912.358.3202 scipioj@savannahstate.edu
CHAIR’S MESSAGE
Dr. Serajul I Bhuiyan Department Chair
Advisory Board Meeting Department of Journalism and Mass Communications College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Savannah State University
Agenda 10 a.m. Welcome and Introduction of JMC Faculty and Staff Dr. Serajul Bhuiyan, Chair, Department of JMC 10:15 a.m. Introduction of Advisory Board Members Sandra Earley Assistant Professor, Department of JMC 10:30 a.m. Overview of the Department of JMC Dr. Serajul Bhuiyan, Chair, Department of JMC (Film Produced by Will Martin, Director, WSSU-TV) 11 a.m. Review of the Department’s Mission and ACEJMC Reaccreditation Dr. Charles J. Elmore, Professor Emeritus of Humanities Savannah State University 11:15 a.m. Review of the Advisory Board Committee’s Charge Dr. Serajul Bhuiyan 11:45 a.m. Tour of Facility Adjournment
Noon Luncheon Student Union Building Event Room 229
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Carl Azuz Anchor, CNN 10 Carl Azuz is the anchor of CNN 10, a 10-minute digital news show that explains global news to a global audience. Having served in roles ranging from package producer, reporter and writer for the program, Azuz has covered every topic from the war in Iraq to the world’s most expensive ice cream sundae. He has participated in public speaking events across the country. His speeches have been heard at national conventions, workshops, charity events, and graduation ceremonies. Previously, Azuz worked as a writer and associate producer for CNN International, and his original reports have appeared on virtually every CNN platform. He earned a degree in telecommunications arts production from the University of Georgia.
Kevin Brennan News Director, WSAV-TV-3 Kevin Brennan is a 43-year veteran of broadcast news. Following five years in radio news in the ‘70s, Kevin turned to television. Several years of field reporting and producing were followed in the ‘80s by two stints as executive producer, one at KSAT-TV in San Antonio and at KCNC-TV in Denver. In 1987 he took his first of four news director jobs at WVUE-TV in New Orleans. Other news director jobs came at WTLV-TV in Jacksonville, Fl., and WTSP-TV in Tampa/St. Petersburg. Kevin moved to Savannah in 2000 and has been WSAV-TV’s news director for the last 17 years. In that time, WSAV has been recognized with two National Edward R. Murrow Awards, more than 40 Regional Murrows and dozens of Georgia Associated Press Awards in a wide array of journalism categories. Kevin and his wife of 43 years, Nancy, have two daughters. Jessica, 38, lives in Atlanta and is a brand manager for The Gap. Lindsay, 35, works in internal communications for Sandvik Mining and lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Susan Catron
Executive Editor, Savannah Morning News/savannahnow.com
Susan Catron is the executive editor of the Savannah Morning News and its award-winning web site, savannahnow.com. She is also responsible for the staff and news content in area newspapers and web sites including Business in Savannah, Bryan County Now and Effingham Now in Georgia and The Sun Today, Jasper County Sun Times, and Bluffton Today in South Carolina. She has worked at daily newspapers in Louisiana, Missouri, Florida and Kentucky. Currently, she serves as chairman of the Georgia Press Foundation Board. The Savannah Morning News staff has been named the top newspaper in the state six times in her 11 years in Savannah.
Charles J. Elmore, Sr.
Professor Emeritus of Humanities, Savannah State University
Charles J. Elmore, Sr., ‘67, a native Savannahian, is a retired professor emeritus of humanities, and former head, mass communications department, Savannah State University, where he taught for 35 years. He earned an MA (journalism) and a Ph.D. (higher education administration) from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Elmore is a noted authority on Savannah’s history, Savannah’s black history, African American religious history, and Savannah’s jazz history. He is the author of several historical monographs and seven books including the 125 year history of Savannah State University published in November 2015. Elmore was named SSU’s 1997 – 1998 Regents’ Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning. In February, 1999, he received one of the six prestigious Governor’s Award in the Humanities from the Honorable Roy Barnes, then governor of Georgia, for his efforts in preserving, and sharing, African American history/culture. He served as interim chairman, department of mass communications, Savannah State University (2012 – 2013), and led the department to Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) reaccreditation May 3, 2013. As chairman, department of mass communications, he led it to initial ACEJMC accreditation in May, 2007.
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Serena Garcia
Communications Lead, Marketing and Communications, Allstate Benefits
Serena Garcia serves as the marketing and communications lead for Allstate Benefits, where she creates marketing and communications strategies focused on improving the internal and external reputation of the Allstate brand. She has over 25 years experience leading mass media and communications strategies for news publications, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions. She previously served as the director of communications for AARP Georgia, where she worked with staff and volunteers in the state delivering AARP programs and activities that reached and serviced 1 million AARP Georgia-based members. She is the first woman and first person of color to lead communications for her two most recent roles. She graduated with honors from Savannah State University majoring in mass communications and served as Miss SSC. Serena is an Army Reserve veteran and regularly serves as a presenter for SSU’s Southern Region Press Institute to prepare and mentor aspiring communications professionals. She holds a master’s degree in social sciencescommunications from Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
Harold Jackson
President and CEO, The JacksonHeathGroup
Harold Jackson is the founder and managing partner of Harold Jackson, Ph.D., LLC, doing business as The JacksonHeathGroup. Starting with just one client, The Coca-Cola Company in 1990, his communications and management consulting firm grew nationally to be one of largest Atlanta-based, minority-owned public relations agencies representing more than three dozen Fortune 500 companies, major nonprofit groups, and several major colleges and universities. In 1992, his firm went international when it won the marketing contract to represent ANOCA (the African Continent Olympic Organizing Committee) and helped that group stage the first All-African Olympic Games in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1995. Prior to forming JacksonHeath, Dr. Jackson was a senior-level communication executive with the Monsanto Company, where he managed internal communication for the Company’s 60,000 employees; thereafter, he became manager of media relations for The Coca-Cola Company. A graduate of Savannah State University, he earned his master’s degree in journalism and became one of first African Americans to receive a doctorate in radio, television and film from the University of Michigan in 1982.
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Shirley James
Publisher, The Savannah Tribune
Shirley Ann Barber James, publisher of The Savannah Tribune and retired editor, is vice chairman of the Savannah Airport Commission at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. She is a recent past chairman of the Commissioners Committee of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) where she also served on the ACINA Board of Directors and the ACI-NA United States Policy Board. ACI-NA represents local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in North America. She is a licensed professional counselor (retired) and 32-year retiree from Savannah State University where she served in administration, counseling, testing and student affairs. James is serving her 17th term as coordinator of the Annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival, a threeweek long event, free and open to the public that is presented by the City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Savannah State University. A native of Georgetown, SC, she received the B.A. from Spelman College (1968), and the Ed. M. from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education (1970).
Timothy Morrissey
President and General Manager, WJCL-TV-22
Tim Morrissey was named president and general manager of WJCL-TV in late December 2014 when Hearst Television acquired the television station. Previously, Morrissey served as president and general manager at WCNC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before joining WCNC-TV in 2007, Morrissey was a group head of The New York Times Company Broadcast Group, after having served as its corporate vice president for news. Previously, he was president and general manager at television stations in Oklahoma City (KFOR-TV) and Ft. Smith, Arkansas (KFSM-TV) and served in news management roles at stations in Baltimore (WJZ-TV), in Milwaukee (WISN-TV) and New Orleans (WWL-TV). Morrissey has served as a member of the NBC network affiliate board, the NBC NewsChannel board, the ABC News advisory board and the FCC’s Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC). He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Coastal Empire. He received his undergraduate education at Marquette University and is a Fellow of the Loyola University of the South Institute of Politics in New Orleans.
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Beth Nelson Executive Director, Savannah Area Film Office Beth Nelson is the executive director of the Savannah Area Film Office. Her responsibilities include promoting the Savannah area to the entertainment industry, serving as a liaison between film companies and local municipalities, providing assistance to production companies filming in the area, and supporting local crew and businesses. She has worked as a location manager for film, television, and commercials on many productions in the Savannah area and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the entertainment production industry. Beth has served on the Savannah Film Commission since 2012 and is a founding member of Savannah Women in Film and Television.
Monica Kaufman Pearson Retired Anchor, WSB-TV-2 Atlanta, Ga
Monica Kaufman Pearson is the first woman and first minority to anchor the daily evening news in Atlanta, Georgia where she worked for 37 years at the leading station WSB-TV. On her retirement, she was honored on the floor of the U.S House of Representatives by the bi-partisan Georgia delegation for her career in journalism. She has won over 33 Southern Regional and local Emmy Awards for reporting, anchoring and her Closeups celebrity interview show. Since retiring in 2012, she’s stayed busy. She graduated with a master’s degree, Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2014. She is a much sought-after emcee and motivational speaker; hosts a weekly music and talk show on Sunday on KISS 104.1 FM, an R&B station; does Closeups Interviews for WSBTV.com and is one of three hosts for the Georgia Public Broadcasting weekly program, “A Seat at the Table, a talk show about issues affecting black women.
JMC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Swann Seiler Manager, Corporate Communications, Georgia Power
Swann Seiler is the manager of corporate communications for Georgia Power’s Coastal Region in Savannah, Georgia. Seiler began her career with Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation in Livingston, New Jersey in 1978 and worked in public relations for Lytton Industries Monroe Division in Morristown, New Jersey. She joined Savannah Electric in 1982 and worked as manager of corporate communications until its merger into Georgia Power in 2006. Swann is a 1978 graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and serves on its Grady Board of Trust. She served as the first woman president of the University of Georgia National Alumni Association from 2005–2007. She is an emeritus member of the UGA Athletic Association Board of Directors and of the University of Georgia Foundation. She also serves on the UGA Library Board of Visitors. She was presented with the Southern Company University of Georgia Distinguished Alumni award in 2001–the year the award was established. Her family has raised and cared for the University of Georgia’s famed white English Bulldog mascots for over 60 years.
Larry Silbermann
Vice President/General Manager, WTOC-TV-11
Larry Silbermann is the vice president and general manager of WTOC-TV-11. He came to Savannah and the station in the summer of 2000, first as news director. After 10 years leading the news department he was promoted to regional news director by Raycom Media, the corporate owners of WTOC. Larry is very active in the community. He serves on several boards of non-profit organizations, is a Rotarian and a former Susan G. Komen of the Coastal Empire Big Wig. Starting out as a photographer for a newspaper at age 16, he transitioned into broadcast journalism in 1988. He has worked in various cities including Cincinnati, Louisville, New Orleans, Portland, and Syracuse. During his career Larry has won many awards from the Associated Press as well as Emmys from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
MEETING NOTES
Department of Mass Communications Faculty and Staff Serajul Bhuiyan, Ph.D. bhuiyans@savannahstate.edu Professor and Chair, Department of JMC FACULTY Sandra Earley, Instructor earleys@savannahstate.edu Reginald L. Franklin, Associate Professor franklinr@savannahstate.edu Phelps S. Hawkins, Assistant Professor hawkinsp@savannahstate.edu Tracy Haynes, Visiting Professor haynest@savannahstate.edu Jason Miccolo Johnson, Visiting Professor johnsonjm@savannahstate.edu Jessica Sparks, Assistant Professor sparksj@savannahstate.edu Juliana Maria D. Trammel, Ph.D., Associate Professor trammelj@savannahstate.edu Kai C. Walker, Assistant Professor walkerka@savannahstate.edu Angela Wilson, Assistant Professor wilsona@savannahstate.edu STAFF Tina Brown, Administrative Assistant brownt@savannahstate.edu Novella Cross Holmes, Special Projects Coordinator holmesn@savannahstate.edu Terry Manning, Technology Coordinator manningt@savannahstate.edu William E. Martin IV, Program Director martinw@savannahstate.edu Kareem McMichael, Online Content Manager mcmichaelk@savannahstate.edu