Dutta.
Dr. Zoller has served as an Associate Editor at Human Relations and Management Communication Quarterly, and Senior Editor at Health Communication. She also serves on Editorial Boards including Journal of Applied Communication Research, Mangement Communication Quarterly, and Health Communication.
Dr. Zoller teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as Inroduction to Communicating Health, Science, and Environment, Communication and Health Politics; Organizational Identity, Image, and Issue Management; Organizational Communication: Power and Politics; and Dialogue and Communication. She is the advisor for the Communicating Science, Health, and the Environment certificate.
Educator Faculty
Suzanne Boys
Professor & Interim Department Head, Communication
137D McMicken Hall
Her areas of expertise include organizational communication, organizational culture, and public relations.She currently teaches Organizational Diversity; Organizational Image, Identity, & Issue Management; and Public Relations Campaigns. She directed UC's Public Relations program from 2010-2021. She now serves as Interim Department Head.
Michelle Lindsay Colpean
Asst Professor - Adj Research, Communication
McMicken Hall
Steven J. Fuller
Educator Professor; Communication Undergraduate Director, Communication
140B McMicken Hall
Steve currently serves as the Communication Undergraduate Director, managing the program's curriculum and advising over 700 students (majors, minors, certificates).
Previously, he co-launched the Communication Co-op Program, founded Lambda Pi Eta—UC's chapter of the National Communication Association's honor society, co-launched the UC Online Communication BA, and hosted CommCeleb—the department's annual awards banquet.
Steve is a well-respected lecturer and writer, speaking to a wide variety of groups and organizations. Steve's book, The Church Experiment, documents his experiences visiting 52 religious gatherings in 52 weeks. His podcast, Communication Junkie, shares practical communication skills to improve interpersonal relationships. His party game, Good vs Gooder, works as a great icebreaker activity inside or outside the classroom.
Please email Steve for more information about the Communication undergraduate program, his community-engaged approach to teaching, or any of his creative projects.
Amber K Gee
Educator Associate Professor, Communication
149C McMicken Hall
She has co-authored a public speaking instructor's manual and a journal article on the New Hampshire primary, which she attended in 2008.
Amber has served the Department of Communication as assistant speech course director, Interim speech course director, PR Writing course director, co-director of the Alice M. House Speech Contest, Committiee chair of the Teaahing and Community Groups. She now serves as the Director of Social Media and Promotions - the only faculty member in A&S to serve in such a role.
Occasionally, she writes as a freelance journalist for local papers. Her interests include: public relations, public speaking, teaching improvement, online teaching, writing and political communication. Professor Gee is a two time graduate of UC receiving her BA in English Literature (2000) and MA in Communication (2004).
Jessica Joanna Graves-Rack
Assistant Professor Educator, Communication
149A McMicken Hall
Basic Course Director - Communication 1071 - Introduction to Public Speaking
Evan R. Griffin
Educator Professor, Communication
140 McMicken Hall
Lisamarie Luccioni
Professor Educator, Communication
146B McMicken Hall
Molly B. Mayer
Educator Professor, Business Communication Coordinator, Communication
149B McMicken Hall
Maribeth S. Metzler
Professor, Communication
037A McMicken Hall
Autumn Leigh Miller
Associate Professor Educator, Communication
146A McMicken Hall
Michael J. Woeste
Associate Professor, Communication
037B McMicken Hall
Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences
Design and teach undergraduate courses in Introduction to Communication
Theory, Intercultural Communication, Advanced Intercultural Communication, and Seminar in Integrated Intercultural Communication to classes averaging 30 - 40 students.
Design and teach special topics courses for the University of Cincinnati Honors
Program in Urban Poverty and Intercultural Communication (349H), Appalachian Culture and Intercultural Communication (395H), and Global Poverty and Intercultural Communication (363H) to classes averaging 25 students.
Design and teach special topics courses on Philanthropy, Urban Poverty
and Intercultural Communication (349S) serving the homeless and addicted communities.
Coordinate and facilitate experiential components for intercultural courses
(349/449/549) with community agencies/partners.
Coordinate and direct students enrolled in 392 (Projects in Communication)
Direct and advise select Communication Honors student’s research projects
Advise students matriculated as communication majors in course selection and
related matters.
Advisor: Cincinnati Community Outreach, Student group serving the Greater
Cincinnati area with service projects.
Advisor: Serve Beyond Cincinnati, Student group serving communities in
multiple local, regional and international locations.
2003 – 2009 Field Service Assistant Professor:
Department of Communication, College of Arts and Sciences
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
Design and teach undergraduate courses in Introduction to Communication
Theory, Introduction to Intercultural Communication, Intercultural Communication, Advanced Intercultural Communication, and Seminar in Integrated Intercultural Communication to classes averaging 20-30 students.
Design and teach special topics courses for the University of Cincinnati Honors
Program in Urban Poverty and Intercultural Communication (349H), Appalachian Culture and Intercultural Communication (395H), and Global Poverty and Intercultural Communication (363H) to classes averaging 25 students.
Coordinate and facilitate experiential components for intercultural courses
(349/449/549) with community agencies/partners.
Coordinate and direct students enrolled in 392 (Projects in Communication)
Direct and advise select Communication Honors student’s research projects
Advise students matriculated as communication majors in course selection and
related matters.
Serve as the Chair of Curriculum Committee for Interpersonal Communication
Theory
Serve as the Coordinator of Service Learning for the Department of
Communication.
Member of the University of Cincinnati Service Learning Advisory Council
Appointed member of the University of Cincinnati Honors Program Council
Advisor: Cincinnati Community Outreach, Student group serving the Greater
Cincinnati area with service projects.
Member of Search Committee: Director of the University Center for Community
Engagement
Member of Search Committee: Director of Academic and Community
Affiliate Faculty
Jeffrey Layne Blevins
Professor, Dept. of Journalism; and School of Public and International Affairs, A&S Journalism
22 B McMicken Hall
Jeffrey Blevins CV
Emeriti Faculty
Cindy L. Berryman-Fink
Professor Emerita, Communication
McMicken Hall
James Wilbur Crocker-Lakness
Professor Emeritus, Communication
120 McMicken Hall
Steve Paul Depoe
Professor - Adj Ann, Communication
146 McMicken Hall
Kristina Tabor Galyen
Professor, Communication
Professor Galyen is also the Director of the annual Alice M. House Speech Contest, a century old tradition in the department.
Although Professor Galyen has taught many courses for the department, her primary teaching interest is in the area of Rhetoric and Public Communication. She teaches Introduction to Rhetorical Theory (306)as well as Theories of Argument (302). She has co-authored the book Advanced Public Speaking: Persuasive Strategies (Thompson Learning, Custom Publishing, 2000), with colleagues Rudolph Verderber, Lisamarie Luccioni and Wendy Larcher.
In February 2007, Professor Galyen was awarded for her dedictation and committment to UC students by The African American Cultural and Research Center. In 1995 and 1996 Professor Tabor was awarded and recognized by the Department of Communication for outstanding instruction in meeting PIRT (Project Initiative to Reward Teaching) goals.
Professor Galyen is also President of her own consulting compnay, Power Presenters. She serves as a Presentations Consultant/Coach to several high-profile firms in the Cincinnati area.
She holds an M.A. in Communication from the University of Cincinnati.
Kurt J. Neuwirth
Associate Professor, Communication
137 McMicken Hall
Lisa H. Newman
Educator Professor, Department of Communication, Communication
Michael S Porte
Professor Emeritus , Communication
3513 French Hall
Teresa Sabourin
Communication
146 McMicken Hall
Dr. Sabourin has been a member of the faculty in the Department of Communication at the University of Cincinnati since 1984. She was the graduate director from 1992 to 2002. She was the Department Head from 2002-2011.
She has published a number of articles and book chapters on family communication including the book, The Contemporary American Family: A Dialectical Perspective on Communication and Relationships (Sage).
Staff
Ashley D. Hutchison
Business Administrator, Communication
McMicken Hall
Ekaterina Plamenova Katzarova
Program Manager, Communication
McMicken Hall