Faculty & Staff Directory

Dr. Melissa Adams Associate Professor Public Relations	Walker Hall 126 (828) 262-2482 adamsmb2@appstate.edu
Tim Anderson Chief Engineer and Production Manager	Beasley Media Complex 211 (828) 262-3295 andersontz@appstate.edu
Dr. Frank A. Aycock Interim Assistant Chair Professor Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 234 (828) 262-2400 aycockfa@appstate.edu
Austin Bartolomei-Hill AppTV Student Media Adviser & Director Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 213 (828) 262-2409 bartolomeihillae@appstate.edu
Mark Bentley Senior Lecturer Director of Forensics Communication Studies	Walker Hall 107A (828) 262-8371 bentleyml1@appstate.edu
Katie Bentley Senior Lecturer Communication Studies	Walker Hall 222 (828) 262-2172 bentleykl1@appstate.edu
Dave Blanks WASU FM Student Media Director & Advisor Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 214 (828) 262-7621 blanksdr@appstate.edu
Elisabeth Borowicz Administrative Support Associate	Walker Hall 141 (828) 262-2221 borowiczea@appstate.edu
Dr. Edward C. Brewer Professor Communication Studies	(online) (828) 262-2221 brewerec@appstate.edu
Laura Leigh Brittain Senior Lecturer Advertising	Beasley Media Complex 212 (828) 262-6343 brittainll@appstate.edu
Dennis T. Busher Lecturer Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 221 (828) 262-8803 busherdt@appstate.edu
Dr. Kelly Chernin Associate Professor Public Relations	Walker Hall 123 (828) 262-2406 cherninka@appstate.edu
Charles Jeffrey Cloninger Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-7349 cloningercj@appstate.edu
Dr. Linda A. Coutant Adjunct Public Relations Digital Journalism	(online) (828) 262-2221 coutantla@appstate.edu
Dr. Emory Stephen Daniel Jr. Associate Professor Advertising	Walker Hall 129 (828) 262-2407 danieles@appstate.edu
Dr. Kelly Davis Associate Professor Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 237 (828) 262-2403 daviskk@appstate.edu
Dr. Jean L. DeHart Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 128 (828) 262-2402 dehart2jl@appstate.edu
Robert Dillner Practitioner-in-Residence AppTV Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 306 (828) 262-8817 dillnerr@appstate.edu
Dr. Carolyn M. Edy Interim Chair Professor of Digital Journalism & Faculty Director of University Accreditation Compliance	Beasley Media Complex 235 (828) 262-7759 edycm@appstate.edu
Dr. Keeli Fawcett Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-7349 fawcettks@appstate.edu
Judy F. Geary Senior Lecturer Media Publishing	Walker Hall 133B (828) 262-7349 gearyjf@appstate.edu
Dr. Lynn Gibbard Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 223 (828) 262-2218 gibbardlg@appstate.edu
Vic Goff Administrative Support Specialist	Walker Hall 141 (828) 262-2401 goffvr@appstate.edu
Roger S. Gonce Senior Lecturer Advertising	Walker Hall 238 (828) 262-2886 goncers@appstate.edu
Dr. Jennifer B. Gray Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 131 (828) 262-7201 grayjb@appstate.edu
Dr. Jiangxue (Ashley) Han Associate Professor Public Relations	Walker Hall 130 (828) 262-8165 hanj2@appstate.edu
Ginger Hansen Senior Lecturer Advertising	Walker Hall 246 (828) 262-8910 hansengy@appstate.edu
Steven Hart Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-7349 harts@appstate.edu
Emma Herbert Adjunct	University Recreation (828) 262-6304 herbertem1@appstate.edu
Dr. Lynette Holman Professor Digital Journalism	Beasley Media Complex 202 (828) 262-2487 holmanlm1@appstate.edu
Reggie Hunt Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-7349 huntrk@appstate.edu
Jack Jeffery Lecturer Public Relations	Walker Hall 134 (828) 262-2222 jefferyjo@appstate.edu
Dr. Evan Jones Lecturer	Walker Hall 239 (828) 262-7760 joneser7@appstate.edu
Geralyn Jordan Adjunct Public Speaking	PSU 2nd Floor (828) 262-2180 mitchellgb@appstate.edu
Dr. Volha Kananovich Associate Professor Digital Journalism	Beasley Media Complex 302 (828) 262-8498 kananovichv@appstate.edu
Dr. Twange Kasoma Associate Professor Digital Journalism	Walker Hall 124 (828) 262-8878 kasomat@appstate.edu
Dr. Shanshan Lou Interim Dean for the College of Fine & Applied Arts Professor Advertising	Walker Hall 143 lous@appstate.edu
Carey Maple Senior Lecturer Communication Studies	Walker Hall 245 (828) 262-6531 maplec@appstate.edu
Dr. Christina May Adjunct Fund Raising	Anne Belk Hall 351C (828) 262-6871 maycm@appstate.edu
Amanda Mlekush Adjunct Social Media Strategies	Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences 448R (828) 262-7798 mlekushar@appstate.edu
Chris Moody Lecturer Electronic Media/Broadcasting Digital Journalism	Walker Hall 244 (828) 262-5387 moodycs1@appstate.edu
Dr. Nina-Jo Moore Professor Emerita Communication Studies	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-2171 moorenj@appstate.edu
Dr. Thomas S. Mueller Professor Advertising	Walker Hall 221 (828) 262-2228 muellerts@appstate.edu
Dr. Chris Patti Associate Professor Communication Studies Affiliate Faculty: Center for Judaic, Holocaust, & Peace Studies	Walker Hall 125 (828) 262-2481 patticj@appstate.edu
Dr. Cliff Poole Adjunct Public Speaking	East Hall (828) 262-7129 pooleco@appstate.edu
Dr. Janice T. Pope Professor Public Relations	Walker Hall 122 (828) 262-6147 popejt@appstate.edu
Debra G. Poulos Senior Lecturer Communication Studies	Walker Hall 248 (828) 262-2264 poulosdg@appstate.edu
Dr. Heather Paige Preston Senior Lecturer Public Relations Internship Coordinator	Walker Hall 121 (828) 262-2449 prestonhp@appstate.edu
Dr. Matthew S. Richards Assistant Chair Associate Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 120 (828) 262-7527 richardsms@appstate.edu
Dr. Evan Ringel Assistant Professor Media Law	Walker Hall 247 (828) 262-6296 ringeles@appstate.edu
Korick Sisomphone Adjunct	Walker 133B (828) 262-2221 sisomphonekc@appstate.edu
Kate Stucke Adjunct Communication	(online) (828) 262-2221 stuckeka@appstate.edu
Olivia Tarnowski Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker 133B (828) 262-2221 tarnowskiow@appstate.edu
Leigh Tauss The Appalachian and The Peel Student Media Adviser & Director Digital Journalism	Plemmons Student Union 235 Beasley Media Complex 216 (828) 262-6770 taussl@appstate.edu
Raven Walker Adjunct Public Speaking	(online) (828) 262-2221 walkerre@appstate.edu
Dr. Daniel C. Walsh Associate Professor Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 308 (828) 262-8142 walshdc@appstate.edu
Anne Ward, MFA Associate Professor Electronic Media/Broadcasting	Beasley Media Complex 307 (828) 262-2408 wardac@appstate.edu
Austin Warren Adjunct Public Speaking	Walker 141 (828) 262-2221 warrenat3@appstate.edu
Dr. Scott M. Welsh Associate Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 240 (828) 262-2607 welshsm@appstate.edu
Dr. Valerie Wieskamp Associate Professor Communication Studies	Walker Hall 225 (828) 262-2226 wieskampvn@appstate.edu
Deb Williams Adjunct Southern Motorsports	Walker Hall 133A (828) 262-7349 williamsdr@appstate.edu
P.J. Wirchansky Adjunct Public Speaking	East Hall 112 (828) 262-7249 wirchanskypj@appstate.edu
Ryan Witt Lecturer Electronic Media/Broadcasting, Production	Beasley Media Complex 236 (828) 262-3007 wittrm@appstate.edu
Dr. Hongwei "Chris" Yang Associate Professor Advertising	Walker Hall 137 (828) 262-6972 yangh@appstate.edu

Current Positions

Assistant Professor in Electronic Media/Broadcasting & Digital Journalism

Full-Time, In-Person Position
Faculty (Tenure Track)
Proposed Date of Hire: 08/01/2026

Lecturer/ Speech (Individual Events) Coach

Full-Time, In-Person Position
Faculty (Non-Tenure Track)
Proposed Date of Hire: 08/01/2026

Assistant Professor of Mass Media

Full-Time, In-Person Position
Faculty (Tenure Track)
Proposed Date of Hire: 08/01/2026

Assistant Professor of Public Relations

Full-Time, In-Person Position
Faculty (Tenure Track)
Proposed Date of Hire: 08/01/2026

Promotion & Tenure

Promotion and Tenure Guidelines

Faculty/Staff Highlights

Drs. Gregory Perreault and Volha Kananovich Published with The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard

App State Communication Faculty Published with The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard

Should news organizations be offering editorial endorsements? In a recent piece published in NiemanLab, Drs. Gregory Perreault and Volha Kananovich reflect on their research on this topic (short...