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Lecturer Tim Bell previously taught as an adjunct instructor in The Media School. He holds a doctorate from Queen Mary University in London. He will teach film studies courses.

Lecturer Craig Erpelding previously taught at DePaul University and worked on the Fox series Empire. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in directing from DePaul University. He’s interested in narrative filmmaking and serial and episodic narrative development and will teach cinematography, video editing and narrative filmmaking.

Lecturer Dave Groobert previously worked as a public relations practitioner in Washington, D.C., for 30 years. He worked in the PR division of two national advertising agencies, at a satellite communications company and at Hill+Knowlton, and for the past 15 years, he ran the U.S. operations for a Toronto-based public relations agency called Environics Communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in management and leadership from Indiana’s Western Governors University. He will teach public relations courses and will be the faculty advisor to IU’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

Assistant professor Danielle Kilgo recently earned her doctorate in journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, where she was a graduate research fellow. She also taught writing, design and photography courses at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Before going into teaching, she worked as a photojournalist and a public relations practitioner. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations and a master’s degree in public relations and new media from Baylor University. Her research focuses on social movements and press coverage, uncovering how portrayals of race, gender and ability intersects and interferes with collective action. She will teach visual communication courses in the journalism program.

Assistant professor Jennifer Midberry recently earned her doctorate in media and communication from Temple University. Previous to her academic career, she worked as a photojournalist at the Philadelphia Daily News and as a photo editor at AOL News and ABC News. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Messiah College and a master’s degree in Near Eastern studies from New York University. Her research focuses on responses to photojournalism of conflict, digital visual storytelling and visual stereotypes, with an emphasis on depictions of Islam and the Middle East in U.S. media. She will teach visual communication and photojournalism reporting courses.

Senior lecturer Anne Ryder previously taught for The Media School as a visiting lecturer and an adjunct instructor. She spent 25 years as a television reporter, producer and anchor — most of it for NBC’s WTHR-13 in Indianapolis. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. Ryder teaches broadcast journalism and supervises The Media School’s newscast, IU NewsNet.

Assistant professor Esi Thompson recently earned her doctorate in media studies from the University of Oregon. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and religious studies from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and a master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Ghana. Her research focuses on health risk and crisis communication, strategic communication and development communication. She will teach courses in public relations.