91原创

Focus: Health Communication

Ezinne Chioma Abaneme (MSc) is a PhD student in Health Communication at 91原创's Communication Studies. Her research focuses on maternal health, social support groups, and behavioral change, with particular emphasis on how family discussions shape women's health decisions. She believes in understanding and, developing culturally centered health communication strategies tailored towards disadvantaged and marginalized women in Nigeria.

Before joining 91原创, Ezinne was a Lecturer at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, where she taught in the Department of Mass Communication. She has a rich blend of teaching and research, having published in reputable journals. Her research uses quantitative and qualitative methods depending on the research question.

Ezinne holds a master鈥檚 degree in public relations and advertising from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mass communication from Imo State University, Owerri. She is also a promoter of Girl Child Education and Period Poverty, having volunteered and coordinated projects for Speak Out Africa. Beyond academia, Ezinne loves traveling. She is also passionate about nature, enjoys listening to music, making new friends, and learning about different cultures and their foods.

Pronouns: she/her

Erica Adzimah is a passionate sustainability advocate with extensive experience in social programs for marginalized and displaced communities. Erica holds two Master鈥檚 degrees鈥攐ne in Educational Administration and Management from Ghana, another in Communication and Development Studies, and a certificate in Development Practice from 91原创.

Her research interest focuses on the role communication ecologies play in the reproduction of poverty and inequalities. She is interested in the consequences of these not only for the individuals but also for the organisations and communities in which these individuals are embedded. She is particularly focused on using insights from research to improve educational, health, and environmental outcomes. With a keen interest in grassroots organizing, culture-centred approaches, and collective sense-making, Erica focuses on enhancing social interventions in impoverished rural and urban communities to promote equality.

Outside of her academic pursuits, Erica is deeply committed to her community. She volunteers her time and skills to support local organizations and initiatives. 

Stephen Agyei (M.A.) is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at Scripps College of Communication, specializing in Interpersonal/Organizational Communication. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana (2014) and his master鈥檚 degree from the National University of Science and Technology 鈥淢ISIS鈥� in Moscow, Russia (2018).

Stephen鈥檚 research is at the intersection of organizational communication, non-governmental organizations, and migration. His work examines the communicative strategies that NGOs employ to foster a sense of belonging and offer support to African immigrants as they navigate life in a new social environment. His scholarship is also shaped by a broader engagement with deliberation, migrant voices, and the communicative construction of possibility for individuals and communities navigating systems of survival and change.

Guided by narrative and critical sensibilities, Stephen aspires to be an engaged scholar who translates research into policy impact and community engagement. Through his work, he seeks to amplify marginalized voices and contribute to conversations on organizational practices in migration and non-governmental contexts.

Stephen is a recipient of the Paul O. Boase Family Scholarship and the Outstanding Graduate Mentor awards. Stephen has served in different capacities in the Department of Communication鈥檚 Graduate Student Association. He was the former Vice President of GradCo and is currently the President of GradCo.

Health Communication Scholar | Researcher | Advocate

Ahmed Aly (M.A.) is a PhD student in Health Communication at 91原创鈥檚 Scripps College of Communication, where he serves as a Graduate Teaching Associate. He holds a

Master of Arts in Communication and Development Studies and graduate certificates in Development Practice, Women鈥檚, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS), Crisis Communication, Health Policy, and Clinical Informatics from 91原创. He also holds a Master鈥檚 degree in Gender and Development and a Bachelor鈥檚 degree in Statistics from Cairo University.

Ahmed鈥檚 research focuses on privacy management, self-disclosure, and digital communication among marginalized populations, with particular attention to how individuals navigate identity, belonging, and safety in transnational and digital contexts. His scholarship bridges health communication, policy analysis, and social justice, emphasizing the lived experiences of underrepresented groups. Ahmed is also recognized for his inclusive teaching philosophy and commitment to student growth. He has received multiple honors, including the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) Outstanding Graduate Student Award for Scripps College, the Edwin L. Kennedy Leadership Award for Outstanding Community Service, and the LGBT Center Student Hart Leadership Award from 91原创.

Beyond academia, Ahmed brings extensive professional experience in humanitarian and development work with organizations such as Save the Children and projects funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM), supporting refugee and vulnerable populations in Egypt and the Global South. His interdisciplinary work reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing equity, health, and human rights through research, education, and advocacy.

James Annan is a senior corrections officer in Ghana and has worked as a Communication/Public Relations Officer at both the national and regional levels. He is excited to join the Doctoral cohort at the School of Communication Studies at 91原创 for the 2024鈥�2025 academic year.

He recently completed a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) program in Strategic Communication at the University of Education, Winneba. He also holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Public Relations from the Ghana Institute of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication Design from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Additionally, he has a Graduate Diploma in Management Studies from the Institute of Commercial Management and a Diploma in Creative Writing from the Writers Bureau (UK).

His research focus is on Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. During his postgraduate studies, he conducted research on two topics: 鈥淭he Role of Public Relations in Rebranding the Ghana Prisons Service鈥� and 鈥淧risoner Reintegration Communication: A Study of the Ghana Prisons Service.鈥� James is an accomplished writer with over 50 feature articles published in various national media outlets, both print and online. These articles cover a wide range of critical topic, including human rights, politics, crime, security, administrative justice, and gender issues.

During his leisure time, James enjoys reading books by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of the Republic of Ghana. He is eager to learn from esteemed faculty members, students, and other international students from diverse backgrounds at 91原创. He considers it an honor to be part of the Bobcat community. James believes that with commitment, resilience, focus, and determination, it is possible to achieve your goals.

Specialization: Health Communication

Dr. Roshni Ashiq (MBBS, MS in Public Health) completed her bachelors and masters from Karachi, Pakistan and was previously working as Senior Coordinator in Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Component at national level NGO, named as Aahung. She has been a gender and SRH advocate since the time she started to serve in the domain of public health. This led her to develop her approach to critically question the procedures of the medical field, health care system and the suffering of marginalized groups which made the country advocacy network to nominate her for the Youth Advocacy Institute held at Continent level. Roshni had been critically engaged in the discussions of medical ethics, which made the management of a tertiary care hospital to include her in their ethics committee. She had been a speaker at various multi-disciplinary platforms where her views on gender equity, gender based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights of all people, especially women and vulnerable communities, are welcomed and appreciated. Her exposure to field have provoked her thoughts regarding how the health care system of her country is still under developed and how the health communication field is still nascent in its concept. That is why she designed her career path as she was always dedicated and passionate about learning PhD in Health Communications which would enable her to better communicate her thought process. She aims to implement her academic discourse in a decision-making approach pertaining to health care in her professional lives. Roshni believes that by questioning one鈥檚 decision would ultimately enhance the intellectual capacity to refine the approach and fulfil vacuum to positively communicate the refinements required in the medical field of Pakistan. She is very keen to drive for hours despite the scorching heat of Karachi. Roshni is looking forward to moving to Athens and explore her personality thereby; contributing in a healthy manner to effectively improvise the health communication system in her country.

Pronouns: She/her

Dominic Asitanaga is a doctoral student in the School of Communication Studies, on the Rhetoric and Culture track. His academic and professional work focuses on rhetoric, political communication, and decolonial communication frameworks, with a particular focus on Ghanaian democratic practices and participatory governance. 

He serves as the Graduate Student Representative on the Student Alumni Advisory Council, a Research Associate for the Africa Center for Digital Transformation, and Graduate Student Senator for Scripps College in 91原创's Graduate Student Senate. Previous leadership roles Dominic held include Vice President of the African Student Union and Congress Chair of the Graduate Students' Association of Ghana-USA. 

Outside of academic engagements, he enjoys reading, listening to music, and watching movies to inspire his creativity and broaden his perspectives. 

Rayna Batool is focusing on Culture and Writing, and she aims to work on fiction and non-fiction creative writing in Kashmir. Her previous work is based on transnational literature, and now she is focusing on narrative scarcity through fieldwork in Kashmir that leads to cultural erasure and orature amnesia.

Office: Schoonover 434

Area: Interpersonal & Organizational Communication

Alex Boesch (B.A.) comes to OHIO from Champaign, Illinois, and received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication studies from Cedarville University. During his time at Cedarville, he also received a minor in psychology with a focus on group counseling. Alex鈥檚 research interests include fan theory, parasocial relationships, and game studies. In his work at OU, he uses qualitative methods to explore how fans interpersonally engage their own and others鈥� fan identities.

In addition to research, Alex is dedicated to his teaching and employs experiential learning practices in the classroom. As a former public speaking competitor, he also enjoyed serving as assistant coach for the forensics team. 

Area: Interpersonal & Organizational Communication 

Nolan Bowers (M.A.) is originally from Hayti, South Dakota. He received his undergraduate degree and master's degree from South Dakota State University. As Part of his master's degree, Nolan completed a thesis operationalizing the philosopher Karl Jasper's theory of existential communication and assisted in coaching the forensics team. 

His primary research interest lies in interpersonal communication through dyadic communication. He is also highly interested in how emotion is conveyed through communication, as well as instructional communication. During his time at 91原创, he has been serving as assistant coach for the forensics team. 

Colin Cameron (M.A.) grew up in Petal, Mississippi, and received his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in communication studies from the University of Southern Mississippi. Colin鈥檚 research interests are centered around digital storytelling, health and risk communication, and stigma, with a focus on how narrative processes of medicalization exist in alternative contexts and spaces. His master's thesis explored how patterns of blame and medical scapegoating emerged in media narratives and framing practices in response to health crises throughout the last two centuries. Colin is also a current research assistant for Dr. Lynn Harter with the Barbara Geralds Institute for Storytelling and Social Impact.

Colin has a strong love for teaching and has taught a diverse set of courses in both communication studies and media production. Additionally, Colin received the Top Paper award in the Political Communication Division and the Robert Bostrom Young Scholar award at the 2022 Southern States Communication Conference.

Colin鈥檚 personal interests include playing music with his band, soccer, and reading.

Rosemary Charway is a dedicated and accomplished individual hailing from Ghana. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Cape Coast in 2019. She then pursued a Master's degree in Communication at Central Michigan University, USA. During her undergraduate and graduate years, she worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Cape Coast and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Central Michigan University. These teaching experiences have equipped her with unique and valuable teaching skills needed to facilitate effective teaching and learning. 

She possesses a deep understanding of the power of communication in shaping societies and is committed to utilizing her skills to address pertinent issues. With a specific focus on women's representation in Africa, Rosemary's research interests center around exploring and advocating for increased gender equality and empowerment across West Africa. Having worked as a Sexual Aggression Peer Advocate for a year, she also has deep interests in issues of sexual assault and domestic violence that confront individuals, particularly minority groups. 

Outside her professional and academic work, her interests include travelling, kayaking, reading, and cooking.

Prathana Dodia (M.S.) earned a Master of Science degree with a focus in Psychology from India. Prathana is a passionate researcher with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Her research interests lie specifically in gender studies, identity, and the narration of mythological and religious texts. Over the years, Prathana has been working on exploring the societal representation of women as portrayed in mythology and widespread belief. She focuses on different mediums and narratives to study political and societal misconceptions of gender in today鈥檚 society. Her current research focuses on the reproductive rights of women in the US and India. Besides academics, Prathana loves being in nature, watching sunsets, reading books, and cooking.

Specialization: Rhetoric & Culture

Ryan Eisenhuth (B.A., Geneva College) is a Doctoral Student and Graduate Teaching Associate in 91原创's School of Communication Studies. Ryan earned a Bachelor's degree in Communication with a double-emphasis in Integrated Media Production and Public Relations from Geneva College in 2023. In addition to his academic pursuits, Ryan has professional experience in the field of communication after working in the Public Information Department of the City of Mentor, Ohio, and the Marketing & Communications Department of McGregor Senior Living in Cleveland, Ohio. Currently, Ryan serves as the Manager of 91原创's Communication Resource Center and as the Communication Coordinator for the Ohio Communication Association Executive Board.

Ryan's research lies at the intersection of media ecology, religious communication, and rhetorical theory. Recent research projects Ryan has worked on include "Media Ecology and the Modern Invention of Race," "Orality, Literacy, and the Renegotiation of Authenticity on BeReal," "Memory Dis-Membered: A Call to Re-Member the Forgotten Rhetorical Canon," and "Revitalizing Friendships in the Age of Disruption." In these projects and beyond, Ryan aims to explore how the rhetorical functions of communication technologies shape what we remember, how we relate to each other in communities, and what it means to be human.

In his free time, Ryan likes to read books, go on hikes, grow as an amateur photographer, and travel around the country with his family and friends. 

Research Focus: Intercultural Communication

Sheyla Finkelshteyn (M.A., University of Kentucky) is a critical intercultural scholar. She is originally from Uzbekistan and came to the U.S. in 2013 for her undergraduate studies in communication at Berea College. An international student herself, she found that she wants to research that phenomenon in her academic career, which led to her focus - intercultural communication competence. She is bilingual in Russian and English and is passionate about improving her Spanish. Teaching has been her favorite part of academia, therefore she decided to continue her education at OU, where teaching is highly emphasized. Her hobbies are traveling and cooking. She has been to 17 countries and 17 states and hopes to continue once it is safe to do so!

Pronouns: She/Her

Elis Fricker (pronouns they/them) has an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of South Dakota and an M.A. in History with a Graduate Certificate in Women and Gender Studies from North Dakota State University (NDSU). In between degrees, Elis worked as an adjunct instructor for classes across multiple disciplines and a site interpreter for the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Their research encompasses critical rhetoric, public memory, media, and queer and gender/sexuality studies to examine how mainstream education and media silence marginalized people and their experiences while also advocating for increased inclusion of marginalized histories and voices in those spaces. 

Jessie Gongolo is a doctoral student in the Communication Studies Program who loves people and storytelling. She is proud to be from Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa, and has her M.A. in Communication Development Studies from 91原创 and a B.A. in Humanities focusing on Theatre for Development and a minor in Classics. Her passion for using art to inspire change led her to Hannover, Germany, where she worked on theater productions addressing gender-based violence. She later spent two years in Mozambique, where she picked up some conversational Portuguese. At the core of her work lies using narratives and performance as tools for social change, health communication, and women's justice.

When Jessie is not engaged in research or creative projects, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, exploring life鈥檚 rhythms through music, books, movies, and podcasts, or simply enjoying quality time with friends and exploring new places.

Research Focus: Rhetoric & Culture

Reedwan Habib is a full-time faculty member at the Department of English & Modern Languages of IUBAT University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed his Bachelor's (Honors) in English Linguistics and TESOL at North South University, Dhaka, where he graduated cum laude. After completing his graduation, Mr. Habib was selected to pursue a Master's in English Linguistics at the University of Bayreuth in Northern Bavaria, Germany. He was awarded the prestigious Bavarian Government Fund at the University of Bayreuth, which is one of the foremost research universities in Germany. Reedwan specialized in 鈥淐ritical Discourse Analysis鈥�, a sub-branch of Sociolinguistics for his Master's studies. Right after completing his post-graduation, Mr. Habib was selected to pursue a prestigious teaching certificate degree from Cambridge University, which is known as CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults). He successfully completed this teaching degree and learned some useful, innovative, and communicative ways and methods of teaching English to speakers of other languages, i.e., learners whose first language is not English. Reedwan aims to become a communication theorist in the near future and wants to help build a well-communicated and healthy society.

Pronouns: He/him

Parwana Hamdam is originally from Afghanistan. Her undergraduate degree in Public Health was earned at Kabul Medical University, and her Master's in Public Health with a specialization in Health Promotion and Community Health at the American University of Beirut. She obtained a second Master's degree in Communication and Development, focusing on Health Communication, from 91原创. Throughout Parwana's career, she has held roles centered on health communication, community engagement, social mobilization, health promotion, and public health research in diverse settings. 

Parwana's research interests are deeply rooted in the field of maternal health, where she aims to explore the multifaceted dynamics that shape the reproductive well-being of women. Specifically, she is drawn to investigating the intricate interplay of societal norms, cultural influences, and accessibility barriers that significantly impact women's reproductive health outcomes, especially within marginalized communities residing in developing countries. Through her research endeavors, she aspires to advocate for evidence-based policy interventions and grassroots initiatives aimed at addressing the root causes of maternal health disparities. By amplifying the voices of marginalized women and fostering community-driven solutions, Parwana aims to contribute to the creation of more equitable and inclusive maternal healthcare systems that prioritize the well-being of all women, regardless of their socio-economic background or cultural context. 

Apart from her studies, Parwana loves doing things like cooking, going to the gym, taking walks outside, being in nature, shopping, listening to music, and hanging out with friends and family. 

Carolina A. Herrera C茅spedes (M.A., Universidad Internacional de la Rioja; M.A., Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales; B.A., Pontificia Universidad Cat贸lica del Ecuador) focuses on the intersections of health communication, public health, and urban environments. Her research explores how communication strategies, particularly in risk and uncertainty communication, can influence public understanding and health behaviors in the context of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Carolina's work is deeply interdisciplinary, examining how cities and urban environments shape health outcomes, particularly in Latin American settings. Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked as a communication specialist for a Health Research Center and consulted with various NGOs and higher education institutions in Ecuador. She is also actively exploring the potential of arts in health interventions as a service-linked component of her academic work.

Specializations: International Health & Development, Health Campaigns, Health Communication.

Iman Ikram holds a B.A. in Dental Surgery followed by an M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration from Mewar University in India. She worked as a dentist and collaborated with Colgate to conduct free dental health camps and Anti-Tobacco Campaigns. Iman presented a detailed report on 鈥楥hallenges faced by Rural Healthcare in India鈥� during her master's. She headed various projects such as 鈥楲ove Yourself Campaign,鈥� 鈥楤reast Cancer Awareness Campaign,鈥� and 鈥楶riority Health Clinic for Women鈥� as a Team leader and is currently responsible for D.I.S.H.A, a smart health assistant for pregnancy. Her broad area of interest lies in international health and development, health campaigns, and health communication. She is interested in creating a healthcare system that accommodates all aspects of quality healthcare delivery in developing countries. Moreover, she is concerned with raising awareness among the masses about their rights and providing them with unprecedented and uncompromising healthcare. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading fiction novels, indulging in retail therapy, traveling, and is a food enthusiast.

Research Focus: Health Communication, Cultural Inclusion

Tanveer Ahmed Khan (M.A., Communication and Development Studies, 91原创) is from Dhaka, Bangladesh. He completed his undergraduate and first graduate degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Before joining 91原创, Tanveer worked for several non-profit organizations for around 10 years as communication professional in different capacities focusing on strategic and behavior change communications. Involvement in various health projects in his professional career provided Tanveer with valuable opportunities of working with vulnerable rural and urban sub-populations to improve their quality of health and overall wellbeing. Before joining the Health Communication PhD program at OU, Tanveer worked as a Behavior Therapist for 鈥淚 am Boundless,鈥� a Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit organization serving individuals with autism and developmental disability. Tanveer is particularly interested in pursuing research to investigate the differential impacts of social determinants of health on ethnically and culturally marginalized sub-populations in the US. The intended investigation may eventually culminate in studying how these differential impacts guide health communication professionals to deploy culturally appropriate persuasive strategies to bring intended health outcomes. Tanveer鈥檚 main hobbies are traveling to the mountainous parts of the US, and listening music.

Pronouns: He/his

Dious Joseph (Ph.D.) has a multifaceted academic and professional background. Dious holds triple bachelor's degrees in arts, philosophy, and theology, bridging diverse realms of knowledge. His master's thesis in Communication Studies at Fairfield University focused on end-of-life communication within religious organizations, pioneering research that intersects communication, theology, and healthcare. Dious has profound work experience in the clergy sphere of the Roman Catholic Church, which enriches his understanding of organizational and interpersonal dynamics. His research currently spans several critical areas within interpersonal and organizational communication. His projects include exploring the dynamics of communication among families of children with disabilities and the complexities of paternal postpartum depression鈥攇roups he identifies as uniquely understudied in the communication discipline. He also examines the role of AI in instructional communication.

Focus: Health Communication

Pronouns: She/her

Mildred Komey was born and raised in Accra, the capital of Ghana. Her academic journey and professional experiences have nurtured her deep passion for public health and communication studies.

Mildred earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, followed by two advanced degrees from 91原创: a master鈥檚 in international studies focusing on African Studies and a Master of Public Health. During her career, she has contributed to the development of national policies and guidelines on maternal health and malaria in Ghana. These diverse academic and professional experiences have fueled her interest in maternal health, preventive health, interpersonal relations, and behavioral change.

Mildred is dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes for marginalized communities in the United States and Ghana. She believes in the importance of tailored health communication strategies that bridge cultural gaps in healthcare and promote positive health outcomes. Her passion lies in creating appropriate, culturally centered, and effective interventions that address the unique needs of immigrant women and underserved populations. She employs a mixed-method approach in her research, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of maternal health issues.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Mildred serves as the International Student Representative for the Graduate Communication Association (GradCo) for the 2024-2025 academic year. She finds great pleasure in preparing meals that bring her family and friends together. She values quality time spent with loved ones and enjoys building personal connections that enrich her life.

Lyzbeth King received her degrees from the University of Ghana (B.A., Psychology with Theater Arts) and Purdue University - Fort Wayne (M.A., Professional Communication with Health Communication Certificate). She is interested in Health, Interpersonal, and Family Communication; specifically, stigma communication, menstruation studies, mental health communication, women鈥檚 studies, intercultural communication, and health campaigns. In 2024, Lyzbeth received the 2024 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from Purdue's Department of Communication. 

Lyzbeth was a summer intern with the Noble County Conventions and Visitors Bureau for two consecutive summer terms and has volunteered for Read United (a program of Crossroads United Way) and Choose Life Ghana (an anti-suicide NGO in Ghana). She is also certified and a proud alumna of the Engage Noble Leadership Academy championed by Thrive Noble County and Be Noble, Inc.

Athar Memon (MSPH) completed his Bachelor in Medicine & Bachelor in Surgery (MBBS) from Shaheed Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana in 2016. After completion of a house job from Lyari General Hospital, Karachi in 2017, he started to work with People鈥檚 Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) non-profit organization, and was appointed as an In-charge Medical Officer from 2017 to 2018 in a rural area of District, Kashmore. During that tenure, Athar observed the lack of health education and poor health literacy among community due to primary concern of our health system on treatment rather than primary prevention that ultimately lead us to the era of antibiotic abuse/resistance, poor health outcomes, and burden of infectious and chronic diseases. Following his passion towards primary prevention and research, he has completed his Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) from APPNA Institute of Public Health, Jinnah Sindh Medical University in 2020.

During post-graduation Athar actively took part in several research projects of ICRC as a research fellow and data collector. He did his thesis on 鈥淓ffects of low-cost intervention on incidence of violence by establishing surveillance system in two tertiary-care sectors of Karachi and Peshawar.鈥� The study resulted that intervention related to improving communication skills of healthcare providers and change in the behavior of community could prevent violence against healthcare providers. He has been working as a Project Manager of Healthcare in Danger Initiative, (a collaborative project of International Committee of Red Cross and APPNA Institute of Public Health) working on preventing violence against healthcare providers at healthcare facilities. Athar has been appointed at APPNA Institute of Public Health, Karachi.

Rose Moremoholo is a dedicated researcher and communication specialist from Lesotho who has joined the PhD program in Health Communication. She focuses on the health and well-being of women and girls, particularly in the area of maternal health. With a background in journalism, risk communication, and community engagement, she brings a unique combination of media expertise and development-oriented research to her work.

Rose holds a Master鈥檚 degree in Communication and Development Studies and is a former Fulbright scholar. She is passionate about utilizing strategic communication to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. Her research interests include maternal health advocacy, health messaging, and the role of media in shaping and enhancing health behaviors. She emphasizes empowering women and girls through informed, culturally sensitive interventions.

With experience in media management and community-based health campaigns, Rose aims to bridge the gaps between research, policy, and public engagement. Her goal is to foster equitable health communication strategies in Africa and beyond.

Mohamud Mumin (B.Sc.) is a doctoral student in the Rhetoric and Culture track at 91原创's School of Communication Studies. He is also a practicing visual artist and currently serves as the Artistic Director of Soomaal House of Art, an artist-run space in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He enjoys traveling and basketball.

Jeremy Murphy (M.A. San Diego State University) received his Bachelor鈥檚 degree from Illinois State University in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in English. Before coming to OU, he taught as a Lecturer at Utah Valley University, primarily teaching introductory courses. He also spent a year doing nonprofit work at a think tank in Washington DC.

His research focuses on queer geographies, critical rhetoric, and theories on space and place. He has received many awards, including the Peter Raposo Servant Leadership Award, Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor, and a Top Paper award from the National Communication Association. Jeremy has served as the Associate Basic Course Director since 2023. His favorite question is 鈥渉uh?鈥�

Focus: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

Namra Nadeem (MPhil, MBA) is a PhD student in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication at 91原创, where she also serves as a Graduate Teaching Associate. Her teaching centers on public speaking and communication among cultures, and she is committed to creating supportive and culturally mindful learning environments. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Namra earned her MPhil and MBA in Business Administration, along with a BBA (Honors) with double majors in Finance and Marketing from the Lahore School of Economics in Pakistan, where she also worked as a Teaching Fellow, teaching courses in marketing/consumer behavior and supervising graduate research projects. She also gained industry experience as a Management Trainee Executive at a multinational corporation, contributing to project coordination and strategic initiatives.

Her research focuses on interpersonal and organizational communication, and she maintains an active research portfolio with published work and presentations at national and international academic conferences, including the National Communication Association, the Ohio Communication Association, the International Conference on Business, Law & Economics in Athens, Greece, and the International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Science Studies at the University of Oxford, UK.

Namra brings a global and culturally grounded perspective to her research and teaching. Beyond her academic life, she stays connected to campus life and finds joy in nature, spending time with friends and family, swimming, and unwinding with music.

Pronouns: she/her

Focus: Rhetoric and Culture

Pronouns: She/her

Elina Nikolskaya Ph.D. is currently studying on the "Rhetoric and Culture" track, focusing on the phenomenon of propaganda in contemporary Russia. Her primary research interest lies in the concept of myth and its role in shaping public opinion through state influence.

She holds a specialist degree in journalism from Lomonosov Moscow State University and a bachelor's degree in law from the State Law Academy. In 2017, she earned her PhD in Philology.

Before starting her academic career, Elina worked as a television journalist, beginning as a crime reporter and later becoming the editor-in-chief of a national Russian television news program.

Her previous academic interests included the study of television content (Nikolskaya, E., Chobanyan, K. (2021). Testing the Waters: TikTok鈥檚 Potential for Television News (pp. 62-88). World of Media. Journal of Russian Media and Journalism Studies; Nikolskaya, E. (2017). Television News Magazines in Canada, the United States, and Australia in the Context of Format Transformation (pp. 102-113). Medi@lmanah.), newsroom practices (Nikolskaya, E. (2021). The Work of a Reporter in the Editorial Office of Television News. Aspect-Press.), and the representation of social conflicts in both traditional and social media (Nikolskaya, E., Krasheninnikova, M. (2022). Traditional Media and Social Media: Dialectics of Social Conflicts (pp. 103-135). Bulletin of Moscow University. Part 10: Journalism.).

In her free time, she enjoys attending theater performances, listening to blues music, and playing the violin.

Nikolskaya CV

Research Focus: Health Communication

Kate Nimako (M.S., 91原创) obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Ghana, where she pursued a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science. For her undergraduate project, she researched 鈥淭he Knowledge, risk perception, and screening behavior of prostate cancer among men 35 years and above in Madina鈥�. She is hoping to complete a master鈥檚 in public health at 91原创 this Spring. While pursuing her master鈥檚 at 91原创, she worked as a Data Management Specialist with the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Knowledge Laboratory (GLL), Geneva. In this role, she enhanced effective collaboration with members on the GLL portal to accelerate knowledge uptake. Also, Kate worked as a program planner with the United Seniors of Athens County, Ohio. In this role, she designed and implemented evidence-based programs for the senior center to improve the health of seniors. Kate has a research interest in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. She aims at developing health interventions employing innovative communication strategies to prevent chronic diseases. Kate loves to sing, write, and spend time with her friends.

Pronouns: She/her

Research Focus: Rhetoric & Culture

Oum Nuh, M.A. attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and graduated with a BA and Masters in Communication along with a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies and Rhetorical Leadership. Oum鈥檚 work looks at the ideological presuppositions and actions that repeat across civilizations arguing that, in part, current individual, cultural, and political tensions arise from bani Adam's (as) perpetual nature of forgetting. Oum鈥檚 research subsequently draws on theories of memory, the works of al-Kindi, Sharaf al-Mulk, Imam Al-Ghazali and Cicero, along with thought leaders such as Zara Faris and Daniel Haqiqatjou.

Evans Agyemang Opoku was born in Kumasi, in the Ashanti region of Ghana. He earned a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Biotechnology from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2019, as well as a master's degree in International Development Studies and two graduate certificates from 91原创.

Evans has worked as an Assistant Laboratory Analyst at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute in Ghana, where he focused on plant establishment and disease diagnostics. Additionally, he has experience as a Field Supervisor for the Ghana Statistical Service.

He is passionate about community health outcomes, particularly concerning non-communicable diseases. His goal is to develop health interventions using effective health and risk communication strategies to improve outcomes related to non-communicable diseases, especially obesity. Outside of academics, Evans enjoys soccer, highlife music, and spending time with friends.

Rhoda Asabea Osei (M.A., Texas Tech University) is a doctoral student at the School of Communication Studies at 91原创, specializing in interpersonal and organizational communication. Originally from Ghana, she brings a global and culturally rich perspective to her work, focusing on how social support, loneliness, attachment styles and cultural differences shape communication experiences. Her M.A. thesis, "The Relationship Between the Communication of Social Support, Loneliness and Adult Attachment Styles Among International Students," used a quantitative approach to explore how communication styles foster belonging and emotional well-being and was presented at the 2025 Southern States Communication Association (SSCA) conference. 

In addition to her thesis research, Rhoda authored a paper on the dark side of interpersonal communication, which was recognized as a Top Paper in her course and published in In Media Res. At Texas Tech, she served as an Assistant Course Director and Graduate Teaching Assistant for Public Speaking, mentoring new instructors and earning the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Media and Communication. 

Her experiences also include participating in an exchange program at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and working in communication roles with Aker Energy in Ghana. Passionate about building inclusive learning environments, Rhoda enjoys mentoring students, promoting cultural engagement, and making communication more accessible across diverse communities.

Research Focus: Rhetoric & Culture

Dolapo Michael Oyedokun was born and raised in Ibadan, the largest city in West Africa. As a dedicated academician, Dolapo has a strong passion for teaching and research in Media and Communication Studies. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Babcock University (2018), a master's degree in International Relations from Lead City University (2022), and a second master's degree in Mass Communication from Nasarawa State University (2024).

Dolapo鈥檚 research expertise spans both quantitative and qualitative methods, with a focus on citizen journalism, social media, political communication, international communication, and cultural diplomacy. He is also beginning to explore the analysis of fake news, an emerging area of interest in his research that he aims to uncover in future work. Beyond academia, Dolapo loves traveling, exploring big cities, and having fun. He is also passionate about nature, enjoys listening to music, making new friends, and learning about different cultures.

Pronouns: He/Him

Research Focus: Organizational Communication

Michael Rodrigue-Barnes (M.A., San Diego State University) explores questions concerning how people, like himself, make sense of trauma, stigma, activism, and organizing through narrative and critical reflexivity. In this way, his research interests are responsive to the cultural and organizational contexts in which he is immersed. For example, his dissertation project, 鈥淲riting/writing Like My Life Depends on It,鈥� explores what it means to have a graffiti identity and how that identity is negotiated in organizational settings. This work, in addition to other manuscripts he has presented at national conferences, crystallizes autoethnographic and critical-qualitative methodologies to create evocative and collaborative accounts of communicative phenomena. Michael's work is guided by post-structural and decolonial sensibilities, which invite him to consider how research can be applied to the communities with whom he does research for their benefit. Accordingly, his research often incorporates drawing, painting, poetry, and storytelling alongside traditional ethnographic techniques like responsive interviewing and textual analysis to provide layered accounts.

Pronouns: he/him

Rizvan Saeed is a social science researcher doing a PhD in Health Communication. His PhD work is on the enactment of masculinities and negotiation of masculine identities in stigma management communication in cases of male infertility & impotence. 

His research interests include masculinities, stigma, social support, digital communication, dis/misinformation, big data, social network analysis, and natural language processing.

He has done a Master of Social Research (Advanced) from the Australian National University, Australia, where he specialized in digital research methods. He also holds a Master's degree in Anthropology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology.

He has a decade-long experience working with the United Nations, international organizations, and local NGOs in Pakistan and Australia. As a Behavioral Change Communication specialist, he conducted experiential workshops with police organizations on gender-responsive policing, with journalists on gender-sensitive and ethical reporting, with development practitioners and local communities on issues of toxic masculinity and, gender-based violence, and fatherhood. Before joining the PhD program, his last assignment was Advisor Research & Coordination with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). He advised Women Development Department of Punjab, Pakistan, on gender mainstreaming and building a Multisectoral Prevention and Response Mechanism to address Gender-based Violence (GBV). Previously, he developed a strategic framework for United Nations Joint Program to address Pakistan's gender-based violence and child marriage issues.

Kaitlyn Searls (MS in Integrated Marketing Communication) completed her bachelor's and master's degrees from West Virginia University. She is currently employed with West Virginia University Medicine and works in Human Resources. Her work has led her to engage in discussions and research that critically analyze medical systems, policies, practices, and communication surrounding diagnostic interactions between female patients and providers. Her experiences have guided her research interests toward examining how sex informs diagnosis. Kaitlyn鈥檚 current and future career goals are industry-oriented as she hopes to work with teaching hospitals to improve educational communication programming and operational communication practices to contribute to positive health outcomes by reducing delayed and misdiagnosis rates.

Zahid Walid (D.V.M.) graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Since his graduation, he has been working a government job at an administrative post in an attached department of Services and General Administration. Zahid completed his master's degree during his job in Public Health from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. 鈥淚 feel that communication is the most important part in every field of life. This is the reason I have opted for communication studies so that in future when I am at a higher post in my department, I should be well equipped with the abilities to make the employees of my office more satisfied and happier鈥�. Zahid鈥檚 research also stems from the same idea that will help him to achieve the goals he has set

Meg Watford recently completed a Master of Arts program in Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte where she also received her B.A. after a career in the travel industry. As a critical-cultural, feminist scholar who situates the body as a site of resistance, advocacy and control; her areas of focus include the rhetorical impact of anti-fat beliefs in healthcare and academic research, representations of fatness and death/dying in video games and the organizational culture of tattoo artists. This year, her commitment to community and activism led Meg to start a collective of first-generation Communication Studies graduate students and faculty, in an effort to reclaim civility as part of public and civic life. 

Out in the wild, you鈥檒l find her joined by her slightly oversized void pug Truly.

Siyuan Xiang is a PhD student in the Communication Studies program. Her academic experience focuses on exploring political communication, power structures, and evolving political rhetoric. Outside of academia, she is passionate about cultural and athletic pursuits鈥攕he is a traditional Chinese opera performer and an amateur tennis player. As an ENTJ, Siyuan also loves meeting new people, having engaging discussions, and participating in book clubs.