Academic Director
Erich Sommerfeldt
Dr. Erich Sommerfeldt received his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the Gaylord School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma in 2011 and his M.A. in Communication from Western Michigan University in 2008. He specializes in public relations, with research emphases in civil society and development communication, public diplomacy, social capital, and social network analysis. He was selected in 2020 by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and the U.S. Department of State as a Jefferson Science Fellow. He was appointed as a Senior Advisor to the State Department in 2022. He was recently elected as vice chair of the public relations division of the International Communication Association.
Outreach Director and Teaching Professor
Scott Meyer
Scott Meyer has a broad range of business and institutional management, development, government relations, and communications leadership experience. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, started and grown his own business, and was chairman of the world’s largest public relations firm. He has extensive international experience having traveled to more than 60 countries and received national recognition for his work in strategic planning. Prior to joining the adjunct faculty at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications, he was chief marketing officer for the College of Liberal Arts. Scott is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He is active in volunteer leadership roles in several non-profit organizations.
Faculty
The master's in strategic communications faculty members are a mix of University of Minnesota professors and professionals who work in the Twin Cities agency community and bring real-world client situations and case studies to the classroom.
Allison Steinke
Dr. Allison Steinke is an award-winning communicator, educator, and marketing professional with a Ph.D. in Mass Communication. With extensive experience in both academic and commercial sectors, she excels in branding, innovation, and social justice. As an assistant professor for the Hubbard School of Journalism's Strategic Communication M.A. Program, Allison teaches thousands of students in branding, digital media, and social media, while conducting pioneering research and collaborating with industry leaders to connect theory with practice. Her expertise in user and customer experience (UX/CX) informs her commitment to developing actionable insights that align with organizational goals. Allison has managed cross-functional teams, led award-winning marketing campaigns, and produced engaging multimedia content. A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, she serves on committees and mentors students from diverse backgrounds. As a breast cancer survivor, wife, and mother, Allison approaches challenges with resilience and focuses on making a positive community impact.
Mark Derks
Mark Derks is currently Chief Marketing Officer for BlueGrace Logistics, a hypergrowth, third-party logistics provider (3PL) headquartered in Tampa, Florida. He leads brand development, marketing strategy and public relations. He also plays a key role in sales enablement, product innovation and customer experience. Prior to BlueGrace, Derks was a Partner and Chief Marketing Officer for Words At Work, a marketing services agency. Previously, Derks spent more than 20 years with C.H. Robinson where he served as director of global marketing and led marketing strategy, brand management and external communications. He recently concluded a six-year Board service as Treasurer for The Brand Lab, and is President of the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association.
Bryan Anderson
Bryan Anderson teaches crisis communications in the Hubbard School’s Master of Strategic Communication program, where he helps students identify organizational crisis characteristics, understand the stages of crisis communication, and develop skills in planning and response. He also guides students in deconstructing crisis communication activities and applying best practices at each stage. Previously, Bryan served as Vice Chair of Communications at Mayo Clinic, where he led content management, media relations, and social media teams.
Adam Saffer
Adam Saffer earned his doctoral degree in Strategic Communication from the University of Oklahoma in 2014. Currently, Saffer teaches Strategic Communication at the Hubbard School after beginning his career on the faculty of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill's Hussman School of Journalism and Media. His research revolves around understanding how individuals, groups, and organizations use and are influenced by communication networks. Saffer has published in journals like New Media & Society, Journal of Communication, Communication Monographs, and Communication Research.
Michelle Wood
Michelle Wood earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006. She researched and wrote her dissertation on inoculation theory (resistance to persuasion) and teaches the Strategic Communication Theory course in the Professional M.A. Program. She has been an instructor at the Hubbard School since 2007, teaching various strategic communication courses for graduates and undergraduates. Michelle was previously a public relations counselor at Morgan & Myers Agency in Iowa and Wisconsin. She holds her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America.