Media Experts

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¶¥¼¶¹ú²úÊÓƵ faculty experts are available to provide commentary and analysis for news stories in print, broadcast and online media. Members of the media who would like to interview a faculty expert may reach out to our Communications team or contact the faculty members directly.

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Faculty Spotlight

Marianne Ward-Peradoza is provost of St. Edward's University and an expert in global studies and economic development. In her own words, "I am particularly drawn to cases in which countries with similar resources or opportunities eventually take different paths. I am interested in understanding why some countries may appear to outperform expectations, and other countries may appear to under-perform. I am also fascinated by countries that have had persistent and long-term success. An understanding of the key factors contributing to this success can provide insights that may advance economic development and standards of living across the globe."

Faculty Experts Guide

Find subject-matter experts in everything from business to mental health, and video games to social justice. St. Edward's experts are listed below in the following categories: School of Arts and Humanities; School of Behavioral and Social Sciences; School of Natural Sciences; Office of Graduate and Professional Studies; and The Bill Munday School of Business.

School of Arts and Humanities

The School of Arts and Humanities houses expertise in communications, foreign languages, arts, pop culture, and gaming, among other subjects.

 

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Emily Bernate

Associate Professor of Spanish

EXPERTISE 
Linguistics, Gender and Spanish in the U.S. 

CONTACT
ebernate@stedwards.edu
512-233-1493

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Robert Denton Bryant

Associate Professor of Video Game Development in Visual Studies

EXPERTISE 
Video Game Business and Culture, Game Development, and Transmedia Storytelling

CONTACT
rbryant@stedwards.edu
512-448-8562

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Jena Heath

Professor of Journalism and Digital Media and Associate Dean in the School of Arts and Humanities

EXPERTISE 
Journalism, Digital Media and Oral History Projects

CONTACT
jennah@stedwards.edu
512-637-1989

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Stephen King

Professor of Communication

EXPERTISE
Intersection of Rhetorical Theory, Public Memory, Authenticity, Tourism and Popular Music

CONTACT
Sking1@stedewards.edu
512-428-1090

School of Behavioral and Social Sciences

The School of Behavioral and Social Sciences houses expertise in Environmental Science, Criminal Justice, Death Penalty, LGBTQ Issues, Mental Health, Political Science, Human Trafficking, and Social Work, among other areas.

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Carsten Andresen

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

EXPERTISE
Policing, County Jail/Criminal System, Recidivism, Gay/Trans Panic Defense

CONTACT
warrenA@stedwards.edu
512-428-1328

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Amy Concilio

Associate Professor of Environmental Science

EXPERTISE
Climate Change Impacts, Natural Systems Adaptation, Invasive Species, and Ecological Restoration

CONTACT
aconcili@stedwards.edu
512-637-1958

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Laurie Cook Heffron

Associate Professor of Social Work

EXPERTISE 
Forced Migration, Intimate Partner Violence/Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking, and Women and Migration

CONTACT
lheffron@stedwards.edu
512-233-1413

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Adam McCormick

Professor of Social Work

EXPERTISE 
LGBTQ Youth in the Child Welfare System, the Foster Care System, Masculinity and Youth Mental Health, Relationships Rights of Siblings, and the Intersections of Child Welfare and Immigration

CONTACT
adamm@stedwards.edu 
512-485-4619

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Brian Smith

Vice Provost for Academic Policies/Student Success in AVP Student Academic Support Svc

EXPERTISE 
Public Opinion, Elections, Texas Politics, Polling and Third Political Parties

CONTACT
brianws@stedwards.edu 
512-428-1294

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Melissa Alvarado

Associate Professor of Counseling

EXPERTISE
Counseling Education and Suicide Prevention

CONTACT
Malvara5@stedwards.edu
512-637-1976

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Bill McHenry

Professor of Counselor Education

EXPERTISE 
Standardized Testing, Group Testing and the STAAR Test

CONTACT
wmchenry@stedwards.edu 
512-448-8733

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Kris Sloan

Professor of Education

EXPERTISE 
Education Culture, Curriculum, Assessment, Testing and Educational Accountability Policy​, and​ Social Justice Education

CONTACT
kriss@stedwards.edu 
512-637-5672

School of Natural Sciences

The School of Natural Sciences houses experts in Biological Sciences, Cellular-Molecular Neuroscience, Environmental Conservation, Ecology, and Entomology, among other areas. 


 

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Barbara Dugelby

Executive Director of the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve and Faculty Associate

EXPERTISE 
Science-based Conservation Planning, Protected Area Design and Management, Climate Adaptation, Restoration Ecology, and Community-based Conservation

CONTACT
bdugelby@stedwards.edu
512-327-7622

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Andrea Holgado

Professor of Biological Sciences and Director for Undergraduate Research and the McNair Scholar Program

EXPERTISE
Biological Sciences and Cellular-Molecular Neuroscience

CONTACT
aholgado@stedwards.edu
512-448-1415

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Matthew Steffenson

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences

EXPERTISE
General Biology, Entomology, Arachnology, Evolution, Honeybee and Wolf Spider Immunology

CONTACT
Msteffen@stedwards.edu
512-416-5889

The Bill Munday School of Business

The Bill Munday School of Business houses expertise in Accounting, Consumer Behavior, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Global Finance, Management, and Marketing, among other areas.

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Mary Dunn

Professor of Management

EXPERTISE
Management, Social Networks, Developmental Networks, Institutional Logics, Organizational Change and Careers

CONTACT
marybd@stedwards.edu
512-428-1066

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Wesley Politte

Associate Professor of Marketing

EXPERTISE
Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Finance

CONTACT
Wpollitt@stedwards.edu
512-233-1441

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Camelia Rotaru

Professor of Finance

EXPERTISE
Corporate Finance, International Finance, Financial Markets and Institutions, and Personal Finance

CONTACT
crotaru@stedwards.edu
512-492-3129

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Debra Zahay Blatz

Professor of Marketing

EXPERTISE
Digital Marketing, Social Media Management and Principles of Marketing and Analytics

CONTACT
dblatz@stedwards.edu 
512-448-8645