After serving for nearly three years as interim dean for the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, I've returned to faculty as a full professor. Before that, I served as the associate dean for undergraduate studies and administration at the Manship School, as well as the associate dean for research and strategic initiatives. My leadership style is collaborative, with my decision-making process transparent and driven by research. I value equity, truth-seeking, empathy and integrity, all underscored by an appropriate sense of urgency; in other words, research and discussions are essential, but at some point, a decision needs to be made with the available information.As for my scholarship, most of my research focuses on the intersection of race and sexuality in health communication. The focus of this has largely been communication challenges surrounding pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men (MSM), though I'm currently working on research projects examining uncertainty and stigma in messaging about monkeypox as well as examining hesitancy surrounding a potential HIV vaccine. I currently teach two health communication classes – "Media and Health" and "Intercultural Health Communication" – though I hope to teach more in the future.I also study horror and science fiction films, focusing on how gender, race and sexuality are portrayed. For example, my monograph on the modern classic "It Follows" explores the evolution of the portrayal of women in horror films, and having completed another book on "Ex Machina," I'm currently working on a modern history of horror films and what this says about anxieties in modern society.While I don't get to teach as often as I'd like given my administrative responsibilities, I have taught a variety of courses ranging from broadcast journalism and investigative reporting to classes on diversity and on media law. I designed and taught Manship's first online standalone course (Media Law), and I helped create the school's online degrees in public relations and in political communication.In my spare time, I enjoy spending as much time as possible with our 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son, and our dogs and cats. I also love running and hiking, I'm a die-hard college football fan, I love 1950s sci-fi films, and I unapologetically adore Hallmark Christmas movies.