Allison J. Steinke
206 Church St SE
Minneapolis,
MN
55455
Dr. Allison J. Steinke is an award-winning scholar, educator, and communications professional serving as a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Dr. Steinke is the author of the internationally recognized book Brand Thinking: Building Brands You Can Believe In (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025), and has published and produced hundreds of articles and vignettes on topics ranging from purpose-driven brands to innovation to human trafficking. Her research, which includes an award-winning dissertation on solutions journalism, bridges the gap between high-level theory and real-world execution.
With a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, Dr. Steinke specializes in brand thinking, digital storytelling, and social media management, educating thousands of students in the Hubbard School's undergraduate and Master's in Strategic Communication graduate program, empowering them to lead with innovation. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Steinke leads the Hubbard School's Brandt Fund for Brand Thinking Initiative, and has directed significant research projects, including those funded by the Brandt Fund. Dr. Steinke has also partnered with leading brands including Twin Cities Public Television and the Star Tribune/News Media Alliance to produce research and media projects that showcase thought leadership and best practices in innovation and media. Dr. Steinke is an active member of the International Communication Association (ICA), Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and has presented her work at conferences across the globe—including the Cardiff Future of Journalism Conference and for members of the Arthur W. Page Society.
Dr. Steinke regularly leverages partnerships with and thought leadership from Liberal Arts Technology Innovation Services (LATIS) and UMN Libraries in her teaching and research, and serves as a dedicated mentor and adviser for hundreds of students each year, consistently striving to equip and empower the next generation of strategic brand leaders and communicators with emerging tools including artificial intelligence (AI). As a wife, mother, breast cancer survivor, and community volunteer, Dr. Steinke is an advocate for inclusion and accessibility, bringing a perspective of resilience and optimism to her work.
Educational Background
- Ph.D.: Mass Communication, University of Minnesota, 2022
- M.S.: Journalism, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, 2012
- B.A. : Communication (Media Studies), Wheaton College, 2011
Specialties
- Branding
- Brand communication
- Brand thinking
- Innovation
- Social media
- Solutions journalism
- Institutional theory
- Strategic communication
- Social justice