A passion for sports & insights
Our faculty and industry board members are committed to providing data-driven insights to current and future sports scholars and practitioners so they can adapt and thrive in a changing, global sport and gaming environment.
Faculty Board Members
Dr. Andrew Billings
Andrew C. Billings is the Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting and Co-Director of the Beyond Sports Initiative in the College of Communication & Information Sciences. With 24 books and over 250 journal article and book chapters, he is one of the most-published sports media scholars in the world. His research typically focuses on when sports are about larger social issues and societal barometers and has been cited in other academic works over 10,000 times. His work with industry leaders includes collaborations with the International Olympic Committee, ESPN, NBC, and FOX Sports, among many others. He often provides insight for media outlets, ranging from the New York Times to the Associated Press to ESPN’s Outside the Lines.
Dr. Kenon Brown
Kenon A. Brown is a professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations (A+PR) at the University of Alabama. He serves as the director of the Institute for Communication and Information Research, which houses the Beyond Sports Initiative. His research interests include image and reputation management, particularly in sports, and minority recruitment in mass communication. Prior to his academic appointment, Kenon worked for eight years in restaurant management and marketing. During his academic career, Kenon has worked with several sport and entertainment organizations, including the International Olympic Committee, FOX Sports, Twitch, NASCAR and the Country Music Association, specifically assisting with strategic planning and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Randall Huffaker
Randall Huffaker has more than 30 years of experience in advertising and more than 25 in digital marketing. He recognized as emerging technologies took hold, social and digital media would change consumer behavior. As a result, in 2008, Huffaker opened his own agency, Alchemist, which focuses on brand development and digital marketing. He has worked with clients ranging from local to international companies; from financial institutions, hospitals, nonprofit organizations to a host of others. Huffaker joined the Advertising & Public Relations Department as faculty in 2012 teaching courses ranging from Visual Design, Social and Digital Marketing, Content Marketing and Campaigns. Randall has brought real-world projects into the Campaign class, enabling students to work with real companies to develop marketing solutions for brands like NASCAR, Virgin Voyages and many more. His classes teach a myriad of skillsets including strategy development, management, social psychology, video editing, graphic design, advertising design, mobile responsive design, HTML/CSS and networking.
Michael Little
Senior Instructor Michael Little is an experienced designer/copywriter and has won several regional advertising awards in various media. He holds a B. A. in Art (Graphic Design) and a Masters in Advertising and Public Relations, both from the University of Alabama. He has worked in advertising and public relations for more than 30 years. In 2000, he joined the APR Department as a full-time faculty member. He has developed multiple classes for the department and college including CIS 250, a curriculum class in advertising, PR and journalism in which students learn basic and advanced aspects of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. His work in the private sector enabled him to network and expand internship and job opportunities for his students. As a result, his students have gone on to positions at such places as Edelman, UMG, Southern Living, McCann-Erickson, BBDO, Google, Young & Rubicam, Nike, NBC, TikTok and the U.S. Government among others. His list of clients include Southern Progress Corporation (Southern Living, Cooking Light, Sunset, etc.), Nickelodeon, Jr., Alabama Public Television, AT&T, Volvo, The University of Alabama, and a large number of other clients. He is also the faculty advisor for a number of UA student organizations including AAF UA and UA Esports.
Dr. Jihoon Kim
Jihoon (Jay) Kim, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Advertising and the Director of the Bama Reality Office (BRO) research lab at the University of Alabama. His primary research program explores the transformative impact of immersive technologies, including VR and AR, on traditional conventions in the realm of sports communication. Dr. Kim’s work focuses on understanding how virtual experiences shape the cognitive processes, emotions, and behaviors of sports fans in the physical world. His research findings have been published in prestigious international journals such as Communication & Sport, Telematics and Informatics, Computers in Human Behavior, and Journal of Consumer Behavior. His extensive experience and academic expertise provide valuable insights into the intersection of technology, sports, and consumer behavior.
Dr. Sean Sadri
Sean R. Sadri (Ph.D., University of Florida) is an Assistant Professor of Sports Media in the Department of Journalism and Creative Media at the University of Alabama. He teaches upper division and graduate-level courses on sports journalism, sports and social media, and media effects. His research primarily examines sports journalism in the modern media ecosystem, gender dynamics in sports media, and evolving perceptions of media credibility. He has published manuscripts in a number of national and international scholarly journals, including Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Journal of Gender Studies, Journalism Studies, and Communication & Sport. Additionally, he serves as the faculty advisor to the UA chapter of the National Sports Media Association.
Industry Board Members
Pam Chvotkin, broadcaster
Pam is an independent contractor in broadcast television and event production, with roles ranging from booth coordinator to line producer to production manager, handling logistics on-site for the behind-the-scenes live television/entertainment experience. Pam works frequently with various networks including ESPN, Big East Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, NBC, Fox, ABC, YES, MLB Network, NHL Network, NBA Entertainment, AXS tv and Food Network. She also has experience producing high school, college, and professional sports as well as entertainment shows including concerts, comedy specials and reality shows. Pam specializes in media relations, event operations, marketing, public relations, social media promotion and branding in addition to the on-site duties within the production realm.
Jordan Doyle, Chicago White Sox
Jordan Doyle is the Senior Manager of Social Media for the Chicago White Sox. Entering her 10th season with the Sox, Doyle oversees all White Sox social media accounts, including Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Threads. She strategically works with SoxTV, in-house graphic designers, local content creators and White Sox players to plan and create engaging content for each social platform. Prior to joining the White Sox, Doyle received a master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Alabama, and was a 4-year student athlete (soccer) at St. Cloud State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.
Alex McDaniel, USA Today
Alex McDaniel is the managing editor for For the Win, a division of USA Today’s Sports Media Group. Prior to this position, she was SB Nation’s deputy editor of storytelling. In both positions, Alex has led teams of content creators and programmers to develop compelling, fan-focused sports journalism. Alex has been a writer, editor and digital strategist for more than 10 years with prior roles at Parade Magazine, The Clarion-Ledger, AL.com, Birmingham Magazine, and Oxford Newsmedia. She’s an award-winning reporter and columnist who has spent most of her career covering gender equality, race relations and Southern culture. Alex graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2011 where she was editor of The Daily Mississippian.
Matt Nordby, NASCAR
Matt Nordby is the Managing Director of Communications for NASCAR. In this role, he leads the strategic communications direction across NASCAR’s business initiatives and works in lockstep with all the sport’s television and radio partners. Before joining NASCAR in 2011, he worked in communications for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2007-2011. During his time at NASCAR, Matt has led several Integrated Marketing Communications departments supporting a variety of business functions, including NASCAR Digital Media, entertainment marketing and NASCAR Productions. He also launched and led the centralized communications department for all NASCAR-owned racetracks. He was part of the NASCAR Communications team that won PR Week’s “In House PR Team of the Year” in 2015. Matt graduated from Iowa State University in 2002 with degrees in marketing and management information systems. During his time at Iowa State, he was also a member of the baseball team. Matt and his wife, Kelly, reside in Charlotte, NC with their son and twin daughters.
Megan Van Petten, Van Petten Group
Megan is at the intersection of business, education guided with faith that play will bring communities to the next level together. With a background in Psychology and Religious studies, Megan brings emotional intelligence to the esports, business, and corporate coaching worlds. From Reed Business Publishing, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc., Oak Brook, IL account executive to Fantasy Sports Trade Association managing director, Megan then positioned her own team under Association Management Company, Van Petten Group. This allowed for her to become founder to the Esports Trade Association in 2018, a nonprofit for the business of esports and gaming industry. She is host of two corresponding video podcasts for ESTA, EsportsNext and EsportsConnected. Megan is a speaker, panelist, and serves on various business and sports boards as a leadership and community educator.