20 Years of IMC at WVU
Some may not view a two-year online master’s degree as particularly life-changing, but in the 20 years of West Virginia University’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program, stories of transformation abound.
Class Notes 2021
1960s
Doug Huff (BSJ, 1969) was inducted in the City of Wheeling Hall of Fame in the Sports and Athletics category. His career spanned more than 50 years, during which he was a pioneer in national, state and local high school sports media coverage; a daily newspaper and sports editor and columnist in Wheeling; a contributor to national publications and an author and historian.
1980s
Jeff Hertrick (BSJ, 1981) has joined the National Press Foundation and produced the organization’s first virtual awards celebration in February 2021 honoring journalists for their accomplishments. The 2020 Award winners included Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN, Time Magazine's Molly Ball, Detroit Free Press Editor Peter Bhatia, NPR's Audie Cornish, and Washington Post columnist George Will.
Chris Wallop (BSJ, 1987) of Annapolis Maryland has retired.
2000s
Joshua Austin (BSJ, 2008) is the policy and communications director for the West Virginia Primary Care Association.
Andrew Beckner (BSJ 2003) is the executive director of public relations at Anderson University in South Carolina.
Dan Bullock (BSJ, 2005), a New York University faculty member, has co-authored the book “How to Communicate Effectively with Anyone, Anywhere: Your Passport to Connecting Globally.” The book reveals a new approach to global communication across key performance areas, such as public speaking, effective emailing and negotiation based on the authors’ successful intercultural experience working with professionals and corporate executives from The United Nations, Google, Bloomberg, and more. The book features key illustrations, practical self-discovery exercises, and psychological tips for, ultimately, becoming a global communicator. Bullock is also a language and communications specialist at the United Nations Secretariat in New York City.
Kim Davis (BSJ, 2005) is the VP, Group Director for ForwardPMX in Baltimore.
Emily Duke (M.S. IMC 2005) began Pretty Creative by Emily Myers Duke, a public relations and marketing consultancy, to help brands match their story with the right storytellers. Pretty Creative specializes in media relations and crisis communications.
Faith Thomas (M.S. IMC 2007) was hired by Tesla to manage global environmental health and safety document control, as well as oversee technical documentation and employee engagement.
2010s
Carleen Berdini (M.S. IMC, 2019) has been promoted to senior marketing project manager at Nebo Agency, a human-centered agency built for the digital age, located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Samantha Joneswood (M.S. Data, 2020) received the Margaret Buchanan Cole Young Alumni Award in recognition of her continued servant leadership on behalf of multiple WVU Alumni Association chapters, the John Chambers College of Business and Economics, and the Reed College of Media. As a student, Joneswood was involved with WVU PRSSA, the American Marketing Association, and the Student Alumni Association while also serving as a Student Ambassador. Joneswood’s career has led her to Knoxville, Tennessee, where she works for HGTV and actively volunteers with the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the WVU Alumni Association.
Jessica Mannering (BSJ, 2018; M.S. IMC, 2020) has recently been promoted to social media & content marketing manager at Hoffmann Murtaugh, a virtual media planning and buying agency headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA. In her current role, she is responsible for implementing a variety of social media, content marketing, and communications tactics and campaigns. Additionally, she assists in overseeing the growth of the ESO (earned, shared, and owned) media department.
Debra McGaughey (M.S. IMC, 2017) has been named the president of the board for the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations. She is currently the director of communication services at Houston Community College Central. The council is the professional organization for 1,600 marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges in the U.S. and Canada. McGaughey will serve as president for 2021-2022, leading NCMPR’s 14-member national Board of Directors. She will preside over the organization’s 2022 national conference in Denver.
Andy Stofleth (M.S., IMC 2017), the executive director of SBP, was recently recognized by the Prime Minister of the Bahamas for SBP’s contributions to retrofit the Rand Memorial Hospital and four clinics across the Bahamas with water purification systems following Hurricane Dorian. Stofleth and his team established a public-private partnership with the Bahamas Public Hospitals Authority, CDC Foundation and Water Mission to scope, design and build each system to not only produce enough clean water for each hospital and clinic, but the surrounding community in future emergencies.
Emily Zekonis (M.S. IMC, 2020) recently moved companies to join HMP Global, a multichannel leader in healthcare meetings, content, and education. In her new role as a marketing communications manager, she oversees the promotions and marketing of healthcare education events. Tactics include everything from social, digital and traditional marketing methods.
