Pamela Jo Brubaker is a Professor of public relations and the Associate Director over Graduate Studies in the School of Communications (SOC) at Brigham Young University. Her areas of expertise include public relations research, social media, digital storytelling, marketing communications, media relations, and strategic communications. Currently, she serves as head of the public relations sequence, one of the leading public relations programs in the nation. Within the PR program she has taught introduction to public relations, strategic planning and problem solving, digital storytelling, as well as PR research and measurement. She is an expert researcher who regularly provides experiential learning opportunities for students by mentoring them in real-world research projects for clients. She also advises graduate students and teaches graduate courses in quantitative research and strategic communications.
Brubaker’s research focuses on understanding today’s digital media environment and exploring the positive and negative effects mediated communication is having on individuals, organizations, and society. Her research explores both the impact and use of social media and digital communication technologies.
Her research interests in emerging communication technologies stem from her public relations experience in the technology industry where she worked for seven years doing media relations, corporate communications, and marketing communications. Her industry experience includes both corporate and agency settings, including overseeing communication projects for one of the largest software companies in the world.
Brubaker received her doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) in mass communications from The Pennsylvania State University. Not only is she a Nittany Lion at heart, but she bleeds blue and white, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and an associate’s degree from Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho.
Brubaker is actively involved in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) where she served as head of the Communication Technology Division and chair of Public Relations Division’s social media committee. She is an avid researcher who regularly presents at conferences, including AEJMC, the International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC), and the International Communication Association (ICA). Her research has been published in Public Relations Review, Social Media + Society, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Computers in Human Behavior, Journal of Promotion Management, and The Journal of Media and Religion, to name a few.
When Brubaker is not working, she likes to go on adventures with her husband, create memories with her family and friends, and enjoy chocolate.