My research focuses on corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and practices. I am interested in the experiences stakeholders' have with corporations in their communities and what stakeholders expect from corporations in society. My research has explored the experiences of locked-out union workers, how location impacts stakeholders' perceptions of CSR, and the institutionalization of CSR in specific industries.

My current project is a multi-year ethnography of the CSR practices of northern Minnesota mining companies. This project exposes the paradoxes of CSR in an extraction industry and uncovers the micro-processes of corporate-community relationship building.

In 2022, I edited the award winning Routledge Handbook on Corporate Social Responsibility Communication.

As a teacher, I believe the classroom experience should be a collaborative, dynamic learning community where ideas and concepts are respectfully explored and all students are heard and treated with dignity. I encourage students to be energized by the difference of opinions around them, take intellectual risks, and hone their critical thinking skills.

Educational Background & Specialties
Open Close

Educational Background

  • Ph.D.: Communication, Purdue University
  • M.A.: Organizational Communication, Western Michigan University
  • B.A.: Mass Communication/Advertising, Washington State University

Specialties

  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Public Relations
  • Corporate communication