Dr. Jennifer Vardeman was Named Valenti's Director

    Following a unanimous vote, Dr. Verdeman was appointed as the Director of Jack J. Valenti School of Communication and assumed the role as Director position on 1st September 2021. Considering her unanimous endorsement by her colleagues, it is clear that she possesses good leadership qualities, But who is Dr. Verdeman? She is a professional who conducts researches in the healthcare field and public relations in public health. Primarily, Dr. Verdeman researches the decision-making behavior of women on different healthcare options and how mass media and interpersonal contacts influence their decisions. Additionally, she uses intersectional strategy to explore the aspects of public relations, especially around racial and gender inequalities in the workforce. She has published more than twenty-five chapters and articles on intersectionality, public health communication, and public relations. It is instructive to note that Dr. Jennifer was unanimously endorsed by colleagues at the University of Houston’s Jack J. Valenti School of communication. Having been one of the longest-serving under the leadership team in Valenti's School of Communication, Dr. Jennifer Vardeman was eventually unanimously elected to occupy the coveted post of Director. 

    Dr. Vardeman joined the school of communication in 2009 as an assistant professor after being awarded a doctorate in communication from the Maryland College Park (Smith 3). Before she was appointed the Director of the school of communication, she was first appointed as the interim Director in August 2020. As the interim Director, she guided the school of communication through one of the most challenging years.  One of her most notable achievements during her role as the interim Director, she oversaw the creation of the first Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism committee that developed policies geared towards discouraging discrimination of any kind in the school. As the interim Director at Jack J. Valenti School of communication, Dr. Verdeman has steered the school through the most difficult year until today, after she was appointed the Director. She pioneered a virtual learning environment during the pandemic prioritizing compassion during the challenging time. Through her leadership, Dr. Verdeman helped the school adapt signature events such as Global Communication Summit and Impact Awards ceremony into virtual formats. This enhanced building a sense of community between the alumni and the students regardless of external difficulties. The vision of Dr. Verdeman during her tenure includes improving Jack J. Valenti School of Communication research profile and advancing professional development opportunities to boost the student's competitiveness in the fast-changing job market. 

    In addition, Dr.Vardeman also served in several advisory boards in charge of improving and encouraging diversity within the school of communication, and by extension, within the University of Houston.