Department of Communication

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
The Gorilla Group

Rachele began her career in social media marketing as a Social Media Producer at Townsquare Interactive. Now as a Social Media Manager at Gorilla Group, she executes strategic social media campaigns and social media influencer campaigns for global companies such as Samsung and Degree.

CITY REPORTER
The Greenville News

Macon has worked at daily newspapers in Texas and the Carolinas, covering cops, courts, and city politics. She won a 2023 Sidney Hillman Foundation award for her work on the “Cost of Unity,” a project exploring the gentrifying forces behind Greenville’s growth.

MANAGER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Tar Heel Sports Properties (LEARFIELD)

Before arriving in Chapel Hill,  Jack held the same title for App State Sports Properties. He has worked full-time for Oregon Athletics and has experience with the College Football Playoff, Capital One Orange Bowl, and The Carolina Panthers. 

SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER
ACS Brand, The American Cancer Society
OWNER/OPERATOR
Kat Bundy Strategic Marketing

Since graduating in 2014, Kat has led marketing initiatives for entities of all sizes. She began her career in non-profit performing arts before moving to a creative agency. In 2021, she left her role as VP of Marketing to start her own business and later joined the enterprise marketing team for The American Cancer Society.

COMMUNICATION & INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Information Technology Services, Appalachian State University

Ellen completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, with a concentration in Journalism and Technical Photography, in 2005 and is pursuing her master's degree. She managed her own business as a wedding and portrait photographer for almost ten years in the High Country before returning to her alma mater professionally in 2016. Ellen was the Director of Marketing, Communication & Engagement for the College of Arts and Sciences. Last year, she stepped into a new role supporting the CIO and IT Support team, helping them communicate better, and providing training support and materials for the App State campus.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Big Loud

Kelly interned at many music management companies, record labels, talent agencies, and music PR firms during her time at App State. Currently, she works at Big Loud (home to Morgan Wallen, HARDY, and many more) as the Executive Assistant to their management team. 

PH.D. STUDENT
The University of Utah,
Department of Communication

Jessie Chaplain is a Ph.D. student in the University of Utah's Department of Communication and a University Climate Change Coalition Climate Justice Fellow. Her research explores climate justice activism across university, local, and global contexts.

OWNER
After Ever Communications
VICE PRESIDENT OF EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE STRATEGY & TRANSFORMATION
Simpplr

Carolyn started her career as a news producer at ABC and NBC, working on shows like Saturday Night Live and The Today Show. In 2018, she launched After Ever Communications to expand employee communication work to various clients and industries. In 2022, Carolyn joined Simpplr. A former Mountaineer, she is now an adjunct communication professor at App State.

PRESIDENT
Kardesler Consulting

Clint is a business consultant specializing in developing and executing growth strategies, including establishing and implementing transformational business planning, creating and managing high-performing teams, and optimizing performance. He co-founded Kardesler, a middle-market interim business development consulting firm.

COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
The Village of Northbrook

Before shifting into public relations, Aiyana served as a News Reporter for FOX54 in Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated from App State with a degree in Journalism in 2021.

PROFESSIONAL RUNNING BACK
The Chicago Bears

Darrynton graduated from App State with a degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Sports Science & Coaching in 2020. While at App, he developed a passion for content creation. Upon graduating, he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans and decided to use content creation to connect with his fans. Along with being a professional athlete, he has partnered with Twitch and Youtube.

MANAGER OF COMMUNITY & MEDIA RELATIONS
The Variable

Spencer currently resides in Winston-Salem, NC. He has led campaigns for GRAMMY-winning albums, outdoor living products, and Fortune 500 companies.

MULTIMEDIA SALES CONSULTANT & ON-AIR PERSONALITY
Beasley Media Group (Charlotte)

Mackie previously worked in sports communications and announcing for several popular teams in North Carolina. In 2018, he and his partner were named the Best Broadcasting Team in the league by an arena football site. He hosts a weekly sports talk show on Fox Sports Radio Charlotte on Sundays from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

REAL ESTATE AGENT
Relevate Real Estate

Arianne started her communication career in marketing for a national restaurant brand from 2019 to 2021, navigating operations dynamics with the brand. After two and a half years, she entered the real estate industry.

CONTENT WRITER
Prometheus Group

Kyleigh began her career in operations and transitioned to content writing and content management in 2020. Within her content management roles, she has created search engine optimized (SEO) content for companies in industries like home services, software as a service (SaaS), and mergers and acquisitions.

COMMUNITY LEADER
Growth Co.

After losing her first job at a non-profit due to COVID, Lexi was eager to find deep connections with other young adults. Seeing this need, she created “Growth Co.”—a boundary-breaking community for people in their 20s and 30s that operates both online and in person. Through intentional conversations, subscription boxes, and the development of REAL life skills, Growth Co. hopes to unite young adults in an environment of belonging.

STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE MANAGER
Town of Morrisville

Erin is beginning her 16th year in local government service and has supported communities ranging in size from just over 21,000 to nearly 237,000 residents. One of her most accomplished traits is adaptability. 

PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER
WYFF 4

John brought Hearst Television's award-winning Chronicle newsmagazine format to WGAL. In 2015, the station earned a Mid-Atlantic Emmy for its Chronicle series "Walking the Pipeline." In 2018, John was named General Manager of the Year for mid-size television markets by the national publication Broadcasting & Cable.

FREELANCE JOURNALIST & SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Zirrus

Ethan is the former App State beat reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal and an Engagement Editor for college sports on the Lee Enterprise national sports desk. 

PRODUCER
WNEM TV5

Anna is a hybrid producer for the number one station in Michigan's Saginaw/Flint/Tri-Cities market, writing for the web and broadcast. She produces TV5’s 4:00 p.m. newscast and the 6:00 p.m. newscast over the weekend.

DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS
Duke Energy

Layne is an accredited professional by the Public Relations Society of America and has received two Silver Anvils from the association and the 2019 Queen City PRSA Infinity Award. She relies on research, planning, and metrics to gauge success and achieve business objectives. 

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
ING Source, LLC

Stephanie used her love of digital storytelling, fostered by her degree in Journalism, to create a career in PR and marketing. In 2020 she joined ING Source, LLC in Hickory, North Carolina, and helped usher their brands through the pandemic shutdown and is now leading the vision for their future. Women in business and leadership are essential topics to Stephanie, having many female mentors during her time at App State and beyond. Stephanie loves running and spending time with her family when she's not working.

SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Coldwell Banker

Sarah has spent the last six years working for corporate and non-profit organizations with a significant focus on her social media work. She has spent the last ten years advocating for the Tourette Syndrome community and serves on the Board of Directors for TICS (Tourette Information Center and Support). 

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST
WITN Greenville

Justin earned a degree in Electronic Media Broadcasting with a concentration in Journalism from App State in 2020. He formerly worked for WCYB in Bristol, Virginia.

FREELANCE VIDEO PRODUCTION

Sadie Maddock started her career in the media industry fresh out of App State as a TV news producer in Augusta, Georgia. After finishing a 2-year contract with the station, she wrote, directed, and produced an independent short film with friends and acquaintances. Now back in North Carolina, she's making connections in the world of freelance video production while collaborating with a friend on her next film project.

REALTOR & REGIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
RE/MAX Integrity

At RE/MAX Integrity, Zach is a licensed Realtor & Regional Operations Manager, supervising the production, retention, and business operations of over 35 real estate brokers across two markets, totaling over $630,000,000 in volume annually. He has partnered with clients such as Delta Airlines, Home Depot, OceanSpray, Kohl's, and Wells Fargo for agency advertising and recruiting needs. Zach has a passion for non-profit service and is the Chair of the RE/MAX Integrity Foundation and a Board Member of the Oregon Realtors Home Foundation.

DIGITAL CONTENT & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Innovation Quarter
WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA
WFUSOM Center for Healthcare Innovation

Nina Mastandrea’s career has spanned several industries since she graduated from ASU in 2015. She has worked as a feature and politics reporter at a daily-printed newspaper and as a content manager in higher education. In Nina's current position, she leads the content, social, and public relations strategy for Winston-Salem’s Innovation Quarter and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Center for Healthcare Innovation.

ADMISSIONS SPECIALIST
Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

Cristian is deeply passionate about higher education and the power of strong communication skills. They are determined to break down barriers and make education more accessible for all, especially marginalized populations. Being a first-generation student at App State, they joined the student-run newspaper, The Appalachian, and served as the Business Manager. This experience profoundly impacted their professional and personal lives and is the most impactful experience they have had in their academic career.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Centennial Authority/PNC Arena

The Authority oversees operations of the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, The 19,000-seat multi-purpose home of the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State University Men’s Basketball. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and is a liaison to the Board of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. He is an Executive Committee member of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Raleigh Regional Local Organizing Committee and the 2022 NHL Stadium Series Game Local Organizing Committee. 

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Y-12 National Security Complex

Taz leads a team of professionals who provide internal communications to a federal-contractor workforce of more than 7,000 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He also manages external communications that range from media relations, social media content, and emergency public information to developing community relationships, offering K-12 education outreach focused on workforce development, and coordinating protocol site visits.

ACCOUNT MANAGER
Lazarus Design Team

As a young professional, Juliet explores what it means to be a courageous leader and marketer. Her goal is to encourage women to become more open and honest to have more profound and authentic relationships with themselves and others. Juliet aspires to show small business owners how simple marketing can take their businesses to the next level.

EMAIL MARKETING MANAGER
Filevine

While attending App State, Olivia was one of the founders and first Presidents of Second Story Media and interned with Donor Relations & Stewardship at Appalachian State University Foundation. She was a member of Alpha Phi International Sorority. After graduation, Olivia started working in the B2B marketing industry, which led her to her current position as Email Marketing Manager at Filevine.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT OF MARKETING & SALES
Green Bay Packers

Megan completed a Bachelor's Degree in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and a minor in Entrepreneurship from App State. She received a Master's in Sport Management from the University of Florida. Megan focuses on large-scale events such as international soccer games, concerts, and bringing the NFL Draft to Green Bay.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The Chamber for a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro

Aury St. Germain entered his current position with The Chamber for Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro in September of 2021. In his role with Carolina Athletics, he oversaw social media efforts, website management, media relations, and game-day communications for assigned sports.

REPORTER
The Baltimore Sun

Lee Sanderlin covers the courts and law enforcement and how they intersect with politics. His work focuses on public accountability for the powerful. Before joining The Baltimore Sun, he worked at newspapers throughout North Carolina and Mississippi. He is a former Toni Stabile Fellow for Investigative Reporting at Columbia University, where he also received a master's degree.

REPORTER
The Franklin Press

A 2009 App State Journalism graduate, Thomas Sherrill didn't become a community journalist for more than seven years after accepting his diploma. In his seven years as a community journalist in Boone, Newland, Whiteville, and Franklin, Sherrill has covered every type of beat imaginable, driven by a focus to hold the powerful and elected accountable no matter how small the town or community. The NC Press Association has recognized his work several times, including in August 2022—he was the non-daily recipient of the Mark Binker Public Notice Award for reporting on a planned trailer park in a rural farming community of Columbus County for The News Reporter. In 2017, along with Anna Oakes, Sherrill won the 2017 Duke University Green-Rossiter Award for Distinguished Newspaper Work in Higher Education for articles covering Appalachian State University for the Watauga Democrat.

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
Explore Asheville

Whitney Smith leads the organization’s content strategy, including web, social media, photography, videography, and email. Before joining Explore Asheville, she was the Marketing Manager for The North Carolina Arboretum for five years.

SENIOR MANAGER OF SCHOLARSHIPS
Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Natasha works for the nation’s largest organization, exclusively representing the Black College Community. For the greater part of her career, she has worked in an administrative capacity in higher education institutions. In all her positions, she has played a significant role in effectively managing tasks that led to organizational success and effectiveness.

TALENT CONSULTANT
LHH Recruitment Solutions

Rebecca has been with LHH Recruitment Solutions for four-and-a-half years in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she specializes in professional recruitment within many different industries. She loves helping people find their dream job and companies find great talent.

FOOTBALL COACH
West Brunswick High School

John is the Director of Football Operations at West Brunswick High School, a Division II Program in South Carolina. While at West Brunswick, he has served as a special education teacher, football coach, and women's basketball coach. Over the last five years, John has managed his team's social media, appearances, and fundraising events. 

AVP, TALENT ACQUISITION
Bank of America 

INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT
Brooke Wilson Marketing

Brooke has led strategies and programs for companies including Walmart, Delta Air Lines, Nike, Coca-Cola, and more. She is a long-time volunteer and board member of Camp Carefree, a non-profit summer camp program for kids with chronic disabilities and illnesses. Her professional passion is understanding audiences.

PR DIRECTOR
Global Medical Response

Gerald is the PR Director for the country's largest ground and air ambulance provider. He has worked for several newspapers in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee and has received regional, state, and national recognition for journalism in news, sports, investigations, and feature writing.

ALUMNI MARKETING & COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST
David Eccles School of Business
The University of Utah

Annesley recently graduated from App State, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication with a concentration in Advertising and a minor in Global Studies. Through various internships and employment opportunities at the University of Utah, she has learned the importance of exceptional content quality, building audience relationships, and maintaining consistent messaging.