Kopenhaver Center- Our Team
Dr. Kimberly Meltzer, Professor
Co-Director
Dr. Meltzer joined the Marymount faculty in 2016 after having taught at Georgetown University from 2008-2016, and at Lehigh University from 2006-2008. Dr. Meltzer’s research investigates journalistic adaptation to change, from the perspective of journalists themselves. It is also concerned with the political and social implications of those adaptations. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Meltzer worked for news organizations including CNN, NBC, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Discovery Communications, and Gazette Newspapers. She earned her B.A. from Emory University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the The Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Meltzer is the Director for the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the faculty advisor to Marymount’s student-produced newspaper, The Banner, and co-director for the Marymount University Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication (MULLKC).
Contact: kimberly.meltzer@marymount.edu
Dr. Melissa Harris, Assistant Professor
Co-Director
Dr. Harris joined the faculty of Marymount University in 2021. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degrees in Communication Studies from California State University, Fresno she relocated to Washington, D.C. where she obtained her Ph.D. in Communication, Culture, and Media Studies from Howard University. Her research interests are located at the intersections of culture, media, and gender studies. Currently, Dr. Harris is conducting research on the cultural communication rite of passage known as “The Talk” within Black families and the implications of such conversations on gender, media, and the public and private sphere.
Dr. Harris serves as the faculty advisor for the student communication honor society through the National Communication Association, Lambda Pi Eta. Additionally, she is the co-director for the Marymount University Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication (MULLKC). Dr. Harris is actively involved in various national and regional communication associations.
Contact: meharris@marymount.edu
