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Chris Koens has been a design and marketing professional for over two decades, he has spent several years focused on providing organizations with creative solutions, design thinking, and enhanced user experiences. Chris has previously been adjunct faculty at Kendall College of Art and Design and Ferris State University. He is also a Kentucky Colonel.
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Jason Brower brings a passion for marketing and social media to the School of Communications. He has worked both in professional sports and the agency world. He is currently the Social Media Specialist at LaFleur Marketing. Jason brings his knowledge of different platforms and techniques to the classroom to help students as they start their journey in the Ad & PR major. Jason is a graduate of Grand Valley State University (’09) with a BS in Business Administration. He resides in Byron Center with his wife Sarah, and daughter Madilyn.
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Chad Fopma is a passionate educator that brings a host of real-world experiences to his classes. He has worked in several cable and television outlets in the West Michigan area, where he gained extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the broadcast industry. After several years of teaching in the Grand Rapids Public School System, he completed his Master's degree and began teaching at Grand Valley State University. Throughout all of these various professional and educational endeavors, Chad has also engaged in freelance consulting for a variety of local small businesses and charities.
Outside of his work, Chad lives East of Grand Rapids in Lowell with his wife, three kids and two of the very best dogs ever. He regularly works on a variety of never-ending home improvement projects and is slowly but surely mastering his 3d printer.
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Jill Hinton Wolfe is a communicator, entrepreneur, and Army veteran who is passionate about designing surprising and unique experiences for her clients. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2001 with a degree in advertising and public relations. She’s worked for over 20 years in healthcare, manufacturing, technology and media industries as a marketing and PR communications expert. In 2015 Jill partnered with Carol Distel to form the experiential design startup GO Scavenger Hunts. Her passion for building community and creating authentic experiences that bond people together has led her to design events and communications that engage, entertain and educate.
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Stephan Hokanson is a senior strategist at MINDSCAPE and an award-winning creative. He has worked as a designer, copywriter, and manager for numerous West Michigan agencies and corporations. Stephan is a longtime member of the American Advertising Federation’s West Michigan chapter and twice served on its board in chairperson and officer roles. He has repeatedly served as a judge for the AAF’s Student Advertising competition and more recently, the NASC competition in District 6. He has taught Concept Development at his alma mater, Kendall College of Art and Design where he received his BFA in Advertising Design. Currently, he teaches Fundamentals of Advertising at Grand Valley State University.
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Beth Dornan, APR, is an award-winning public relations and corporate communications manager with more than 25 years' experience in public relations, corporate communications, social media and journalism. She is passionate about telling an organization’s stories through social media, media relations, content partnerships and other programs. Beth currently leads PR, social media and content strategy for Amway in North America and has served as an adjunct professor in the School of Communications Advertising and PR program since 2017.
Beth received her accreditation in public relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America and has earned more than 25 West Michigan, regional, and national communications and public relations awards for her work. She is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Journalism and volunteers with several organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for Family Futures. Beth is the proud Mom of two daughters, a current Laker student and a Laker-to-be in 2019. She and her husband Ross enjoy cycling, local breweries and doting on their English springer spaniel Riley.
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Kylie Torres graduated with her Masters of Arts in Integrated Global Communication from Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta. Her area of study focused on international theme parks and her thesis was on the thematic analysis of Asian Disney parks using news articles.
In addition to adjunct teaching, Torres is also working for a local swimming pool installation company. There she manages their advertising, social media accounts, blog, and is a project manager. When not working, Torres can be found traveling and blogging. Some areas of focus include: LGBTQ+, veganism, intercultural communication, backyard lifestyle, and tourism.
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Ben Risinger is an award-winning, 20-year veteran in the public relations industry and has spent the last decade specializing in the digital media realm. Risinger graduated with his bachelor's degree from Anderson University in Mass Communications in 2001 and from Indiana University in 2013 with his master's in Public Relations Management. Risinger currently oversees Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital's digital and community relations efforts in the West Michigan community and beyond. Ben has worked with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, Fox 59 WXIN TV in Indianapolis, the 2012 NFL Super Bowl, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and ran a boutique PR agency in Indianapolis, IN called Somnium Media. Risinger enjoys writing, playing disc golf, competitive swimming, comic books and playing with his three dogs Nala, Betty and Stella in his free time.
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G. Bradley Back was one of GVSU’s first advertising and public relations graduates, and with over 40 years in the communications industry, Brad has led teams in building some of the world’s biggest and most respected brands, including Procter & Gamble, Capital One, Coca-Cola, and others. Well-respected for serving in executive leadership positions at Leo Burnett, Inc Hal Riney & Partners, Foote, Cone,& Belding in Chicago, and Little Caesar Enterprises in Detroit, most recently he has been Vice-President at SeyferthPR while also teaching at GVSU. In addition to strategic branding and communications, he is also a subject matter expert in franchising, retail, and shopper marketing. A recipient of numerous national marketing and advertising awards, he has been awarded APR accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America and is a former co-chair of Professional Development for the West Michigan Public Relations Society of America.
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Jaime L. Beckstrom is a marketing manager at EHS Support, an award-winning global environmental, health, and safety consultancy. She has over 20 years of experience in corporate communications, marketing, business development, and brand management in the environmental and healthcare industries. Jaime is a strategic-minded professional who understands how to effectively communicate technical and scientific data through practical business terms. She is a Grand Valley State University alum and serves on the Board of Directors for Duna Vista Resorts. Currently, she teaches CAP219 Public Relations Basics.
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