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Full-Time Faculty

Last name starts with A

Patricia Aufderheide University Professor SOC | Communication Studies

Patricia Aufderheide is University Professor of Communication Studies in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C. She founded the School's Center for Media & Social Impac

  paufder@american.edu

  (202) 885-2069

Last name starts with B

Dario Bernardini Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Dario Bernardini has taught courses in public relations, reputation management, and interpersonal communication at public and private universities. He has more than 20 years of experience creating and

  dariob@american.edu

Rajul Mistry Bhaskar Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Rajul Mistry Bhaskar is a Senior Professorial Lecturer in the School of Communication. She has more than 15 years of public relations experience in consumer, entertainment and corporate communications

  bhaskar@american.edu

Kurt Braddock Assistant Professor SOC | Public Communication

Kurt Braddock is an Assistant Professor of Public Communication in the School of Communication at American University. Kurt also holds faculty fellow positions at the SOC's Center for Media and Social

Kyle Brannon Assistant Professor (Continuing) SOC | Film & Media Arts

For over a decade Kyle “Kylos” Brannon has performed as a VJ, or live video artist, at clubs, crafting live video mash ups for DJs including Moby, MSTRKRFT, Nadastrom, Jesse Tittsworth and Will Eastma

  kbrannon@american.edu

  (202) 885-2162

Terry Bryant Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Journalism

I am the division director for journalism and a senior professorial lecturer in the AU School of Communication. I returned to American University full-time in the 2017 fall semester. I spent two years

  bryant@american.edu

  (202) 885-2062

Chelsea Butkowski Assistant Professor SOC | Communication Studies

Dr. Chelsea Butkowski is an Assistant Professor of Data, Media & Identity in American University's School of Communication. Their research examines the relationship between media technologies and iden

  butkowsk@american.edu

Last name starts with D

Rosalind Donald Assistant Professor SOC | Public Communication

I study how we talk about climate change, examining how environmental injustices shape today's climate debate. I am particularly interested in the ways different groups, like city planners, journalist

  rdonald@american.edu

Priya Doshi Associate Dean for Faculty and Inclusive Excellence DOF | Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty Office

Priya Lothe Doshi is Associate Dean of Faculty and Inclusive Excellence in American University's Office of the Provost. Working with the Dean of Faculty, Professor Doshi supports faculty affairs polic

  doshi@american.edu

  (202) 885-2017

Last name starts with E

Amy Eisman Assistant Professor SOC | Journalism

Amy Eisman is an Assistant Professor in the Journalism Division and the former division director (2018-2023). She has run several programs at SOC as well as teaches ethics, writing, journalism, digita

  aeisman@american.edu

  (202) 885-2106

Larry Engel Associate Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

With nearly 50 years of teaching and filmmaking, and 350 projects, his documentaries appear on PBS, the Discovery Channels, and National Geographic, among many other outlets. Awards include a Daytime

  engel@american.edu

  (202) 885-2688

Last name starts with F

Megan Finn Associate Professor SOC | Communication Studies

Hello! You can learn more about my work and find links to my publications at meganfinn.com. I am accepting MA and PhD advisees.I have a number of research projects which are historical and contemporar

  finn@american.edu

Last name starts with G

Bill Gentile Journalist in Residence SOC | Film & Media Arts

Bill Gentile is the author of, “Wait for Me: True Stories of War, Love and Rock & Roll,” his memoir and crown jewel of a career as independent journalist and documentary filmmaker whose work spans fou

  gentile@american.edu

  (202) 885-2663

Joseph Graf Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Joseph Graf is a professorial lecturer and the graduate program director in the public communication division. He is former research director for the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet

  graf@american.edu

  (202) 885-2147

Last name starts with H

Jane Hall Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Jane Hall is an associate professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C., specializing in researching, writing and teaching about the intersection of media and pol

  jhall@american.edu

  (202) 885-2024

Chris Halsne Investigative Broadcaster-in-Residence SOC | Journalism

An expert in public records acquisition and Freedom of Information Act requests. AU’s first Investigative Broadcaster in Residence, Chris Halsne has been on television for 30+ years. He’s managed spec

  halsne@american.edu

  (202) 885-3345

Whitney Harris Christopher Professorial Lecturer SOC | Journalism

Whitney Harris Christopher (she/her) is an award-winning multimedia journalist, researcher, and voiceover artist. She currently serves as a Professorial Lecturer in the School of Communication at Amer

  wharris@american.edu

Laura Hinson Assistant Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Laura Waters Hinson is an award-winning filmmaker and Assistant Professor in the Film and Media Arts Division of the School of Communication. Laura serves as the director of the Community Voice Lab an

  hinson@american.edu

Natalie Hopkinson Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Dr. Natalie Hopkinson is Associate Professor of Media, Democracy & Society. She is the author of three books, and a former staff writer, editor and columnist at the Washington Post, The Root and Huffi

  natalieh@american.edu

Last name starts with I

Dina Inverso Sr Professorial Lecturer SOC - School of Communication

Dina Inverso is a full-time professor in the School of Communication and the Director of the Public Communication Division. She brings more than 20 years of professional experience working at and with

  dmartine@american.edu

  (202) 885-6464

Last name starts with J

Leena Jayaswal Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Leena Jayaswal is a documentary filmmaker, award-winning photographer and Professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington DC, where she is the director of the new BA in P

  ljayasw@american.edu

  (202) 885-2662

Last name starts with K

Anya Karavanov Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Anya Karavanov is a professor of Public Communication. She is a seasoned marketing communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience creating and implementing social change campaigns for

  karavano@american.edu

Pallavi Kumar Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Pallavi Kumar is a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer in American University’s School of Communication and the former Division Director for the Public Communication division. In the fall of 2022, she

  kumar@american.edu

  (202) 885-2047

Last name starts with L

Maya Livio Assistant Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Dr. Maya Livio is assistant professor of climate, environmental justice, media and communication and an associate director of the center for environmental filmmaking. Her work probes at the contact zo

  livio@american.edu

Wesley Lowery Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Wesley Lowery is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, and one of the nation's leading reporters on issues of race and justice. He is the executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, an in

  lowery@american.edu

Last name starts with M

Brigid Maher Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Brigid Maher is a tenured full professor in the School of Communication. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Community Voice Lab at American University and Founder and Creative Director of the Anacosti

  bmaher@american.edu

  (202) 885-2664

Adrienne Massanari Associate Professor SOC | PhD Program

Dr. Adrienne L. Massanari is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication at American University. Prior to joining AU she was Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and affili

  adrienne@american.edu

Wendy Melillo Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Wendy Melillo is a full-time professor of Journalism. She teaches in the School of Communication's Journalism division. Her research is focused on how strategic communication influences society and th

  melillo@american.edu

  (202) 885-1753

Sarah Menke-Fish Assistant Professor and Senior Director of Experiential Learning SOC | Film & Media Arts

Sarah Menke-Fish is a full-time professor of Film and Media Arts. She serves as Assistant Dean of Experiential Learning and Associate Director for the Center for Environmental Filmmaking. Menke-Fish l

  smenke@american.edu

  (202) 885-2026

Claudia Myers Associate Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Claudia Myers was named one of "10 Filmmakers to Watch" by IndependentMagazine in 2015. She has written and directed four features, won multipleawards, was twice a finalist for the Sundance Screenwrit

  myers@american.edu

  (202) 885-2152

Last name starts with O

Jill Olmsted Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

Jill Olmsted is a full-time professor of Journalism and the former Journalism Division Director. She is the author of Tools for Podcasting (2019), teaches podcasting and advised the AU law school on c

  jolmste@american.edu

  (202) 885-2010

Molly O'Rourke Executive in Residence SOC | Public Communication

Molly O’Rourke is an Executive in Residence in the School of Communication where she also serves as Director of the Master of Arts (MA) program in Political Communication and as a Senior Advisor to th

  morourke@american.edu

  (202) 885-2968

Last name starts with P

Christie Parell Senior Professorial Lecturer SOC | Public Communication

Christie Parell is a full-time professor in the School of Communication and the Associate Division Director for the Public Communication division. She brings 20 years of experience working in the comm

  parell@american.edu

Lynne Perri Journalist in Residence SOC | Journalism

Lynne Perri is a journalist-in-residence and senior professorial lecturer at American University. She was a senior editor and then managing editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, the  editori

  lynne.perri@american.edu

  (202) 885-6380

Andy Phelps Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Dr. Andrew "Andy" Phelps is a Professor in the Film & Media Arts division of the School of Communication at American University, and the Director of the AU Game Center, a multidisciplinary effort that

  phelps@american.edu

Krzysztof Pietroszek Associate Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

I am on sabbatical as of end of May 2024.I am an Associate Professor in the Film and Media Arts Division of the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C., where I explore the

  pietrosz@american.edu

Gemma Puglisi Assistant Professor SOC | Public Communication

Gemma Puglisi is a full-time professor of Public Communication. She is an award-winning media strategist and producer with more than 25 years of experience. During her career she has worked in broadca

  puglisi@american.edu

  (202) 885-2153

Last name starts with S

Aarushi Sahejpal Professorial Lecturer SOC | Journalism

Hi! I do a couple things at American University.In short -- I am a mathematician, data scientist, and journalism professor. I study how to better hold institutions accountable by bringing science, med

Jamie Sisley Assistant Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Jamie Sisley is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who recently wrote and directed "Stay Awake," a narrative feature film that premiered at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival, where it won the AG Kino Gilde A

  sisley@american.edu

Leonard Steinhorn Professor SOC | Public Communication

Leonard Steinhorn is a professor of Communication and an affiliate professor of History. His expertise includes American politics, culture and media; the presidency and presidential elections; politic

  lsteinh@american.edu

  (202) 885-2031

Maggie Stogner Professor SOC | Film & Media Arts

Maggie Burnette Stogner is the Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Filmmaking (www.environmentalfilm.org) and a professor of Film and Media Arts. She brings over 30 years of filmmaking

  stogner@american.edu

  (202) 885-2160

Margot Susca Assistant Professor SOC | Journalism

Margot Susca is the School of Communication’s inaugural assistant professor of journalism, accountability, and democracy. A recognized expert in local news and private investment funds, Dr. Susca comb

  susca@american.edu

  (202) 885-6462

Last name starts with T

Filippo Trevisan Associate Professor SOC | Public Communication

Filippo Trevisan is Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Associate Professor of Public Communication at American University's School of Communication. He is also the Deputy Director of AU's Institut

  trevisan@american.edu

  (202) 885-6930

Last name starts with W

John Watson Associate Professor SOC | Journalism

John C. Watson is an associate professor tenured in the Journalism Division. He brings a combination of professional experience and scholarly credentials to the classroom. A journalist for 21 years, h

  jwatson@american.edu

  (202) 885-2083

Sherri Williams Assistant Professor SOC | Journalism

Dr. Sherri Williams is a race and representation researcher who teaches about how media images are connected to and uphold oppression and inequality. Williams, who was a journalist for a decade before

  sherriw@american.edu

Last name starts with Z

Rhonda Zaharna Professor SOC | Public Communication

Dr. R.S. (Rhonda) Zaharna is a full professor in the School of Communication, American University, Washington, D.C. Dr. Zaharna is a former Fulbright Senior Scholar and current Faculty Fellow, Center

  zaharna@american.edu

  (202) 885-3995