Tiffany R. Wang, Ph.D., Professor, University of Montevallo

Dr. Tiffany Wang, an award-winning teacher recognized by state, regional, national, and international associations along with universities, is repeatedly noted for the lasting effects of her teaching. Students state, “Even though I may no longer sit in her classroom, I am continually applying Dr. Wang’s feedback as I map out the next steps of my professional life as I continue my career as a communications practitioner…” “Without your class I know my personal life and connections would have suffered tremendously.” “She taught me the value of my voice, my words, and my thoughts, and that is the greatest lesson I have ever learned.” Dr. Wang is a superior teacher exemplifying the Ecroyd Award. 

Andrew Ledbetter, Ph.D., Professor, Texas Christian University

Dr. Andrew Ledbetter’s extensive scholarly works, published in top journals, book chapters, and multiple top paper awards including the Journal of Family Communication Article of the Year Award demonstrate his wide contribution and recognition in the field. Dr. Ledbetter’s research ranges from the macro focus of media on the family, to micro interactions as examined through family communication patterns, demonstrating his breadth and depth within the field of family communication. Dr. Ledbetter’s exceptional mentoring to students and extensive service within the National Communication Association is noteworthy and commendable.

R. Kelly Garrett, Ph.D., Professor, Ohio State University

For the Article, “Politically motivated reinforcement seeking: Reframing the selective exposure debate,” published by the Journal of Communication in 2009.  

Dr. R. Kelly Garrett’s article addresses an issue that still captures the attention of scholars, students, journalists, politicians, and arm-chair pundits across the world. His essay proposes a distinction between selective approach — seeking ideologically congenial information, and selective avoidance — opting out of information that challenges one’s pre-existing views. His essay presaged 15 years of robust scholarship about digital selective exposure and remains an essential corrective to a common misperception about digital media users.

Mel Stanfill, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Central Florida 

For the Book, Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture published by New York University Press in 2024. 

Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture by Dr. Mel Stanfill is recognized with the Diamond Anniversary Book Award for its incisive and timely analysis of the hidden costs of participatory culture. Drawing on vivid case studies from video games, television, film, and politics, Stanfill demonstrates how fan networks that foster creativity and connection can also perpetuate harassment, sexism, racism, and exclusion. By exposing these dynamics with clarity and rigor, this book reshapes how scholars and the public understand the cultural and political stakes of fandom, making a profound contribution to the study of communication, community, and power. 

Julia Simoes, University of Washington 

For the Essay, “Fostering Voice, Inviting Dialogic Transformation: Exploring Emergent Communication Practices in Community Collaboration Efforts” 

Julia Simoes’s essay stood out for its innovation in addressing societal issues. This essay contributes to the literature exploring the rhetorical challenges of gun reform, emphasizing the importance of marginalized voices and incorporates them into its methodological approach. Doing so greatly enhances understanding of community building, immigration, and even political polarization. Simoes demonstrates how research can aim to foster meaningful social change and have a direct impact on communities. Research as grassroots activism offers a clear pathway to rebuild trust with the public and challenge those who seek to destroy that trust. 

Casey Ryan Kelly, Ph.D., Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Dr. Casey Ryan Kelly’s work stands out in at least three ways. First, rhetoric has long prized kairotic rhetorical performances; Dr. Kelly’s work, focused on how niche claims of apocalyptic victimhood became mainstream politics, speaks for itself. Second, his scholarly impact is considerable, measured not only in citation counts but also through his care as an editor and reviewer. Finally, Kelly works effectively across many rhetorical forms. Dr. Kelly’s body of work is distinctive and award-worthy.

Ge Chen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Durham University Law School 
 
For the Article, The “Constitutional” Rise of Chinese Speech Imperialism. Journal of Free Speech Law, 2(2) (2023). 
 
Dr. Ge Chen’s ambitious, rigorous scholarship illustrates China’s constitutional doctrine of party supremacy, with implications for freedom of expression domestically and internationally. Chen’s research traces the early constitutional developments since the days of Mao that led to a constitutional doctrine of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) supremacy. His analysis reveals that pursuant to a constitutionalist discourse that is party-state-centered, the CCP applies this constitutional framework transnationally, as a form of CCP “speech imperialism” through mechanisms involving trade and digital authoritarianism. Chen’s article demonstrated a nuanced analysis with contextual frameworks of the CCP and the argument of China’s overall influence on global authoritarianism and transnational law. 

Kathryn Greene, Ph.D., Professor, Rutgers University

Dr. Kathryn Greene’s research explores health decision-making across a breadth of stigmatizing issues and health disparities. Her work on disclosure and privacy management has been foundational for advancing understanding of how people disclose contemporary health issues such as HIV and cancer, which led to her development of the disclosure decision-making model. Dr. Greene also developed and applied the theory of active involvement to understand how young people can be prevented from initiating substance use, which was used to develop Real Media, the substance use intervention programs adapted for 4-H and D.A.R.E. Dr. Greene’s engaged research exemplifies, and is truly deserving of the Gerald M. Phillips Award. 

Katrina Webber, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

For the Dissertation, “You’re Already Black, So You’re Halfway Doomed”: Discourses Impacting Access to Care Among Black Women and Black Gender-Expansive Individuals With Disordered Eating/Eating Disorders, completed at the University of Connecticut. 

Dr. Katrina Webber’s dissertation “You’re Already Black, so You’re Halfway Doomed”: Discourses Impacting Access to Care among Black Women and Black Gender-Expansive Individuals with Disordered Eating/Eating Disorders explores a critically important health equity topic from the perspective of both “patients” and healthcare “providers.” The dissertation seeks to articulate how the experiences of marginalized individuals in a racist and fatphobic healthcare system perceive care and the ways in which communication discourses reify or resist existing power structures. The rich nuances explored in the dissertation come as a result of the 46 in-depth interviews and the phronetic iterative approach to analysis. 

Robin Sundaramoorthy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Lehigh University

For the Dissertation, Black Radio Ownership and the FCC’s Failed Attempt to Diversify the Airwaves, completed at the University of Maryland. 

Black Radio Ownership and the FCC’s Failed Attempts to Diversify the Airwaves by Dr. Robin Sundaramoorthy plumbs the history of the Federal Communications Commission’s “Docket 80-90” that allowed Black ownership of new radio stations—marking the first stations of their kind. Introduced in the 1970s, the docket was put into effect throughout the next two decades. To study the boom in minority-owned radio stations, Sundaramoorthy assembles an impressive archive of over 7,000 documents and fifty oral history interviews to open scholarly inquiry into how the government fostered these stations as well as the individual owners’ experiences running their stations. 

LD Mattson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University  

For the Dissertation, Trust-Building Communication and Climate Risk Decision Making, completed at Arizona State University. 

In his dissertation, Trust-Building Communication and Climate Risk Decision Making, Dr. LD Mattson (PhD, Arizona State University) makes a powerful contribution to trust research generally and climate risk communication specifically. He develops a novel, empirically validated two-factor (self and other) model of trustworthiness. Through rigorous multi-phase studies, his dissertation both clarifies how trust can be measured and tests strategic messaging to promote life-saving heat preparedness behaviors. Integrating rational and emotional processes of trust determination, the work bridges theory and practice, offering urgently needed communication strategies to strengthen public resilience against climate change, arguably the most important issue facing humanity today. 

Iccha Basnyat, Ph.D., Associate Professor, George Mason University 

Dr. Iccha Basnyat exemplifies the spirit of the NCA Global Communication Award through her groundbreaking work in de-westernizing communication research and centering voices from the Global South. Her scholarship deeply engages with health communication in South Asia, integrating local knowledge systems and emphasizing community-based perspectives. Dr. Basnyat’s research not only challenges Western paradigms but also amplifies underrepresented voices and methodologies in global communication. She consistently collaborates with and cites international scholars, advancing a more inclusive and equitable field. Beyond her scholarship, Dr. Basnyat extends her global focus to amplifying non-Western perspectives in ongoing conversations at NCA as well as mentoring the next generation of global health communication scholars. Her work stands as a model of globally engaged scholarship that bridges theory and practice across cultural and geographic boundaries.

Atilla Hallsby, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 

For the Article, A Copious Void: Rhetoric as Artificial Intelligence Version 1.0. Rhetoric Society Quarterly 50(3)(2024).  

Dr. Atilla Hallsby’s article analyzes how rhetoric persists as both a trace and source code within contemporary artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Without the use of AI, Hallsby articulately describes the ways in which we are losing our communicative traditions to a world of AI that perpetuates the dominant voices used to train the computer system. The idea of AI as a “copious void” gives new meaning and a new way of examining the negative aspects of rhetoric, weaving classical rhetorical theory, contemporary digital studies, critical race theory, and technical understandings of artificially intelligent systems into a cohesive framework. 

Caitlin Bruce, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh 

For the Book, Voices in Aerosol: Youth Culture, Institutional Attunement, and Graffiti in Urban Mexico published by The University of Texas Press in 2024. 

Voices in Aerosol stands out for its thoughtful exploration of how youth in Mexico use graffiti as a form of public expression and resistance. Dr. Caitlin Bruce’s innovative combination of rhetorical theory, urban studies, and visual culture challenges traditional notions of public address, expanding the field’s boundaries by incorporating non-verbal forms of communication. The work is recognized for its nuanced and ethical engagement with marginalized voices, highlighting the complex interplay between public art and institutional dynamics. By framing graffiti as both an aesthetic and a political act, Voices in Aerosol offers new insights on how creative forms of resistance engage with and transform the public sphere.  

Jana Sabri, University of Maryland – College Park 

For the Essay, ‘His Sexual Preference is Rookie of the Year’: Jared McCain, Hegemonic Masculinities, and Neoliberal Exceptionalism in the NBA.
  

Jana Sabri’s essay examines the existence of neoliberal exceptionalism in sports culture through the case of NBA player Jared McCain. McCain, an NBA rookie out of Duke University, averaged over 20 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers in his first season, but his painted nails and gender expression were the subject of much discussion. This paper examines McCain’s gender expression using theories of hegemonic masculinity, neoliberalism, and sports rhetoric. McCain’s “queerness” is juxtaposed with his accomplishments on the basketball court, creating an ideological paradox for some fans as illustrated by the varied comments on McCain’s TikTok page. Drawing out this paradox, Sabri reimagines the neoliberal exception into a value of neoliberal exceptionalism. 

Joe Hatfield, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas 

For the Project, Leelah Alcorn: Digital Memorial Images, 2014-2018

The Wallace Award will support Professor Hatfield’s printing and binding of Leelah Alcorn: Digital Memorial Images, 2014-2018. Centered on trans* suicide and visibility, Leelah contributes meaningfully to a matter of deep public significance and urgency, and extends Hatfield’s expert curation of a digital archive of Leelah Alcorn’s life, death, and rhetorical afterlife in his other work. Dr. Hatfield’s work is as “impactful” and “profoundly significant” for the field, as “innovative and interdisciplinary,” and as “an exceptional example of rhetoric and public address.” 

Mohan Dutta, Ph.D., Professor, Massey University 

Dr. Mohan Dutta’s expansive body of research and work with activist and minoritized populations across the globe has contributed significantly to the study of communication and social justice activism. His discipline-defining theoretical work on the culture-centered approach embodies the spirit of scholar-activist research and has been taken up across the field of applied communication to intervene in unjust discourses and deliver material benefits to vulnerable communities in numerous contexts. Dr. Dutta’s commitment to addressing the harms of colonialism, as well as his work decolonizing our own field, reveal his impressive ability to navigate the world of the researcher and the activist. 

Andrea Baldwin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Texas A&M University. 

Over the past decade, Dr. Andrea Baldwin crafted a thriving performance culture at her institution, directing over collaborative and solo work spans literary adaptation, cultural analysis, and ethnographic storytelling, and is grounded in student voices and community engagement. As Director of the Petit Jean Performance Festival, she has revitalized its legacy post-pandemic, expanding access and impact. Through visionary leadership, dynamic artistry, and thoughtful mentorship, Dr. Andrea Baldwin exemplifies the spirit of the Coger Award and the transformative power of performance. 

Patrick McKelvey, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame

For the Book, Disability Works: Performance After Rehabilitation published by New York University Press in 2024.

In Disability Works: Performance After Rehabilitation, Dr. Patrick McKelvey offers a cultural history of disability performance that positions vocational rehabilitation as a central force shaping U.S. disability, queer, and labor politics from the 1960s onward. Drawing on archival research, McKelvey traces how disabled artists engaged with and resisted rehabilitative logics through state-sponsored training, theater programs, and performance institutions. By focusing on aesthetic practices and infrastructures like activist organizations, federal programs, and training schools, Disability Works expands performance studies’ methodological repertoire, carving a critical intersection between disability studies, labor history, and performance theory. 

Mike Allen, Ph.D., Professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 

Dr. Mike Allen has made substantial contributions to the interpersonal communication field throughout his nearly 40-year career. His expertise in social influence and innovations in meta-analysis have fostered theoretical and practical advancements, having published 9 books and over 150 articles, thereby placing him in the top 2% of global research scholars. He has served the discipline significantly as a journal editor and leader at the regional and national levels. Perhaps outshining Dr. Allen’s scholarly impact is his personal impact on his more than 60 advisees as well as many others within the interpersonal field and the communication discipline at large.   

Manoucheka Celeste, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chicago 

Dr. Manoucheka Celeste’s cutting-edge, timely scholarship demonstrates her substantial theoretical, methodological and practical commitment to issues of representational visibility, equity, intersectionality, and global justice. Dr. Celeste’s research poses necessary challenges to Communication Studies scholarship, embracing transdisciplinary perspectives and embodied cultural experiences. Her work, both scholarly and pedagogical, brings together the voices of marginalized groups, powerfully altering how we see the importance of such groups in communication theorizing. Dr. Celeste genuinely values and supports her mentees, especially when they’re facing daunting challenges. This generosity of spirit and lasting impact on the lives of others embody the ideals of Dr. Houston’s legacy. 

Lauren Seitz, Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

For the Article, Fighting the ‘Terrible Poison’ of Terrorism: Marine Le Pen’s Rhetoric of Ethnicism and Islamophobia. Rhetoric & Public Affairs 27(1) (2024). 

Ph.D. Candidate, Lauren Seitz’s debut publication, “Fighting the ‘Terrible Poison’ of Terrorism: Marine Le Pen’s Rhetoric of Ethnicism and Islamophobia” examines ethnicism or cultural racism, and the persuasive appeal in five of Marine Le Pen’s speeches between 2015 and 2018. Using rhetorical strategies, Seitz analyses Le Pen’s construction of France as an almost-mythical national community/home, as well as her depiction of Muslims as a threat to the French nation. With attention to representative texts, Seitz argues that the French politician has developed a powerful and sophisticated rhetorical arsenal aimed at undermining democracy. 

Mark Congdon, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Sacred Heart University 

Dr. Mark Congdon has taught 25 service-learning courses in partnership with nonprofits, civic coalitions, public offices, and global NGOs. These efforts have generated over $235,000 in measurable community value while cultivating partnerships and reinforcing students’ civic confidence. These collaborations stem from the Uniting Hearts Initiative, a multi-year, student-led civic campaign Dr. Congdon co-founded that integrates communication theory and praxis through action-oriented public engagement on social justice. He is also a National Board Member of US-El Salvador Sister Cities, where he works with rural Salvadoran organizers to develop strategic communication approaches for immigration advocacy, environmental justice, and democracy building. 

Sudeshna Roy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Marquette University

Dr. Sudeshna Roy’s scholarly trajectory exemplifies a lifelong commitment to issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, the transformative imperatives embedded in her research, mentorship, and global collaboration. In an era where IDEA principles face increasing resistance in the US, Dr. Roy exemplifies how to sustain justice-oriented scholarship with integrity, innovation, and global solidarity through her research in diaspora studies, intercultural communication, and media justice. As co-editor of the forthcoming Oxford Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Communication and The Handbook of Communication and Media in the Global South, she is actively reshaping the epistemological foundations of our discipline.

Leandra H. Hernandez, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Utah 

Dr. Leandra Hernandez’s visionary work bridges scholarship, advocacy, and community engagement, from mentoring students to co-founding the Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers. Equally, her leadership and service across multiple NCA divisions and caucuses embody the award’s mission to humanize difference, champion inclusion, and create democratic, equitable outcomes. Through innovative projects and tireless service, she has created pathways of representation and belonging for queer and BIPOC communities. Her contributions exemplify the spirit of this award and the transformative power of communication. 

Roseann Mandziuk, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Texas State University

Dr. Roseann Mandziuk has served the communication discipline as an NCA member for nearly 40 years, including notable terms as President of NCA (2022) and the Southern States Communication Association (2017). She has served on the editorial board of eight different communication journals and over a dozen NCA committees and councils. Dr. Mandziuk has also represented the field internationally as both a two-time Fulbright scholar and selection committee member. In addition to her service in these roles, Dr. Mandziuk has mentored countless students and faculty, being a resource on pedagogical philosophy and practice. 

Walid Afifi, Ph.D, Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara 

Dr. Walid Afifi has a stellar record in the areas of research, teaching, and service. His outstanding and prolific research agenda focuses on the experience of uncertainty and its impact on information seeking, decision-making, and well-being. This resulted in the publication of the Theory of Motivated Information Management, and is currently being extended to the context of communities experiencing chronic uncertainty through the development of the Chronic Uncertainty Framework. He is one of the leading scholars in this area of research worldwide. He teaches classes related to community engagement, interpersonal communication, nonverbal communication, relational communication, and uncertainty.  

In recognition of his outstanding teaching, he received the University of California Santa Barbara’s Faculty Senate Teaching Award. His impressive service record includes serving as the current Associate Dean, and Director of Community Engaged Initiatives, in the Division of Social Sciences at the University of California Santa Barbara, and serving as the Past President of NCA (National Communication Association), where he founded the first SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) Caucus to support and mentor junior faculty and graduate students from minority backgrounds. In appreciation of his impressive scholarly and service record, he has been selected as an ICA (International Communication Association) Fellow in 2021. 

Karrin Vasby Anderson, Ph.D, Professor, Colorado State University 

Dr. Karrin Vasby Anderson, Professor of Communication Studies at Colorado State University, stands as a leading authority on gender and the U.S. presidency, with her scholarship fundamentally shaping the study of women’s political rhetoric in both campaigns and popular media. Her research has received top honors from multiple scholarly organizations and is widely recognized beyond academia—including over 750,000 reads for her articles in The Conversation and numerous media appearances in publications such as The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Time. As editor of the Quarterly Journal of Speech during a time of crisis and transformation, Dr. Anderson revolutionized the journal’s editorial practices, dramatically increasing diversity and the inclusion of decolonial, anti-racist, and feminist perspectives, resulting in a significant impact factor increase.  

Beyond research, her commitment to graduate education is exemplary; she has mentored hundreds of students, launched an innovative PhD program, and received multiple mentoring awards. Dr. Anderson has also contributed significantly to professional service, chairing divisions and serving on editorial boards within NCA. Renowned for her professional caring and dedication to justice and equity, Dr. Anderson embodies the spirit and distinction honored by the NCA Distinguished Scholar Award. 

Kathryn Greene, Ph.D, Professor, Rutgers University 

Dr. Kathryn Greene is a preeminent scholar in health communication, renowned for her groundbreaking research on health decision-making, disclosure, and risk prevention. A professor at Rutgers University since 2000, Dr. Greene has authored over 120 peer-reviewed articles and multiple award-winning books, including Privacy and Disclosure of HIV in Interpersonal Relationships, which earned top honors from the National Communication Association. Her work explores how individuals navigate the complexities of sharing or concealing health information, particularly in stigmatized contexts, and how communication strategies can reduce health disparities. 
 
Dr. Greene has secured over $14 million in external funding, including major grants from the NIH and NIDA, and has served as principal investigator, co-investigator, and mentor on numerous interdisciplinary projects. Her innovative interventions, such as the REAL media curriculum, have been nationally recognized for their effectiveness in adolescent substance use prevention. 
 
A 2024 Fellow of the International Communication Association, Dr. Greene has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Outstanding Health and Interpersonal Communication Scholar Awards. Her mentorship has shaped the careers of many emerging scholars, and her service to academia and community health organizations underscores her commitment to equity and impact. Dr. Greene’s prolific, influential, and socially engaged scholarship distinguishes her as a leader in the field. 

Mark P. Orbe, Ph.D, Professor, Western Michigan University

Dr. Mark P. Orbe is a distinguished scholar whose prolific career in communication studies has significantly shaped the fields of intercultural, interpersonal, and co-cultural communication. With a Ph.D. from Ohio University, Dr. Orbe has held faculty positions at Indiana University Southeast and Western Michigan University, where he currently serves as Professor of Communication & Diversity. 
 
He is widely recognized for developing Co-Cultural Theory, a groundbreaking framework that explores the communicative strategies of marginalized groups. His scholarship includes over a dozen books, such as Constructing Co-Cultural Theory and Interracial Communication: Theory into Practice, and more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters addressing race, identity, media representation, and social justice. 
 
Dr. Orbe’s work has earned numerous accolades, including multiple Outstanding Book and Article Awards from the National Communication Association, and he has served in editorial roles for leading journals. His commitment to mentoring is evident through extensive teaching awards and service on dozens of dissertation and thesis committees. 
 
Through his research, teaching, and community engagement, Dr. Orbe exemplifies scholarly excellence and advocacy, making him a leading voice in communication studies and a transformative figure in promoting equity and inclusion. 

Angharad Valdivia, Ph.D, Professor Emerita, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

Dr. Angharad N. Valdivia, Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a highly influential scholar in Critical-Cultural, Feminist, and Latina/o/x/e Media Studies, whose career spans over two decades since earning her PhD. As one of the few full Latina professors in media and communication studies in the United States, she stands as a leading and prolific voice, having published eight books, edited collections, encyclopedias, more than 60 articles, and 40 book chapters central to the field.  

Dr. Valdivia’s innovative scholarship has been recognized through her appointment as editor-in-chief of Communication Theory, a top-tier journal, and she continues to shape the discipline with her upcoming edited collections on critical media studies and Latinx girlhood in popular culture. Her dedication to mentorship is nationally and internationally renowned, supporting graduate students particularly focused on advancing Latina/o Communication and Media Studies, and fostering growth from individual guidance to group and programmatic development. Dr. Valdivia’s distinguished service includes leadership on editorial boards and administrative positions, reflecting her respected standing and her ability to excel as a researcher, teacher, administrator, and mentor in the communication discipline.