My research focuses on children and media. I am specifically interested in parental mediation and why/how parent-child conversations about the media influence children at different developmental stages in various ways. I am currently working on several projects investigating the effects of active mediation within a persuasion framework. I have authored or co-authored articles that have appeared in academic publications such as Journal of Communication, Communication Yearbook 37, Journal of Health Communication, Family Relations and Human Communication Research. My research has also been presented at conferences for the Society for Research in Child Development, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, International Communication Association, and International Public Relations Research Conference.I have worked professionally in various public relations settings, including corporate, agency, non-profit, education, and small business. I previously taught communications courses at The Ohio State University and Brigham Young University.