The Executive Board meets three times each year. The fall meeting is the Thursday evening prior to the conference at the host location of the upcoming conference. The winter meeting is virtual and is held from 10am-2pm on the first Friday in January. The spring meeting is held from 10am-2pm on the first Friday in June at the upcoming conference location and includes a tour of the campus for the Executive Board. The annual business meeting, which is open to all OCA Members, is held as a part lunch on the Saturday of conference weekend in October.
Executive Director
Elycia Taylor
Elycia Taylor (M.A., West Virginia University) is an Assistant Professor and Lead Instructor of Business and Technical Communication at Columbus State Community College. She teaches Communication, Public Relations, Media, and Journalism courses.
The Executive Director is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is three to five years. Elycia was appointed in 2021.
President
Cody Clemens (he/him/his)
Cody M. Clemens, (Ph.D., Bowling Green State University) is a McCoy Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Marietta College in Marietta, OH. Dr. Clemens’s primary research and teaching focus are Health, Organizational, Relational, and Gender Communication.
The President is an elected position. The term of service is two years, followed by two years of service as Immediate Past President. Cody took office in 2022.
Vice President
Rhiannon Kallis (she/her/hers)
Rhiannon B. Kallis (Ph.D., Indiana University of Pennsylvania) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at The University of Akron. Dr. Kallis’s primary research and teaching foci are in Strategic Social Media and Interpersonal Communication.
The Vice President is an elected position. The term of service is two years, followed by two years of service as President. Rhiannon was elected in 2023.
Immediate Past President
Amber Ferris (she/her/hers)
Amber L. Ferris (Ph.D., Kent State University) is an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the School of Communication at The University of Akron. Amber teaches courses in media and social media. Ferris’ current research focuses on social media uses and effects.
The term of service for the Immediate Past President is two years. Amber served as OCA president from 2020-2022.
Editor-in-Chief for the Ohio Communication Journal
Patrick Dillon (he/him/his)
Patrick Dillon (Ph.D., University of South Florida) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication Studies at Kent State University at Stark. He teaches courses in the Applied Communication concentration and conducts health communication research on three primary topics: (1) end-of-life care, (2) HIV/AIDS, and (3) substance abuse.
The Journal Editor is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years. Patrick was appointed in 2022.
Associate Journal Editor
Andrea Meluch (she/her/hers)
Andrea L. Meluch (PhD, Kent State University) is an Associate Professor of Business and Organizational Communication in the School of Communication and Department of Management at The University of Akron, Akron, OH. Her research focuses on the intersections of health, organizational, and instructional communication. Specifically, she is interested in issues of organizational culture, mental health, and social support.
The Associate Journal Editor is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years, followed by two years as Journal Editor. Andrea was appointed in 2022.
Communication Coordinator
Amber Ferris (she/her hers)
Amber L. Ferris (Ph.D., Kent State University) is an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the School of Communication at The University of Akron. Amber teaches courses in media and social media. Ferris’ current research focuses on social media uses and effects.
The Communication Coordinator is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years. Amber was appointed in 2023.
Conference Coordinator
Ann Nicely
Ann Nicely (M.A., Marietta College) is an Instructor in the Department of Communication at Marietta College. Ann teaches courses in human communication, organizational communication, and public speaking.
The Conference Coordinator is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years. Ann was appointed in 2021.
Awards Coordinator
Jeff Tyus (he/him/his)
Jeffrey Tyus (Ph.D., Ohio University) is a Professor in the Department of Communication at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, OH. Dr. Tyus is also the Graduate Program Director for the MA in Professional Communication program at YSU. He teaches Intercultural Communication, Media Relations Campaigns, Communication Research, and several graduate-level courses.
The Awards Coordinator is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years. Jeff was appointed in 2008.
Sponsorship Coordinator
Nancy Jennings
Nancy Jennings (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is a Professor in the Department of Communication in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. Her research focuses on children’s media use and their cognitive and social development.
The Sponsorship Coordinator is a position appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is three to five years. Nancy was appointed in 2021.
Archivist
Bill Jennings
William Jennings (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin) is an Associate Professor in the Department of English & Communication at the University of Cincinnati – Blue Ash. As a career educator, he has taught middle school, high school, undergraduate, and graduate level students in both face to face and online environments. His general research interests focus on the intersection of language, culture, and politics.
The Archivist is a position that is appointed by the Executive Committee. The term of service is two years. Bill was appointed in 2022.
Member-at-Large
Melissa Cumberbatch
Melissa Cumberbatch (Ph.D., Ohio University) is an Instructor in the Languages and Communication Department at Columbus State Community College. Melissa is the Lead Instructor of Oral Communication and teaches Communication and Media courses.
Member-at-Large is an elected position that serves a two-year term. Melissa was elected in 2023.
Member-at-Large
Brenda Jones (she/her/hers)
Brenda L. Jones (Ph.D., The Ohio State University) is the Communications program chair and Department Chair for Communications, Behavioral and Natural Sciences at Franklin University. Brenda teaches courses in organizational communication, strategic communication, and communication in groups and teams. Brenda’s research interests include emotional intelligence in team communication, and instructional strategies.
Member-at-Large is an elected position that serves a two-year term. Brenda was elected in 2023.
Member-at-Large
Seth Smith
Seth Smith (M.S., Minnesota State University, Mankato) is the Academic Success Coordinator for the Athletic Department at Capital University. In addition to his athletics administration, he teaches courses in Interpersonal, Intercultural, and Group Communication. His research interests include athlete mentorship, enclothed cognition and the intersection of athletics and the arts.
Member-at-Large is an elected position that serves a two-year term. Seth was elected in 2022.
Member-at-Large
Phokeng Dailey (she/her/hers)
Phokeng M. Dailey is an Associate Professor and Warren C. Fairbanks Endowed Chair in Communication in the Department of Journalism & Communication at Ohio Wesleyan University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education at Ohio Dominican University and her Master’s and PhD in Communication at The Ohio State University, with a specialization in Global health. Her research focuses on health disparities among African immigrant and refugee populations in the areas of STI’s and cancer prevention–with an emphasis on assessing the role of mass communication, culture, racial-ethnic identity and gender in health decision-making. She teaches courses on communication theory, media effects, cinema, and health communication.
Member-at-Large is an elected position that serves a two-year term. PhoKeng was elected in 2023.
Member-at-Large
Ashley Kennard (she/her/hers)
Ashley R. Kennard, PhD, is an assistant professor in communication at Ohio Wesleyan University. She received her B.A. in Communication from the University of Cincinnati, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication at The Ohio State University. She is a first-generation teacher-scholar who centers her curricula and research around intercultural and intergroup communication, attitudes and persuasion, social identity, and media effects, particularly exploring the impact of media representation on identity and attitudes. In the classroom, she challenges students’ existing schemata and integrates theory and praxis to explore the role of communication in social advocacy, social justice work, and the dismantling of contemporary systems of oppression.
Member-at-Large is an elected position that serves a two-year term. Ashley was elected in 2023.
Graduate Student Representative
Spencer Hall
Spencer Hall (B.A., Marietta College) is a graduate student in the School of Communication, Film, and Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Spencer teaches effective public speaking, and his research interests are organizational communication, strategic communication, discourse analysis, and labor unions.
Graduate student representative is an elected position with a 1-year renewable term. Spencer was elected in 2023.
Graduate Student Representative
Ryan Eisenhuth (he/him/his)
Ryan Eisenhuth (B.A., Geneva College) is a graduate student in the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University. Ryan teaches public speaking and his primary research interests are rhetorical theory, religious communication, and media ecology.
Graduate student representative is an elected position with a 1-year renewable term. Ryan was elected in 2023.
If you’re interested in serving on the Executive Board, contact Cody Clemens, OCA President.
