Maria McLeod, MFA
Associate Professor
About
Associate Professor Maria McLeod, AS, BS, MFA, produces scholarly research, journalistic articles and public relations materials in addition to oral histories and works of documentary theatre based on in-depth interviews. She also has authored creative works, including two poetry chapbooks. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and book reviews are consistently published in leading literary journals. In addition to teaching for the Department of Journalism, Prof. McLeod assists local business as a pro-bono PR consultant. She is a founding member of Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival and sits on their advisory board. She also consults for local media outlet Cascadia Daily News and sits on the advisory board for The Salish Current. Professor McLeod chairs WWU’s Scholars Week Planning Committee, leading efforts to produce the University’s annual scholarly event celebrating academic excellence.
Courses taught at WWU:
Introduction to Mass Media
News Writing
Principles of Public Relations
Advanced PR Writing & Techniques
PR Videography
Interpersonal Communications
As the first recipient of WWU’s Thaddeus Spratlen and Louis Price-Spratlen Diversity and Inclusion Grant, McLeod wrote and produced “First Person: Diverse Student Stories,” a work of documentary theatre derived from interviews from WWU students and performed on campus.
Her scholarly research has resulted in published articles on the political economy of new media, PR techniques used by political activists, and the use of cancer patient testimonials and images to promote cancer care centers.
“Happy Endings: an analysis of ‘kicker quotes’ in cancer patient narratives used to promote cancer care centers,” The International Journal of Health, Wellness and Society, 2023.
“Attitudes of Gratitude: An Analysis of 30 Cancer Patient Narrative Published by Leading U.S. Cancer Care Centers,” International Journal of Medical Health and Sciences, 2022.
“Public Relations Videography: A Classroom Case Study in the Production and Dissemination of Digital Content,” The Journal of Communications and Media Studies, 2018.
“Crowdfunding the Web Series: A Case Study in the Political Economy of New Media and the Production of a Fan Following,” The International Journal of the Image, 2017.
“The Lady in Red: Image Deconstruction and the Gezi Park Uprising,” International Journal of Communications and Linguistic Studies, 2016.
“People Power PR: Recasting Activists as Practitioners in Turkey’s Gezi Park Resistance,” The European Conference on Media and Mass Communication, 2014.
Prior to joining the faculty at WWU, McLeod served as a public relations professional for PR firms, and, following, as an independent PR consultant for educational institutions, nonprofits, and small businesses. She has also worked on contract as an oral historian for the Washington State Department of Ecology, Issaquah History Museum, and the Washington State Women’s History Consortium. She previously taught at Southern Illinois University, University of Pittsburgh, and Washtenaw Community College. At Bennington College, she directed a credit-bearing summer program, July at Bennington.
Oral History:
Washington State Department of Ecology, Historically Speaking: An Oral History in Celebration of the first 35 years, 1970 – 2005.
Poetry Chapbooks:
Mother Want (2021)
Skin. Hair. Bones. (2022)