Who's Who?
Chair
Mary F. Hoffman, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the department
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My goal as a teacher and researcher is to help improve lives through communication. How we interact with friends, family, coworkers, and how we participate as citizens as well as producers and consumers of mediated messages have a daily impact on our quality of life. I completed my Ph.D. in Communication Studies at the University of Kansas in 2000. From 2000 until 2008, I was a member of the faculty and director of graduate studies in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University-San Marcos. I enjoy teaching classes in public and organizational communication, and in organizational rhetoric. My recent research has focused on how organizations and individuals use communication to negotiate the meaning and practice of work/life balance. My work has appeared in Communication Studies, Communication Quarterly, Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, and Western Journal of Communication. Outside of work, I enjoy a good mystery novel, Packer victories, and time with family and friends. I am a Wisconsin native, and am happy to return to the upper Midwest.
Faculty
Arlyn T. Anderson, Ph.D., assistant professor of communication
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I earned my B.A. in Communication Studies (general emphasis) from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (1993), my M.A. in Communication Studies (Organizational Communication and Mass Communication emphases) from the University of Wyoming (1997), and my Ph.D. in Communication Studies (Media Studies, International Communication, and Hermeneutical Research Methods) from the University of Oklahoma (2004). I previously taught at Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL (2001-2004), and at Rose State College in Midwest City, OK (1998-2001). I teach International Communication, Communication Criticism, and Communication in the Information Age in addition to two sections of Public Speaking. In my spare time, I cut and split my own wood as heat for the winters, work on and ride my motorcycle and bicycles, and try to keep up with my growing family.
William Barre, lecturer
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I have been an assistant professor of advertising for the past five years at Kent State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where I taught Advertising Copywriting, Account Planning, Account Management and Principles of Advertising. I became a professor after a 30-year career in advertising, during which time I was a creative director and a writer at a number of agencies, including J. Walter Thompson/Chicago, Foote, Cone & Belding/Chicago, Campbell-Ewald/Chicago, DraftWorldwide and BVK/Chicago. My work has won several prestigious awards, including a Clio, Communication Arts’ Award of Excellence, the New York Art Directors’ Club, and an Effie. In addition, my work has been featured in Time Magazine, as well as several national newspapers and television programs. I have created campaigns for famous brands like: Gatorade, Van Camp’s pork ‘n beans, Gillette’s Daisy razor, Kraft cheeses, Sears appliances, Jovan fragrances, and Hallmark cards. I recently finished a film about the Uncola campaign, entitled “7-UP: The Uncola Story,” which is being distributed by Insight Media (www.insight-media.com).
Terrence Chmielewski, professor
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My interests have always been on how people get moved into action by communication. Formally, this is called “the social influence processes,” and it includes the study of persuasion at all levels of the social system, from interpersonal one-on-one persuasion, to public speaking, to social movements and mass media persuasion. My degrees correspond to my interests. I graduated from the University of Toledo (1973) with a B.Ed. in Speech Education, where I had the fortune of teaching public speaking classes my senior year. I then got an MA in Communication from Miami University (1975), where I taught public speaking, interpersonal communication and small group communication. I capped off my academic career with a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Communication from Temple University (1980), where I emphasized studying the influence of social movements and the mass media from a rhetorical perspective. My method of investigation is squarely empirical. Personally, I’m interested in enjoying good oratory—and what makes it “good.” I tend to be a news junkie, especially during the elections.
Liz Danko-Chmielewski, senior lecturer
Mike Dorsher, Ph.D., assistant professor of journalism
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I teach reporting classes and Mass Media Ethics, imbuing them with my research findings on new media, newsroom diversity and media effects on democracy. I earned a Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Maryland, a master's in public administration from the University of North Dakota and a B.A. in journalism from the University of St. Thomas. I was one of the founding editors of washingtonpost.com, capping a 20-year career in daily journalism. I commute to UW-Eau Claire from the Twin Cities, where my wife is an editor, and I enjoy telecommuting in summer from our lake home on the North Dakota-Canadian border.
Janet Driever, senior lecturer
I have been teaching in the CJ department for decades. Enough said. I earned my undergraduate degree from this illustrious university and my M.A. from Purdue University in the areas of Organizational Communication and Interpersonal Communication. I have taught the basic course, Listening, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, and Administrative Communication. My family and I recently moved to Minneapolis where I’ve made it my personal goal to try out every good restaurant in the metroplex. If you’ve heard stories about me already; remember not to believe everything you hear…but some of them are true!
Martha Fay, assistant professor
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My primary teaching and research interests focus on how interpersonal communication functions to achieve organizational goals, and includes such areas as informal communication, leadership, and identity/identification processes. I am currently working on projects related to remote workers, organizational identification, transformational leadership and conflict, and family communication patterns. Having worked professionally in business management, marketing communication, and strategic planning, and also owning and operating two businesses, I am especially driven to combine theory and practice in my teaching, such that both students and their employing organizations realize maximum benefit from the educational experience.
As Assistant Professor here at UWEC, I teach introductory and advanced organizational communication, small group communication, professional interviewing, and the senior capstone class for public and organizational communication students. I have also taught advertising in society, persuasion, public relations, and humanity in literature and nature. Before moving to Eau Claire, I taught organizational communication classes at Ohio State for four years while earning my doctorate, marking a return to academics after 25 years in the private sector. I earned my undergraduate degree in journalism from Kent State University, and my master’s degree in communication and business from the University of Dayton.
When we aren't enjoying the friendly Eau Claire community, my husband and I are in Bayfield, often with some combination of our grown children, Eddie, Bryan and Kelley, and, always with Luci, the cat.
Edward Frederick, Ph.D., associate professor of mass communication
I joined the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Communication and Journalism Department’s faculty in 2002. I teach courses in public relations principles, public relations research, advertising and public relations management, and principles of research. Before joining the faculty at UW-Eau Claire, I was an assistant professor at The University of Southern Mississippi for two years. From 1995 to 2000, I was on the public relations faculty at Marquette University in Milwaukee. I earned a doctorate degree in mass communication-public relations emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. I earned a master’s degree from UW-Madison in 1990. I’ve published several articles and presented numerous conference papers about the news media’s influence on the formation of public opinion. My work has examined the press’ role in the formation of public opinion about the invasion of Iraq and the Mississippi state flag initiative. I’ve also done several studies about college student drinking and influence using a social norms perspective. Before pursuing a graduate degree, I worked for approximately 13 years in the public relations field. I’ve done public relations for a hospital, two secondary education institutions, and a Fortune 500 food manufacturing company. I also spent two years as an account executive at a large, regional public relations and advertising firm.
Jeanie C. Geurink, Ph.D., assistant professor of journalism
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I am currently teaching CJ 105 Communication in the Information Age and CJ 222 News Reporting and Writing. I earned a B.S. degree in Family and Consumer Communication and Family and Consumer Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I also received an M.S. in Continuing and Vocational Education and a Ph.D. in Mass Communication. At UW-Madison I taught a variety of courses in the Department of Life Sciences Communication and for eight years hosted an interview-format radio show from the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences that aired daily on more than 100 commercial radio stations in Wisconsin. My scholarly emphasis is in qualitative research with a focus on the historic and contemporary roles of work by Wisconsin farm women and the types of mass media used by these women within an isolated environment. Finally, I truly enjoy outreach activities connected to students, such as being faculty advisor to WUEC radio, and am a lifetime season ticket holder to both the Badgers and Packers. Go Blugolds!
Won Yong Jang, Ph.D., assistant professor of
mass communication
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I have been on the UW-Eau Claire faculty since 2003. I have degrees in Political Science (B.A./M.A., 1992, Sogang University, Korea), Advertising (M.A., 1998, Marquette University) and Communication (Ph.D., 2003, University at Buffalo, SUNY). My writings about communications have appeared in Communication Theory, Journal of International Communication and Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication. I have continued my research about political communication, international communication and health communication. I teach advertising, media law and research methods.
Jack Kapfer, assistant professor
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Jan Larson, associate professor of journalism
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I earned my undergraduate degree in Communications and Political Science from Stanford University and have an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. An award-winning journalist, I have worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers from Alaska to New York state. I teach both introductory and advanced reporting courses in the department and have a particular interest in the role of journalism in democratic society. One of my favorite things to do is to help young journalists find work in the field. When I’m not bribing students to higher levels of academic achievement with home-baked treats, I prefer to be outside sailing, biking, kayaking and a lot of other "i-n-g" stuff that doesn't involve anything dying.
Ellen Mahaffy, assistant professor
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I earned my BFA in photography from The Maryland Institute, College of Art (1987), and stayed in Baltimore for a few years working as a photographer and darkroom printer. I eventually moved to Rochester, NY and earned my MFA from the Visual Studies Workshop (1993), with artist books and photography as areas of interest, along with video, working with a printing press, and launching exhibitions. That experience led me into the advertising world, where I held positions as designer, print production manager, and art director. Through a twist of fate involving karate and motorcycles, I realized that I love to teach. I taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and in Lake Tahoe, CA before coming to the UW-Eau Claire. I currently teach visual communication courses (CJ 280 & 380) and photography courses (CJ284 & 384), and advise the Photo Phanatics and Shotokan Karate clubs.
I currently have work in the following exhibitions, and invite you to attend the regional openings.
- Altered Esthetic, Minneapolis, MN, Animal Art II - Critical Habitat, Curated. September 5-30, 2008. Opening: Friday, September 5th, 7pm - 10pm. Gallery Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm - 7pm, Saturdays from 1pm - 5pm.
- F-Stop Magazine (http://www.fstopmagazine.com ), Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Air. Gallery.
- RFD, Swainsboro, GA, ConTEXTualized, Maggie Fost, juror. August 9th through September 6th.
- Walker's Point Center for the Arts, 2008 Coalition of Photographic Arts Juried Show, Milwaukee. Sept. 12 - Oct. 18, Opening.
- Watson Studio Gallery, Johnson City, TX, Abstract Expressions, Juried, International. Honorable Mention Awarded. http://www.lostcanuck.com/studio/Newsletter06/wsg_nl06.html http://www.lostcanuck.com/studio/index.php/studio/past_exhibits/
- The Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Fredericksburg, VA, Personal Commentaries, juried. Aug. 31 through September 27, 2008.
In the Fall of 2009, I will have a solo show at the L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire.
Karen Morris, senior lecturer and
director of UW-Eau Claire Forensics
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I received my bachelor's in Speech Education from East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma and my master's in Communication from Southwest Texas State University. I am beginning my 10th year here at UW-Eau Claire teaching such courses as Interpersonal, Public Speaking, Human Communication Theory, Persuasion and the Introduction to Forensics Course. In addition to teaching, I also serve as the director of Forensics. I've taught and directed forensics at Bradley University, Illinois State University and West Chester University. When I'm not traveling to a tournament, coaching students or teaching in the classroom, I'm traveling with my husband and 3-year-old son to Illinois or Oklahoma to see family. Although I've lived in about 6 different states in the United States, Wisconsin feels like home.
Nicole Schultz, Ph.D., assistant professor
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I earned my B.A. from Winona State University (2002), my M.A. from Minnesota State University, Mankato (2004), and my Ph.D. in Communication Studies and Women’s Studies Graduate Certificate from Bowling Green State University (2007). I am excited to begin my first year at UW-Eau Claire and to be teaching CJ 307 (Small Group Communication), CJ 317 (Women in the Mass Media), and CJ 350 (Training and Human Resource Development) this fall. I have presented several conference papers at national and regional conferences, which have focused on work-life balance, gender in higher education, training and development, pedagogy, Generation NeXt, civic engagement, and technology in the classroom. Currently, I serve as Vice-Chair of the Basic Course Interest Group of the Central States Communication Association, Reviewer for the Feminist and Women’s Studies, Instructional Development, Basic Course, and Master’s Education Divisions of the National Communication Association, and Reviewer for Communication Teacher and Speaker and Gavel. When I’m not working, I enjoy grilling out, camping, playing board and card games, thrifting, and playing with Carly (the cat), Kima (the dog), and Uli (the hamster). I grew up in central Minnesota and I am excited to back in the upper Midwest.
Judy Sims, professor
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I earned my Ph.D. (1990) from the University of Minnesota and my master’s degree (1984) from Humboldt State University. I have been employed with the UW-Eau Claire since 1989. I teach Research Methods, Intercultural Communication and Fundamentals of Speech, although I also have taught Radio and Television Production Process, Performance for the Camera, An Introduction to the Mass Media, Interviewing, and Interpersonal Communication.
As a graduate student at the University of Minnesota (1986-1989), I taught courses in radio and television production. At Humboldt State University (1984-1986), I taught numerous radio courses and served as the Faculty Advisor for the campus radio station.
My research interests include a longitudinal study of Greek radio broadcasting (1986-present), coverage of diverse populations in local TV news, children and television violence, political communication, organizational teams, deregulation of the radio broadcast industry, and consumer awareness of and predispositions toward high definition television. My research and writings have been published in the Journal of Radio Studies, The Basic Communication Course Annual, The Journal of Wisconsin Communication Association, the Pennsylvania Speech Communication Annual, the Journal of Communication Studies, Freedom of Speech, Teaching with Technology Today, Negotiating Democracy: Media Transformations and Political Practice in New and Emerging Democracies (in press), Facilitating Group Communication: Innovations and Applications with Natural Groups, Journalism History, Communication Education, and Feedback. My research has been presented at the scholarly conferences of organizations such as the Broadcast Education Association and the National Communication Association.
In 2003, I was honored with UW-Eau Claire’s “Excellence in Advising Award.” I serve on the Education Committee of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, am the faculty adviser for Kappa Tau Alpha, and the chair of WUEC-FM’s Advisory Board. I appreciate animals and enjoy traveling with my husband, gardening, sports and dear friendships.
Kelly Jo Wright, senior lecturer and
assistant director of UW-Eau Claire Forensics
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I earned my undergraduate degree in Education from The Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio and have an M.A. in Speech from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico. I taught and coached forensics at universities in New Mexico and Missouri before moving to Eau Claire in 1992. I teach public speaking, listening, and pop culture classes and spend nearly every weekend during the school year at a forensics tournament. My true passion lies in helping students meet the goals that they set, and sometimes convincing students that they can aim even higher! When I am not teaching or traveling with the forensics team, I enjoy sewing, jewelry making, and spoiling my fur-baby, Buffy.
Adjuncts
Barbara Arnold, lecturer
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I will be teaching CJ 270 Public Relations in the fall 2008. Prior, I have taught the Fundamentals of Advertising in Communication and Journalism as well as Buyer Behavior, Professional Selling and Sales Management in the UW-Eau Claire College of Business. I also serve as the professional advisor to the Public Relations Student Society of America and the American Marketing Association at UW-Eau Claire.
Most recently, I served as the district director for Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc.-Northwest District, where the team there inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy ... through programs in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and workforce readiness. Being a JA classroom volunteer is a great way to fulfill your service learning commitment. Ask me how!
I have about 20 years experience in the fields of corporate communications, marketing, public relations, and government and regulatory affairs. (Com Ed, Chicago; USEC, Washington, D.C.; Motorola, Austin, TX, and Scholarship America, Minneapolis, MN.)
I earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Go Badgers!) and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Loyola University of Chicago. I spent my junior year abroad in college in Madrid, Spain, and returned 10 years later to participate in an archeological dig on the island of Mallorca.
Nancy Clark Scobie, lecturer
Mary Beth Doud, lecturer
Julie Eklund, lecturer
Nancy Hanson-Rasmussen, lecturer
Linda Short, lecturer
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Originally from northwest Minnesota, I received undergraduate degrees in Music from Luther College (B.A., Decorah, Iowa) and Minnesota State University – Moorhead (B.S. Moorhead, Minnesota). I went on to study voice at Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. After three decades of singing professionally in musicals, gospel, art song, Big Band, and opera; running my own business doing voice-overs for radio and television; recording a compact disc, Lindee Sings About Simple
Things, I returned to North Dakota State University where I earned a master's degree in Speech Communication (M.S., Fargo, North Dakota). I joined UW-Eau Claire’s Communication and Journalism Department in fall 2006 and teach Fundamentals of Speech.
I continue to sing professionally and remain active in music. I have been especially active in political arenas having sung and played trombone for President Clinton, former Governor Al Quie, North Dakota Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad. I can be seen as an “extra” in A Prairie Home Companion. In the summer of 2006, I was the musical director for St. Croix Valley Summer Theatre which included my being the pit orchestra conductor for Beauty and the Beast.
I especially enjoy reading anything relating to medical forensics, sailing, and driving my new Volkswagon Beetle. When asked why I switched to teaching communication, I replied, “Hey – it’s really not much of a switch. I’ve been communicating my whole life….it’s just that my words have been on a pitch!”
Carole Spenser, lecturer
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As a retired high school English, speech and drama teacher, I relish working with the "older" students at the University level. Because "speaking" has been so significant to my career in education and my avocation as an actress, I am delighted to share whatever insights I have with my students.
I am a graduate of UW-Eau Claire and this Communication Department on both the bachelor's and master's level, though I have done postgraduate work in other parts of the country -- Minneapolis; Portland, Oregon; Milwaukee; New York. I am one of the founders of the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild where I have often both directed shows and performed in them. I am also active with the Eau Claire Children's Theatre and the Eau Claire Regional Arts Council where I am presently the Board Vice President of the Friends of ECRAC.
I also love to travel in my free time and recently visited Turkey and Russia.
My latest fortune found in a Chinese Fortune cookie I broke open after dinner at Woo's Pagoda Restaurant said, "You can have your cake and eat it too." Sounds good to me!
Rachel Woodward, senior lecturer
Staff
Judy Gatlin, academic department associate
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Since 1992 my career at UW-Eau Claire has been focused on administrative support in a variety of student support offices. In fall 1999, I transferred to the department of communication and journalism where I support the chair and faculty in every academic and administrative responsibility necessary to manage an effective academic department. Working directly with students is truly inspiring for me and the very best part of my work. Beyond the daily visits and calls and emails from CJ students I respond to, I have the opportunity to interact with students assisting the Spectator advisor, advising the student organization CJO:Communication and Journalism Organization and supervising many, many student employees.
Ellen Hon, university services associate
Job openings -- Interested in working with us? The Academic Affairs/Provost maintains a list of UW-Eau Claire faculty vacancies.
