Faculty
Joel William Beeson
Professor
Ph.D. (Union Institute and University)
Joel.Beeson@mail.wvu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Joel William Beeson is a professor at the WVU Reed College of Media. Beeson’s research is informed by two decades of research in community media, digital humanities and documentary studies using emerging media.
Chuck Borghese
Harrison Omnicom Visiting Professor in Advertising
B.S. Journalism (Ohio University)
Chuck Borghese is the Harrison Omnicom Visiting Professor in Advertising at the College of Media. Prior to joining the College, he was the New York City group creative director at Merkley + Partners as well as a lecturer at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.
Bob Britten
Teaching Associate Professor
Ph.D. (University of Missouri-Columbia)
Dr. Bob Britten is an associate professor at the WVU Reed College of Media. Britten has been working in journalism and news design since his junior year of college, when he was “promoted” from movie reviewer to managing editor of his campus newspaper.
Dana Coester
Professor
M.A. (University of Missouri-Columbia)
dana.coester@mail.wvu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Dana Coester is a professor at the WVU Reed College of Media and creative director for the College’s Media Innovation Center.
Heather Cole
Teaching Assistant Professor
M.F.A. (Goddard College)
As an interdisciplinary artist, Heather works and teaches in a variety of media. She currently teaches for the Interactive Design for Media major program offered by the Reed College of Media and Creative Arts College at West Virginia University.
Rita Colistra
Associate Professor
Ph.D. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Dr. Rita Colistra is an associate professor of public relations in the Reed College of Media. She returned to her home state in 2008, after earning her Ph.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Roy H. Park Fellow. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from West Virginia University.
Emily Hughes Corio
Teaching Associate Professor, Journalism Program Chair
M.S.J. (West Virginia University)
Emily Hughes Corio joined the WVU Reed College of Media in August 2011 and teaches courses in audio and video storytelling and special topical reporting courses. In 2018 and 2019, she co-led a collaborative reporting project that brought together faculty and students from WVU and George Washington University. In 2019, the team focused on in-depth and explanatory reporting on the opioid epidemic's impact to children in West Virginia.
Gina Martino Dahlia
Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs
M.S.J. (West Virginia University)
Gina Martino Dahlia is the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs for the WVU Reed College of Media. In this role, she assists in the planning, development and direction of academic programs. Dahlia is also the Managing Director of the Media Innovation Center and a Teaching Professor at the College of Media.
Julia Daisy Fraustino
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. (University of Maryland)
Julia Daisy Fraustino, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of strategic communication at the WVU Reed College of Media. She is founding director of the Public Interest Communication Research Lab (PIC Lab) in the WVU Media Innovation Center.
Joseph Jones
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. (Missouri School of Journalism)
Joseph is an assistant professor at the WVU Reed College of Media who has expertise in media history and culture and teaches Media Ethics and Law.
Ashton Marra
Teaching Assistant Professor
M.S. (West Virginia University)
304-293-3505
Ashton Marra joined the college’s faculty in August of 2018, where she teaches news writing, video storytelling and community-focused journalism.
Diana Knott Martinelli
Dean, Widmeyer Professor in Public Relations
Ph.D. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Dr. Diana Knott Martinelli was named dean of the College of Media in 2019, after serving as the College's associate dean for eight years and as acting dean of the College of Media from 2015-2016.
Mary Kay McFarland
Teaching Associate Professor
M.A. (University of Missouri-Columbia)
MaryKay.McFarland@mail.wvu.edu
Mary Kay McFarland joined the WVU Reed College of Media in the summer of 2009. She teaches visual and multimedia journalism. Before coming to WVU, McFarland worked at The Charleston Gazette as a staff photographer and multimedia editor.
Catherine Mezera
Teaching Associate Professor
M.S. (West Virginia University)
Catherine Mezera joined the WVU Reed College of Media in the fall of 2013. She teaches courses in advertising, copywriting, graphic design, and creative strategy as part of the advertising and public relations program, in addition to the undergraduate integrated marketing communications online major.
Elizabeth Oppe
Teaching Associate Professor
Ph.D. (Ohio University)
Elizabeth.Oppe@mail.wvu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Elizabeth Oppe, Ph.D., is a West Virginia native and a WVU alumna. She joined the College of Media’s faculty in Fall 2011 as a teaching assistant professor in the public relations program.
Geah Pressgrove
Associate Professor, Advertising and Public Relations Program Chair
Ph.D. (University of South Carolina)
Geah.Pressgrove@mail.wvu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Geah Pressgrove is an associate professor at the Reed College of Media where she teaches introductory, skills and advanced courses in the advertising/public relations program. Pressgrove is also the faculty advisor for the award-winning WVU PRSSA chapter.
Lois Raimondo
Associate Professor
M.A. (University of Missouri-Columbia)
304-293-8708
Lois Raimondo is an international award-winning journalist. Before joining the College of Media faculty, Raimondo most recently worked as a staff photographer at The Washington Post. Prior to her 10 years at the Post, she worked as a freelance photographer and writer and spent four years as chief photographer for The Associated Press bureau in Hanoi, Vietnam. Raimondo’s work has appeared in such publications as National Geographic, The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Newsweek and Time.
Chuck Scatterday
Shott Teaching Assistant Professor
M.S.J. (West Virginia University)
Robert.Scatterday1@mail.wvu.edu
Chuck Scatterday is a creative leader with more than 30 years in the television production industry. During his career in producing network television live, remote and studio events, he mastered making split decisions under pressure, providing hard feedback, working collaboratively and deploying creative alternatives quickly and efficiently, with an appreciation for resources and budget.
David Smith
Teaching Associate Professor
M.A. (West Virginia University)
David Smith is a Teaching Associate Professor at the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, where he has taught courses in visual journalism, video for social media, brand storytelling, drone journalism, augmented and virtual reality (AR & VR) and international study abroad.
John Temple
Professor
M.F.A. (University of Pittsburgh)
John.Temple@mail.wvu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Professor John Temple is a nonfiction author, investigative journalist and screenwriter. His books and television writing chronicle dramatic true stories of American life and illuminate critical current events and issues.
Steve Urbanski
Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies
Ph.D. (Duquesne University)
Dr. Steve Urbanski is an associate professor and director of graduate studies at WVU Reed College of Media. He has 28 years of experience in design, editing and reporting with newspapers such as the Post-Gazette in Pittsburgh; the Herald-Standard in Uniontown, Pa.; the former Sun-Tattler in Hollywood, Fla.; the Mountain-Statesman in Grafton, W.Va.; The Spirit in Punxsutawney, Pa., and the former Dallas Times Herald.
Jesse Wright
Teaching Assistant Professor
B.S.J. (West Virginia University)
304-293-3505
Jesse Wright joined West Virginia University in February 2020 as a Mellon Foundation funded practitioner in residence.