The new class of fellows support inclusion, equity and diversity in our courses.
The Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication is honored to announce the Fall 2019 class of distinguished adjunct fellows who join the faculty to support inclusion, equity and diversity in our courses.
The fellows, all professionals working in the areas of journalism and strategic communication, will engage with students across a range of courses throughout the semester – offering expertise in areas such as ethics and radio production to beat reporting and advertising strategy.
“Last year, our first group of adjunct fellows were a huge addition to our teaching staff, all offering a welcome perspective to each class with which they spent time. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome another class of fellows for this fall,” said Director Elisia Cohen. “While we have always welcomed industry professionals as guest speakers and attendees of our events, we feel fortunate that these professionals are eager to engage with students several days throughout the semester, not only enhancing undergraduate learning opportunities in a particular course, but offering career guidance as well.”
The 2019 fellows, and the courses in which they'll participate, are listed below.
Nitin Dua, Strategist, Fallon. Before coming to Fallon, Nitin worked in financial software as an accounting analyst; he left to break into advertising. Since then, he’s worked at a brand consultancy where he worked on brands like Scotch Tape, 3M Safety, and General Mills, and at a start-up customer intelligence platform specifically for retailers, where he was a content strategist and copywriter. He arrived at Fallon in 2016, and has since worked on Arby’s, H&R Block, International Delight, Silk, SToK, Lumber Liquidators, Cooper Tires, Betterment, Northside Achievement Zone and The Children’s Defense Fund. Nitin also co-leads our internal diversity and inclusion committee, The Come Up. Nitin will work with Jour 3253: Account Planning, which studies the role of account planning in integrated strategic communication development.
Elizabeth Flores, photojournalist, Star Tribune. Liz graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire with a degree in Spanish and a Journalism minor. She is first-generation Mexican-American and was the first in a family of nine to graduate from college. She worked as a photojournalist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for eight years before joining the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she has worked for 14 years. Liz will work with Jour 4302: Photojournalism, which offers students the chance to practice and learn about visual storytelling, digital processing and ethical issues.
Luis Garrido, SVP of Connections Strategy, McCann Minneapolis. For more than 20 years in advertising at firms like MullenLowe, Target Corporation as well as at McCann, Luis has merged anthropological thinking with a deep knowledge of the technology driven communications reality to drive teams toward creating ever more meaningful and empathetic connections between brands and consumers. Luis will work with Jour 3004: Information for Mass Communication, which focuses on the techniques for locating, retrieving, appraising and verifying information acquired from public records, libraries, research institutions, databases, the internet, observation, and interviews.
Mahmood Khan, SVP of Digital Media & Analytics, Risdall. Mahmood brings a wealth of knowledge and omni-channel solutions spanning digital media, search, analytics and traditional media to his clients. He loves to train, mentor and set high standards of excellence for his teams and world-class solutions provided to clients. Mahmood is a member of the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) exam committee where he has contributed and helped build our industry's first Digital Media Planning and Buying Exam Certification. His passion is to go above and beyond in delivering data driven solutions and continuous improvements in KPIs with ongoing A/B/n testing across audience segments and omni-channel messaging touch points. Mahmood will work with Jour 3275: Digital Strategy in Strategic Communication, which is a skills course that focuses on integrating a variety of social networking platforms with conventional strategic communication activities.
Marsha Pitts-Phillips, President & Founder, MRPP & Associates. Marsha has deep public relations and journalism experience. She’s led PR at a large nonprofit; worked as a radio and television journalist; worked as an associate professor of communications; produced documentaries; and worked in corporate television. She has collaborated on and spearheaded several large-scale PR projects including the NFL Sanctioned Super Bowl LVII Gospel Celebration broadcast on Black Entertainment Television (BET). PRSA appointed her as its first Diversity and Inclusion Officer; she’s a member of NABJ-Media-Related Members Task Force (NABJ-MRMTF) and its local affiliate the Twin Cities Black Journalists; and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Marsha’s board service includes Prepare + Prosper; the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) Leadership Advisory Council; and she is an ordained minister. Marsha will work with Jour 3279W: Professional Writing for Strategic Communication, which teaches writing skills for agency work as well as corporate and nonprofit strategic communications.
Anjula Razdan, deputy digital editor, Experience Life Magazine. Anjula is digital deputy editor with Experience Life magazine, where she also served as senior editor for health and nutrition from 2006 to 2014 before leaving for stints as vice president for content with Be Well by Dr. Frank Lipman and as senior news producer for PresentNation. She has also worked as a senior editor for the Utne Reader and as a staff writer for Southwest Journal. She brings a savvy, digital perspective that is grounded in the best of magazine writing and storytelling. Anjula will work with Jour 3173W: Magazine & Feature Writing, which focuses on writing feature articles for consumer/trade publications.
Maria Reeve, assistant managing editor, Star Tribune. Maria manages the local news content of more than 60 reporters and editors covering Minneapolis, St. Paul and surrounding communities. She joined the newspaper as a features team leader in 2011 and worked her way through the metro leadership ranks to her current role. She had been at the St. Paul Pioneer Press for 19 years where she began as a general assignment reporter and left as politics editor. Through each of her jobs, she has seen almost every kind of reporting situation – and dilemma. Maria will work with Jour 3771: Media Ethics, which examines the ethical and unethical ways that communicators respond to challenges.
Laura Yuen, editor for new audiences, MPR News. Laura leads a team of reporters focused on race, class and communities. She’s passionate about stories that expand the narrative of what it means to be a person of color or indigenous person in Minnesota. As a reporter, Laura investigated racial inequities ranging from high school graduation rates to traffic stops. She’s won several national awards, the most recent of which honored the ethical decisions she faced while covering her company’s decision to sever ties with public-radio personality Garrison Keillor. Laura loves mentoring younger journalists and co-directs a high school radio camp for students from diverse backgrounds. Laura will work with Jour 3451: TV, Radio & Digital News Reporting, which offers students a chance to learn newswriting, reporting, video photography and on-air delivery.
