YoungAh Lee

Professor in School of Journalism and Strategic Communication

Phone:765-285-9105

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Room:AJ 330

About YoungAh Lee

 Dr. YoungAh Lee is a Professor and Graduate Studies Director in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication at Ball State University. Her research focuses on strategic communication, reputation management, social media, and emerging communication technologies. More recently, she has incorporated social network analysis, media analytics, and artificial intelligence into her scholarship and teaching, with an emphasis on developing data-informed curricula that prepare students for a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Dr. Lee has received national recognition for her leadership and contributions to journalism and public relations education. She was selected as a Plank Center Education Fellow in 2016 through the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama and as a Fellow in the AEJMC Institute for Diverse Leadership (IDL) in 2023.

Professional Experience 

• Ball State University, associate professor, Graduate Studies Director, Public Relations Master’s program, 2014 – present.
• Indiana Wesleyan University, assistant professor of public relations, 2011-2014.
• Co-founder/Account Director, CommunicationWorks (Public Relations Consulting Firm), Seoul, South Korea, 2004-2006.
• InComm Brodeur (Public Relations Agency, Omnicom Group), Seoul, Korea, account manager, 2000-2003. 
• New Zealand Embassy, Seoul, Korea, advisory officer, 1998-2000.
• The World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, research associate, 1998.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Missouri, Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, Mo.
• M.A., University of Missouri, Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, Mo. 
• M.A., Ewha Women’s University, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul, Korea.
• B.A., Ewha Women’s University, Seoul, Korea.

Selected Research and Publications

• Rim, H., Lee, Y., & Yoo, S. (2020). Polarized Public Opinion Responding to Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA): Social Network Analysis of Boycotters and Advocators.
• Lee, Y. (2019). Understanding parents’ view on US higher education marketing communication. Educational Research for Policy and Practice.
• Lee, Y., Park, H., & Cameron, G (2018). Strategic Communication in U.S. Higher Education: Testing the Congruity Effects of University Identity and Image among Parents of Prospective Students. International Journal of Strategic Communication.
• Lee, Y., Park, S., Lee, H., Williams, E., & Cameron, G (2018). Resources aren’t everything, but they do help! Assessing local TV health news to deliver substantive and useful information for smart health. Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media and Engagement in Global Health.
• Kim, J., Lee, Y., Garner, L., Park, H., & Cameron, G. (2017). What’s in a Name? Health Literacy Leaders Say Plenty! Howard Journal of Communications.
• Doyle, E., & Lee, Y. (2016). Context, Context, Context: Priming Theory and Attitudes towards Corporations in Social Media. Public Relations Review.  

Honors and Awards

• Advised the 3^rd place Arthur Page Case study competition winning case study by BSU students
• Awarded Ball State’s College of Communication, Information and Media High Technology Award, Fall 2016 
• Awarded 2016 Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Fellowship