Happy International Women’s Day to the extraordinary women in the Department of Communication.

Adebanke Adebayo is a Graduate Teaching Assistant currently exploring her "stories behind the numbers" as a pedagogical strategy for teaching COMM 400–Communication Research Methods. She is also teaching COMM 101–Fundamentals of Communication. Presently, she is researching and actively raising awareness about the adverse effects of climate change on maternal and prenatal health outcomes in West Africa. She is the student engagement coordinator for the Center for Health and Risk Communication (CHRC) at George Mason University. 

Rochelle Davidson Mhonde has taught  COMM 334 Family and Health Communication and COMM 101.  She is passionate about developing inclusive and diverse pedagogical practices and curriculum in communication courses for a transformative experience in the classroom. Her research areas include examining communicative behavior about sexual and reproductive health in Black and Indigenous populations and communities of color.

Sojung Kim: Role: Assistant Professor and a Director of the Communication, Health, and Relational Media (CHARM) Lab 

Teaching: I have been teaching a variety of courses at Mason including Graduate Research Methods, Health Communication, Risk Communication, and Public Relations Campaigns. This semester, I am teaching two sections of COMM 204 Introduction to Public Relations, and I am loving it. 

Research: Currently, I am working on three different research projects examining social media misinformation correction strategies and health campaign message testing.  I am also applying for a grant with another Mason colleague to develop a culturally tailored social media-based program to promote participation in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) research among underserved Asian Americans Pacific Islanders. 

Sammi Munson is a PhD student in Communications, a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and a Researcher at the Center for Climate Change Communication (4C).  Sammi earned her MS from The Ohio State University in Environmental Science with an emphasis on Public Health.  Her research interests broadly include science communication and science education.  In the past she has been an adjunct in multiple locations, teaching courses such as: Concepts of Sustainability, Earth Science, Ecology, Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Our Dependence on the Environment, and Meteorology.  Sammi currently teaches COMM 101: Fundamentals of Communication and COMM 433: Environmental Communication.  In her "free time" Sammi likes to hang out with her dog and show her 3 horses.

Megan H.L. Tucker, Ph.D. Role: Director of Undergraduate Advising / Assistant Professor

Classes Taught: COMM 201, 300, 301, 302, 335, 385, and 401

Research: Continuing research on advising best practices. I primarily teach classes for the Interpersonal and Organizational concentration, but I pride myself on being a generalist, so I have the ability and honor to teach a multitude of classes for our department! And after spending 3 years as the BA Program Director, I have switched roles to be the Director of Undergraduate Advising, which I love so much! I am always happiest when I can help students out and spend time helping them have the best experience in their undergraduate career (and specifically with MasonCOMM!)

Catherine Wright, Ph.D. Role: Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director

Classes taught:  COMM 202, 302, 375, 430 and study abroad in Milan (COMM 386, 396 & 397)

My primary role in the department is teaching, followed by service.  While I have taught many other classes (COMM 100, 101, 201, 320, and 401), I’m really enjoying teaching media-related and PR classes right now.  This fall I’ll teach COMM 411 where students will have the opportunity to put together a media campaign for the department. 

My service role is that of Undergraduate Program Director.  It’s a brand-new role for me, after having been the Academic Advising Director for 9 years.  As the BA Program Director, I will have the chance to work with both current and incoming students in a way I did not before.  I’ll be able to engage in more PR and recruiting, things I thoroughly enjoy doing!