WT Personnel News: Research Presentations, New Hires, More

Dr. Emily Kinsky, WT's Jenny Lind Professor of Communication in the Department of Communication, presented research this summer at the 13th International History of Public Relations Conference at Bournemouth University in Bournemouth, England.

Kinsky presented research on Caroline Hood, who worked for Rockefeller Center in New York City for 39 years.

"Hood started in the basement gift shop and retired as the vice president over public relations, the first female vice president at Rockefeller," Kinsky said. "Her efforts communicating to both internal and external audiences for Rockefeller Center are impressive, yet most students studying PR have not heard of her. We are excited to share her accomplishments and raise awareness of this impressive communication professional."

Kinsky's co-author was Dr. Karen Miller Russell of the University of Georgia.

Kinsky recently was named interim director of WT's Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.

Dr. Li Chen , associate professor of media communication in WT's Department of Communication, earned the Best Reviewer Award from Communication and the Public, an international peer-reviewed open access journal that publishes articles in the intersections of communication and the public.

Chen has been an active reviewer of the journal for several years. In 2023, she reviewed two articles for their special issue, "The Platform and Transformation of the Digital Public Sphere."

"Receiving the award from Communication and the Public shows that my knowledge and expertise in the field of communication have been recognized internationally, and it is a form of peer acknowledgment of my contribution to the field," Chen said. "I view every paper review request as a chance to commit to the academic community and advance research in the field."

In 2022, Chen won the Top Paper Reviewer Award from the Mass Communication and Society Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

Shelly McCune , who holds three degrees from WT, is now Assistant Vice President for Business and Finance.

McCune, previously budget director, has worked for WT for nearly 30 years.

In her new role, she will continue to oversee the University's budgets, will assist departments in managing their budgets, and will provide assistance with revenue projections and strategic planning.

McCune earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business and economics, a Master of Science in agriculture and an MBA in management, all at WT.

Madison Mays , previously the program director of Academic Marketing, is WT's University Director of Digital Marketing.

Mays, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA from WT, oversees WT's efforts in digital marketing, including spearheading social media strategies.

Her work will be crucial in driving engagement and supporting the University's goals through impactful digital content.

Mays was an athlete on the WT Track and Field team, specializing in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles.

Mark McKnight , a five-year veteran of WT's Cornette Library, is the new Senior Research and Instruction Librarian.

McKnight, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from WT and a Master of Library Science from the University of North Texas, manages the Cornette Research Desk.

He also manages library instruction sessions.

Previously, McKnight served as Cornette's Outreach and Instruction Librarian.

Kiersten Lee , who joined WT in 2022 as Instructional Designer III in Information Technology, was promoted to Instructional Designer IV.

In her role, she manages online course development projects and leads collaboration with faculty in designing high-quality online courses. She also consults and leads faculty through the design process and makes recommendations for how to incorporate instructional design best practices into online teaching.

Lee earned a Bachelor of Science in Technical Writing degree and a Master of Second Language Teaching degree from Utah State University. She also holds a certification in E-Learning Instructional Design and Development from Oregon State University.

Colton Harada , a 2012 graduate from WT, is Multimedia Production Manager in WT's Office of Information Technology.

Harada, who previously served as Assistant Video Coordinator, works with a team responsible for creating educational content for the hundreds of online courses offered at WT.

Previously, Harada worked for five years as a producer in the news industry and for more than a decade as a freelance videographer and editor.

He earned a Bachelor of Mass Communications degree from WT.

Celine Armijo , recently a director and independent consultant for mental health and advocacy programs in North Carolina, joined WT as its new Assistant Director of Student Involvement.

Armijo, a member of Zeta Tau Alpha who facilitates sexual assault awareness workshops for the sorority, provides oversight and support to all of WT's student and Greek organizations.

She is a graduate of Eastern New Mexico University.

Bruce Wardlow now serves as the Systems and Emerging Technologies Librarian for Cornette Librarian.

Previously, Wardlow has served as Open Educational Resources Librarian since 2022. He earned a Bachelor of Art in Anthropology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Library Science from the University of Washington.

In his new role, Wardlow is responsible for the user experience within the library's digital presence, ranging from the management of the library website and discovery tools to troubleshooting library database access issues.

Amy Wardlow , who has worked at WT since 2020, is Cornette Library's new Head of Access Services.

Wardlow, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Texas Tech University, previously served as Interlibrary Loan Coordinator.

In her new role, she runs interlibrary loans, the book repair lab and the processing of books in the library's reserves.

She also helps with the circulation of library materials.

Chip Chandler , who joined WT in 2020, is the new Director of University Communications and Media Relations.

Chandler, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and has worked in area media outlets since 1996, previously served as Senior Communications Specialist.

In his role, Chandler assists the Associate Vice President for University Branding and Chief Marketing Officer in the development and implementation of the University's strategic communication and marketing plans. He also facilitates internal and external communication, including press releases and other media relations.