(352) 219-7915

         EDUCATION

• University of Tennessee, Ph.D. in Communications
  Knoxville, Tennessee
  Expected Graduation in May 2011

• University of Southern California, Master of Arts in Strategic Public Relations
  Los Angeles, California
  August 2005 - August 2007

• University of Florida, Bachelors of Science in Public Relations
  Gainesville, Florida
  August 2002 - August 2005
  

• Southern Methodist University
  Dallas, Texas
  August 2001- May 2002

• Graduate Teaching Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

                    Classes: PR 370 - Public Relations Cases (Freberg)

                    PR 270 – Public Relations Principles (GTA / Hilyard)

• Adjunct Instructor, West Virginia University, Morgantown

          Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Master’s Program

• Graduate Teaching Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

                    CCI 150 - Communication in an Information Age (Gary & Campbell)

• Graduate Teaching Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• Graduate Research Assistant, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• PR 270: Social media and Public Relations – Summer 2009 (Ms. Tatjana M. Hocke)

• PR 380: Public Relations Professional Development Seminar – Fall 2009 (Dr. Michael Palenchar)

• PSY 201: Introduction to Psychology – Spring 2009, Social Media & Managing online reputation (Dr. Laura Freberg, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo)

• PR 270: Public Relations Principles – Spring 2009; Social Media and Public Relations, Global Public Relations (Dr. Karen Hilyard & Ms. Angela Pratt)

• PR 380: Public Relations Professional Seminar - Spring 2009; Online Portfolios & Managing Online Presence (Dr. Michael Palenchar)

• PR 380: Public Relations Professional Development Seminar – Fall 2008; How to make an e-Portfolio, Managing Online Reputation (Dr. Michael Palenchar)

• PR 370: Public Relations Cases – Spring 2009; Cases in Social Media and Public Relations (Dr. Lisa Fall)

• PR 370: Public Relations Cases – Spring 2008; Crisis Communication, Message Strategy Theories in Public Relations (Dr. Michael Palenchar)

• CCI 150: Communication in an Information Age – Fall 2008, Spring 2009; Crisis Communication and Crisis Management (Mr. Don Campbell)

• CCI 150: Communication in an Information Age – Fall 2008, Spring 2009; Public Relations (Ms. Lisa Gary)

     RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

     Committee Member, PR Day 2008, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
     June 2008 – November 2008

• Public Relations Intern: Total Media, Cape Town, South Africa
  May 2007- July 2007

  • Worked with public relations professionals at Total Media with various client accounts including fashion designers Craig Port and Gavin Rajah, restaurants Forty Ate and Café Mao, consumer goods Amarula cream liqueur, fitness center Virgin Active, and South African Fashion events Cape Town Fashion Week and Joburg Fashion Week.

  • Responsible to writing fashion designer profiles, pitching media strategies to various outlets in South Africa (English / Afrikaans / Xhosa)

  • Developing PR campaign strategies, conducting public relations research, making research proposals on brand image in South Africa, and helping with event planning.
    

• Graduate Assistant with USC Track and Field, Los Angeles, California August 2006 – May 2006

  • Worked with the track and field coaches and staff in recruiting athletes to the program.

  • Made fact sheets about athletes and communicating with potential student-athletes and their parents on recruiting trips.

  • Helped the assistant throws coach with organization of team and recruiting activities (ex. researching athletes, communication, creating media packets).

  • Helped USC Trojan Force organize the 2006 Golf Tournament Fundraiser for USC Track and Field on September 15, 2006.
    

• Publisher and Creator of KarenFreberg.com
  1996 - present

  • Designed and maintained personal web site and online reputation using Microsoft Front Page and Word Press software programs.

  • Posted pictures, articles, and wrote journal entries discussing what it was like being a high school and collegiate track and field athlete (1998 – 2006).

  • Developed online newsletter while at the University of Florida and USC competing in track and field

  • Created blog discussing issues and events in public relations, athletics, and reputation management in 2007.
    

• Public Relations Intern at Living Well Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
  May 2005 – August 2005

  • Participated in managing fitness center with other interns

  • Involved in designing media and promotional materials (ex. brochure)
    

• Journal Contributor for Trackshark.com
  December 2003 – July 2004

  • Wrote journal entries for the college track and field web site Trackshark.com about what it was like to be a student-athlete at the University of Florida.

  • Journals were published on a weekly basis during the 2004 Track and Field season.
    

• Journal Contributor for Dyestat.com
  July 2000 – November 2000

  • Wrote a journal series called "Karen’s Diaries" about what it was like to be a high school athlete and the recruiting process.

  • Had a series of six diary entries discussing recruiting trips, questions to ask coaches when being recruited, and things to think about when taking the recruiting trip.

     Freberg, K., & Palenchar, M.J. (2009). Current direction of U. S. undergraduate public relations programs: A pedagogical
     struggle. Accepted for presentation at the Association for Educators in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference on
     August 5-8, 2009. Boston, MA. [Second place - Top Teaching Paper Category – Public Relations Division].

     Freberg, K., & Freberg, L. (2009). Relationships between Loneliness and Perceptions and Use Patterns of Social Networking
     Sites in University Students. Presented at the 3^rd International Conference on Psychology on June 8-11, 2009. Athens,
     Greece.

     Freberg, K. (2009). Is there a time and a place for issues advertising?: A case study analyzing Heineken's ‘Give yourself a
     good name’ campaign. Presented at the interactive poster session at the 13th International Conference on Corporate
     Reputation, Brand, Identity and Competitiveness. May 28 – 30, 2009. Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

     Ainley,B., Freberg, K., Adams, R., Enrique, C., & Freberg, L. (2009). Loneliness Predicts Perceptions and Use of Social
     Networking Sites. Presented at the 2009 APS Annual Convention, May 22 - 25, 2009 in San Francisco, CA.

     Freberg, K., & Palenchar, M.J. (2009). Practitioner or Academic Approach:

     The Current Direction of U. S. Undergraduate Public Relations Programs. Presented in the collaborative paper session at the
     University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information 31st Annual Research Symposium. February 27, 2009.
     Knoxville, Tennessee. [Top student-faculty collaboration paper].

     Freberg, K., & Freberg, L. (2008). Web-based publication on the perception of avatars in terms of communication and an
     online reputation management perspective." Good web practices. Oct 23, 2008. Retrieved from 
     http://www.goodwebpractices.com/website-design/internet-avatars-analysed.html.

     Freberg, K. (2008). From Supersizing to Healthy: Can McDonald’s Change its Image Among Today’s College Students?
     Presented in the poster session at the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information 30th Annual
     Research Symposium. February 29, 2008. Knoxville, Tennessee. [Tied for Top Poster]

     Freberg, K. (2008). Perceptions of Sport Celebrity Endorsers: Do college students perceive high risk celebrity endorsers
     more negatively than low risk celebrity endorsers? Work in progress research paper. Presented at the 11^th International
     Public Relations Research Conference. March 6-9, 2008. Miami, Florida.

     Palenchar, M.J., & Freberg, K. (2008). Yahoo! Inc.’s Reputation Management in China: A Case Study of Corporate
     Personality and Media Challenges. Presented at the 12th International Conference on Reputation, Brand, Identity, &
     Competitiveness. May 29-June 1, 2008. Beijing, China.

• Amsterdam, The Netherlands

  • Presented at the interactive poster session at the 13th International Conference on Reputation, Brand, Identity, & Competitiveness.

  • Wrote paper: "Is there a time and a place for issues advertising?: A case study analyzing Heineken's ‘Give yourself a good name’ campaign.’"

  • Conference sponsored by the Reputation Institute and the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University.

• Athens, Greece

  • Presented at the 3^rd International Conference on Psychology on June 8-11, 2009 in Athens, Greece.

  • Co-authored paper: "Relationships between Loneliness and Perceptions and Use Patterns of Social Networking Sites in University Students."

  • Conference sponsored by Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER).

• Beijing, China

• Presented at the 12th International Conference on Reputation, Brand, Identity, & Competitiveness. May 29-June 1, 2008. Beijing, China.

• Co-authored paper: "Yahoo! Inc.’s Reputation Management in China: A Case Study of Corporate Personality and Media Challenges."

• Conference sponsored by the Reputation Institute.

• Research

  • Second Place, Top Teaching Paper, Public Relations Division, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, with Dr. Michael Palenchar. (August 2009).

  • Top Student-Faculty Paper, University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information Research Symposium, with Dr. Michael Palenchar. (February 2009).

  • Top Poster (tied), University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information Research Symposium. (February 2008).

• Academics

  • David X. Marks Scholar Student-Athlete Recipient, University of Southern California. (2007).

  • Academic All-American, University of Florida. (2003).

  • All-SEC Academic Team, University of Florida. (2003, 2004).

• All-American, shot put, University of Southern California. (2006).

• All-West Regional, shot put, University of Southern California. (2006).

• All-PAC 10, shot put, University of Southern California. (2006).

• All-American, shot put, University of Florida. (2003, 2004).

• Two-time Southeastern Conference Champion, shot put, University of Florida. (2003).

• All-SEC First Team, University of Florida. (2003).

• Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year (Indoor Track and Field), Southern Methodist University. (2002).

• Public Relations Judge for ADV 470 Campaigns Presentations (Advertising Campaigns Course, Morrison), Spring 2009.

• Conference Student Paper Reviewer, Public Relations Division, International Communication Association, Fall 2008.

• Committee Member & Graduate Assistant, PR Day 2008, Bi-Annual Public Relations Conference for Students and Local Professionals, School of Advertising and Public Relations, University of Tennessee, Summer – Fall 2008.

• Doctoral Student Representative, Dean’s Graduate Student Advisory, University of Tennessee, 2008 - 2009.

      PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS

• Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), 2004

• Phi Kappa Alpha Member (2004)

• University of Southern California Alumni, 2007 - present

• Reputation Institute, 2008 – present

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/karen.freberg

• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kfreberg

• MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/karenfreberg

• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karenfreberg