Kristie Byrum, Ph.D, APR, Fellow PRSA, is an international communications scholar with decades of rich experiences as a professor, business executive, and journalist, working in various roles in marketing, consulting and entrepreneurism. An awarded-winning strategic communications professional, Dr. Byrum is a member of the Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows. She actively works to advance strategic communication and its curricula on a global basis. A mass communications Associate Professor at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Byrum teaches courses in media law, public relations and mass communications research. She has presented her scholarly work in the United States, Switzerland, China, Norway, Canada, Greece, and Great Britain. After 20+ years working in private enterprise as public relations counselor, agency owner and corporate communications executive, Byrum returned to the classroom to earn a doctorate in Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design (RCID) from Clemson University. Her scholarship focuses on corporate social responsibility communication, social media, internet governance, and media law issues. She is the founder of several businesses, including three public relations agencies and a venture-funded dot-com company. She is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is a member of the PRSA Educator’s Academy. Byrum previously taught communications students at the University of South Carolina Upstate and Clemson University. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from The Pennsylvania State University, an M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina and attended the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
Kathleen Donohue Rennie, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, is an Associate Professor, Professional Security Studies/Marketing at New Jersey City University. Dr. Rennie teaches crisis communication, executive leadership communication, media relations and integrated marketing communications. She is also a guest lecturer for the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University, where she previously led the undergraduate public relations education program for 21 years. She served on the National Board of the Public Relations Society of America, and today is active on the Universal Accreditation Board, PRSA Foundation Board and PRSA MBA Business School Program Committee. She also serves as the New Jersey APR Coach, assisting professionals throughout the state in efforts to advance their careers with APR and APR+M accreditation. Dr. Rennie has 20+ years of experience successfully researching, developing and implementing strategic communications campaigns for a broad range of organizations, including those in pharmaceutical, healthcare, education, banking, technology, energy, business-to-business, and more. She holds a Ph.D in Leadership, Management and Policy and wrote her dissertation on crisis communication. She also earned an undergraduate degree in communication and English (from Rutgers University) as well as a Master of Arts in Corporate and Public Communication (from Seton Hall University). She is an accredited public relations counselor and PRSA Fellow.