College of Communication and Media Welcomes 12 New Faculty and Staff, Promotes Three and Creates Four Academic Departments

Montclair State University strengthens its commitment to the newly-formed College, which serves more than 2,000 students in seven undergraduate majors

Jan. 15, 2026, MONTCLAIR, NJ– The College of Communication and Media at Montclair State University is proud to announce the appointment of 12 faculty, the promotions of three professional staff and the establishment of four academic departments.

Led by the appointment of Dr. Keith Strudler as Dean in August 2024, these changes highlight the College’s dedication to expanding opportunities for students, elevating its national profile and advancing leadership development and research opportunities for faculty and staff. 

New Faculty 

The College of Communication welcomes a dynamic group of new faculty and staff whose deep experience spans journalism, film and television, animation, advertising, media, sports communication and higher education administration. Together, they bring industry expertise, creative insight and a deep commitment to student learning and achievement.

Eli Bosnick, Assistant Teaching Professor of Film and Television, brings professional expertise in multi-camera narrative production, acting for the camera and casting.

Bryan DeNovellis, Assistant Teaching Professor of Sports Media, specializes in producing compelling sports features and live-game coverage while mentoring students in broadcast writing, on-camera performance and storytelling.

Julia Kots, Assistant Professor of Film and Television, is an award-winning filmmaker whose teaching focuses on screenwriting, directing, and film and television editing, with plans to teach documentary production.

Dr. Kevin Lerner, Professor and Chair of Journalism and Sports Media, is a historian of American journalism and a scholar of press criticism and specializes in literary and alternative journalism. 

Jason Mandel, Assistant Teaching Professor of Advertising, joins the College with a background in branding, copywriting, and creative strategy, helping students translate ideas into powerful, audience-driven campaigns.

Victor Morales, Assistant Teaching Professor of Animation and VFX, explores storytelling through real-time media and game engines, with work spanning animation, video game development and live event media.

New Professional Staff Roles

Amanda Brandt, Career Advisor, joins CCOM after three years in a similar role at Montclair’s College of the Arts, which previously included the School of Communication and Media.

Kaya Maciak, Digital Media and Communications Specialist, manages the College’s social media and other digital media storytelling efforts, showcasing the achievements of students, faculty and alumni while strengthening the College’s digital presence and brand identity.

Angelic McDowall, Program Associate, facilitates day-to-day operations in the Dean’s Office, ranging from personnel processing and budget support to event coordination. She serves as a key administrative partner to faculty, staff and campus collaborators.

Vicki Nauta, Director of Career Services, leads the career advisement, employer relations and internship and experiential learning efforts. She joins CCOM after spending seven years as the Director of Career Services for Montclair’s College of the Arts.

Al Prieto, Special Assistant to the Dean, supports College-wide strategic initiatives and serves as the faculty advisor to The Montclarion student newspaper. He collaborates with the College’s news and media co-curricular organizations, cultivates industry partnerships and alumni engagement, and expands experiential opportunities for students, and teaches classes. 

Dr. Laura Ryblewski, Assistant Dean for Student Success, provides oversight for student success and engagement initiatives across the College, including academic and career advising, recruitment, enrollment management, orientation, retention and student policies. She oversees the College’s academic and career advising teams.

Promotions

Alexandra Fermin, who joined Montclair in 2021 as a University Success Coach before serving as School Administrator, is now the Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration.

Keith Green, who joined Montclair in 2019 as a Visiting Assistant Professor before being promoted to a full-time role as the College’s Coordinator of Strategic Communications, is now the Director of Communications and Strategic Operations.

Dr. Todd Kelshaw, who joined Montclair in 2002 as an Assistant Professor and was part of the College of Communication and Media when it was founded in 2012, is now the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs. He was previously CCOM’s Associate Director.  

“With the addition of talented faculty and staff  coupled with well-earned promotions, we are creating more pathways for student success,” said Dean Strudler. “We are also excited about continuing to raise our national profile while creating more transformative opportunities that empower our students to thrive in the rapidly evolving communication and media landscape.”

New Academic Departments and Leadership

CCOM has also created four departments to strengthen the College’s academic infrastructure. 

Journalism and Sports Media, chaired by Dr. Lerner, offers a B.A. in Journalism and Digital Media where students learn to write, report and produce content for television, radio, the web, social media and emerging platforms and a B.A. Sports Communication, and Journalism, which prepares students to tell the stories that bring the excitement of sports to life while getting them ready to succeed in a fast-growing and competitive industry.

Film and Television, chaired by Stuart MacLelland, offers a B.A. in Film and Television, which emphasizes the full production process from concept to screen, including screenwriting and storyboarding to live-action shooting, digital editing and streaming. The department also offers a B.A. in Animation and Visual Effects in state-of-the-art facilities, allowing students to hone their skills in 2D and 3D animation, game development, immersive storytelling and visual effects.

Strategic Communication, co-chaired interimly by Dr. Bond Benton and Dr. Jin-A Choi, offers a B.A. in Advertising, where students create and design effective ad campaigns that connect brands with audiences, and a B.A. in Social Media and PR, which prepares students by having them create unique and engaging content for earned, shared and owned media to connect audiences at the right place at the right time, fueled by the power of storytelling and data analytics. 

Communication and Media Studies, chaired by Dr. Christopher McKinley, offers a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies. This flexible, interdisciplinary program lets students dive into a wide range of topics by choosing from an expansive list of courses across the College.

“Establishing formal academic departments strengthens our foundation by creating clear leadership structures and enhancing curriculum oversight,” said Dean Strudler. “These departments will improve all seven of our existing undergraduate majors and create more supportive learning communities. Students will have a clearer, stronger, and more engaging educational experience, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to strategic growth.”

About the College of Communication and Media: 

The College of Communication and Media (CCOM) offers a range of dynamic programs to a talented and diverse student population of over 2,000. Offering degrees in advertising, animation and visual effects, communication and media studies, film and television, journalism and digital media, social media and public relations, sports communication and an online, asynchronous MA devoted to strategic communication and media, the College prepares the next generation of communication and media practitioners and leaders. Founded in 2012 and housed in world-class, state-of-the-art facilities just 12 miles from New York City, the College is the only program in the country that offers the following opportunities for students: a radio station (WMSC), newspaper (The Montclarion), strategic communications agency (Hawk Communications), sports network (Red Hawk Sports Network) streaming platform (Hawk+), digital newsroom (News Lab) and studio, and a social media listening center (Joetta DiBella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication). The College also has a Student Success team, including dedicated Career Services and Advising professionals who prepare students for the internship and job search process. Student projects and programs have recently received national recognition from PRSSA’s Bateman Competition, an Edward R. Murrow Award, several Marconi Award nominations, and College Television Awards (“Student Emmy” awards) from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The College is also home to the Center for Cooperative Media, which serves the public by working to grow and strengthen local journalism and media. Through $7.1M in grants awarded over the last five years, the Center focuses on collaboration in journalism, media equity, media coaching and training, civic science and research. The Center is also home to the NJ Civic Information Consortium, the largest funder of media and journalism in  New Jersey, granting more than $10M over the last five years to support independent local media, journalism and training initiatives.

Media Contact: Keith Green, greenk@montclair.edu and 973-655-3701

Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?

Prospective Students and Parents: Plan your visit and take your first step in applying to become a Red Hawk. Learn more about our Journalism and Digital Media or Film and Television majors in the College of Communication and Media.