Educational Background

M.A. in Journalism, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1990.  Thesis: Crisis and the Practitioner: Organizational Crisis Experience As It Relates To The Placement Of The Public Relations Function.

B.A. in Radio, Television and Speech, University of Maryland at College Park, 1973.

Most Recent Professional Experience

Communications/Public Affairs Volunteer, Nov. 2019 - present. American Red Cross - Kansas/Oklahoma and Texas Gulf Coast Regions.

Associate Professor, Aug. 1991 - Dec. 2019.  Associate Dean, William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas. July 2004 - June 2009.  Chair, Strategic Communications Track, 2000-03.  Del Brinkman Teaching Professor, 2001- 03. Courses taught: Public Relations (Principles of Public Relations), Business Communications Projects, Broadcast Production & Writing, Public Relations Seminar, Crisis Communications, Public Opinion & Public Policy, Media Convergence on the Web, Campaign 2000/2004/2008: Media, Politics and Persuasion, Research & Writing, Strategic Communications Campaigns, Message Development, Multimedia Reporting & Production, History of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Visiting Professor, Consortium International University, Paderno del Grappa, Italy. Spring 2004.

Special Assistant to the Secretary for Public Information, North Carolina Department of Correction.  Oct. 1987 - June 1991.

Special Assistant to the Secretary for Communications, North Carolina Department of Administration.  Feb. 1985 - Sept. 1991.

Press Coordinator, North Carolina Inaugural Committee.  Nov. 1984 - Jan. 1985.

Reporter/Anchor, Capital Broadcasting Company (WRAL-FM, the North Carolina News Network and the Capital Sports Network).  Part-time Nov. 1981 -  June 1982.  Full-time July 1982 - Nov. 1984.

Director of Public Information, North Carolina Wesleyan College. Jan. 1981 - June 1982.

News and Sports Director, WCEC-AM and WFMA-FM (Rocky Mount, North Carolina).  March 1978 - Dec. 1980.

Professional Honors and Milestones

George Foster Peabody Award, part of a six-person reporting team for the WRAL-FM (Raleigh, NC) series "Victims." Produced the segment "Victims of Injustice." (1983)

Author, In The Moment: The Journey of the Class of '70, Pegasus Publishing, Cambridge, U.K. (Anticipated publication Fall 2024)

Author,Thirteen Minutes: Death of an American High School, Page Publishing, Conneaut Lake, Pa. 249 pp. Copyright 2022.

Author, Bridging the Chesapeake - A 'Fool Idea' That Unified Maryland, Archway Publishing, Indianapolis, 406 pp. Copyright 2017.

Top Faculty Paper, “Untapped Potential - An Analysis of Online Newsrooms on State Emergency Management Agency Web Sites,” Public Relations Society of America International Conference, Philadelphia, Pa. October 2007.

Co-author (with Chuck Marsh), Public Relations: A Values-Driven Approach,6th Ed.Allyn & Bacon, Boston.  Copyright 2017.

Co-author (with Chuck Marsh) Adventures in Public Relations: Case Studies and Critical Thinking. Allyn and Bacon. Boston. pp 370. Copyright 2005.

Co-author (with Charles Marsh and Bonnie Poovey Short.) Strategic Writing: Multimedia Writing for Public Relations, Advertising, Sales & Marketing, and Business Communication (5th Ed.). Routledge. Copyright 2021.

More than two dozen local, state, regional and national reporting honors.

Research Chair, Public Relations Division - Association of Educators in Journalism and Mass Communications; 2002-03.

Accredited member,  Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America; (1991 - 2019).

Reviewer for American Journalism and Public Relations Review; (1991 - 2019).

Traveled to Turkmenistan in June 2005 as a participant the U.S. State Department's Public Diplomacy program. Traveled four times to the Russian Federation for U.S. State Department to train journalists and public relations practitioners; 1998-2002. Public affairs officer for 1986 trade mission to Japan.

American Bar Association Partnership Award for Kansas Bar Association Media Guide for Attorneys. (1997) The publication (co-authored with Paul Wenske and Mike Cuenca) also received a Bronze Quill Award, Kansas City Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (1996) and PRISM, Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. (1996)  

Silver PRISM, Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America; awarded for Communications Services for the AEJMC Annual Conference. (1994)

Inducted, Easton (Md.) High School Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1968 Maryland State Boy's Basketball Class B State Championship team (September 2019).