COMMUNICA​TION

FACULTY & STAFF

Faculty

Christopher Gullen

Associate Professor
Department Chair

cgullen@westfield.ma.edu
 (413) 572-5752, Ely 332D

Education: 

  • PhD, Film and Media Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
  • MA, Film and Media Studies, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
  • BS, Electrical Engineering, Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, MI

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication 
  • Introduction to Film  
  • Introduction to Communication Technology  
  • Social Media: Understanding Audiences & Analytics  
  • Media Criticism

Shirley Acquah

Associate Professor

sacquah@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5745, Ely 322E

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, Ohio University, Athens
  • MA, Communication and Development Studies, Ohio University, Athens
  • MA, Mass Communication, University of Ghana
  • BA, Humanities, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Courses Taught:

  • Public Relations
  • Health Communication
  • Intercultural Communication

Suzanne Boniface

Adjunct Professor

sboniface@westfield.ma.edu
Ely 315

Education: 

  • MPA, Westfield State University, Westfield, MA
  • BA,Communication, Westfield State University, Westfield, MA

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication
  • Advanced Public Relations  
  • Organizational Commuication

Maddy Cahill

Professor

mcahill@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5747, Ely 336A

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • MA, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • BA, English, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Human Communication 
  • Professional Communication 
  • Documentary Film 
  • Global Film 
  • Silent Film

Tara Conant

Adjunct Professor

tconant@westfield.ma.edu
Ely 332F

Education: 

  • MFA, Photography, ​Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
  • BA, Psychology, Westfield State University, Westfield, MA

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Photography
  • Film and Gender

Tom Gardner

Professor

tgardner@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-8058, Ely 336B

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • MPA, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
  • MA, Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia ·  BA, Sociology, University of Virginia

Courses Taught:

  • Communication Law
  • Crime and the Media
  • Political Communication
  • Journalism and Society
  • Honors Seminar on the U.S.-Vietnam War Era 

Sinuk Kang

Professor
Internship Coordinator

skang@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5754, Ely 321

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, The State University of New York at Buffalo
  • MA, Broacadcating, Telecommunicaiton, and Mass Media, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
  • BA, Radio, Television, and Film, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication  
  • Introduction to Communication Technology  
  • Digital Video Editing 
  • Communication Reserach
  • Special Topics on Visual Communication 

Kate LaMay-Miller

Adjunct Professor

klamaymiller@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5743, Ely 316

Education: 

  • MEd, Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • BA, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 
  • BS, Wildlife Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication 
  • Persuasive Communication
  • Video Field Production

Mark Nimkoff

Associate Professor

mnimkoff@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-8344, Ely 319

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, ​University of Illinois
  • ABJ, Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication
  • Communication Ethics
  • Communication Theory
  • Audio  Production
  • Issues in the Media Industries
  • Writing for Interactive Media 

Gamze Onut

Adjunct Professor

gonut@westfield.ma.edu
Ely 315

Education: 

  • PhD (ABD), Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • MA, Sociology, Carleton University, Ottawa
  • BA, Sociology and International Relations (Double Major), Koç University, Istanbul

Courses Taught:

  • Introduction to Mass Communication 
  • Introduction to Film 
  • Intercultural Communication 

Elizabeth Preston

Professor Emeritus

epreston@westfield.ma.edu

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • MA, Communication, ​University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • BA, English, Bates College, Lewiston, ME

Courses Taught:

  • Video Production I 
  • Video Production II  
  • Issues in Advertising
  • Communication Research 

Max Saito

Professor

msaito@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5538, Ely 335

Education: 

  • PhD, Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • MA, International and Intercultural Management, School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT
  • BA, International Studies, Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT
  • AA, Automobile Engineering, Yomiuri Tokyo Junior College of Science and Engineering, Tokyo, Japan 

Courses Taught:

  • Global Communication 
  • Communication and Conflict
  • International Conflict Resolution
  • Food: Communication, Community, & Civic Engagement
  • Communication, Culture, & Human Rights

Staff

Kathy Pitoniak

Administrative Assistant

kpitoniak@westfield.ma.edu 
(413) 572-5751, Ely 332

Alexander Simisky

 Video Production Coordinator

alex@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-8102, Ely 326

Kaylyn Fountain

 Video Television Oprations  
Production Technician

kaylyn@westfield.ma.edu
(413) 572-5750, Ely 346A

 Westfield State University Website