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RNC Expert Sources for Media

The following is a list of suggested faculty experts who are available to speak with the media. For additional information or for more suggestions, contact Eric Cardenas, director of Public Information and Publications, at (813) 253- 6232 or email ecardenas@ut.edu.

Members of the media are welcome to come to campus during RNC to shoot backdrops, interviews and remotes. However, media should contact UT's Office of Public Information prior to entering campus. Approved media are asked to enter campus at the University Avenue entrance, and then proceed around the Plant Hall fountain to the Admissions parking lot, which is between the fountain and the Riverside Center. See map.

When on campus, media must display proper ID, be willing to follow all campus rules and not interfere with the University¹s normal operations. Media are only allowed in public areas. They are not allowed into residence halls, classrooms or offices without prior consent from the Office of Public Information. All interviewees must be asked permission to be filmed prior to the filming taking place. Thank you for your understanding.
 

Communication

Social critics
Andrew McAlister, assistant professor of communication
Specialties: Social communication and critic/historian of popular culture including TV; film history and ideology in media
(813) 257- 3192 (office), (813) 777-4059 (mobile)
amcalister@ut.edu

Stephanie Tripp, assistant professor of communication
Specialties: Journalist and social critic with angle on Tampa history
(813) 257- 3387 (office), (813) 361-8574 (mobile)
stripp@ut.edu 

Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship

Experts on the economy and business issues
Robert Beekman, assistant professor of economics
Specialties: Environmental policy, international trade
(813) 257-3863 (office)
rbeekman@ut.edu

Whitney Buser, assistant professor of economics
Specialty: Effects of economic freedom on international growth and
development
(813) 257-3303 (office)
wbuser@ut.edu

Frank Ghannadian, dean of the UT Sykes College of Business, director of the TECO Energy Center for Leadership, professor of finance
Specialties: Jobs, global economic issues, the value of the dollar, candidate tax plans, candidate education plans
(813) 258-7230 (office), (813) 766-2860 (mobile)
fghannadian@ut.edu

Vivekanand Jayakumar, associate professor of economics
Specialties: International monetary economics, emerging market economies and open-economy macroeconomics
(813) 258-7248 (office)
vjayakumar@ut.edu

Brian Kench, associate professor of economics
Specialties: Behavioral economics, economic impact analysis, energy prices, Tampa Bay real estate and labor markets.
(813) 257-3867 (office)
bkench@ut.edu

Dean Koutroumanis, assistant professor of management
Specialties: Small business strategy, entrepreneurship, restaurant/hospitality
(813) 257-3619 (office)
dkoutroumanis@ut.edu

John Stinespring, assistant professor of economics
Specialties: Tax and fiscal policy on economic growth, financial crises
(e.g. the costs and benefits of TARP), economics of religion
(813) 257-1790 (office)
jstinespring@ut.edu

Rebecca White, professor of entrepreneurship, director of UT Entrepreneurship Center
Specialties: Entrepreneurship, strategic planning, private equity
(813) 257-1760 (office), (859) 240-5091 (mobile)
rwhite@ut.edu 

Government and World Affairs

Experts on national and international politics
Mary Anderson; assistant professor of government and world affairs
Specialties: Research on public opinion and public policy; political knowledge and personality effects on political behavior
(813) 257- 1804 (office)
mranderson@ut.edu

Robert Kerstein; Dana professor of government and world affairs
Specialties: Urban politics, public policy analysis and American national government
(813) 257- 3408 (office)
bkerstein@ut.edu

Scott Paine; associate professor, communication/government and world affairs
Specialties: Public opinion and the media, political leadership, political communication, transportation policy, Florida state and local government
(813) 258- 7801 (office), (813) 300-1912 (mobile)
spaine@ut.edu

Denis Rey; assistant professor of government and world affairs
Specialties: International relations; Latin American politics; political institutions
(813) 257- 1729 (office)
denis.rey@ut.edu 

History

History of The University of Tampa and the Tampa Bay Hotel
Art Bagley, reference librarian
Specialties: History of UT
(813) 257- 3737 (office)
abagley@ut.edu

Sally Shifke, museum relations coordinator, Henry B. Plant Museum
Specialty: History of Tampa Bay Hotel/Plant Hall
(813) 258-7302 (office)
sshifke@ut.edu 

Marketing

Experts on advertising, strategy and marketing trends
Ron Kuntze, associate professor of marketing
Specialties: Demographics/lifestyle trends, frugality, retail fraud
(813) 257-3258 (office), (813) 259-9530 (mobile)
rkuntze@ut.edu

James Lee, associate professor of marketing 
Specialties: Consumer behavior, services marketing; Previous political experience includes serving on the staffs of a Republican governor and U.S. senator, working many political campaigns including being press secretary and campaign manager, political consultant and elected member of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee.
jlee@ut.edu 

Erika Matulich, professor of marketing
Specialties: Political advertising campaigns, opinion poll/survey results interpretation, political social media marketing
(813) 257-3187 (office)
ematulich@ut.edu

Judith Washburn, associate professor of marketing
Specialties: Promotional strategy, integrated marketing communications, social media
(813) 257-3431 (office), (216) 258-6341 (mobile)
jwashburn@ut.edu 

Mathematics

Expert on the mathematics of voting
Colleen Beaudoin, instructor of mathematics
Specialty: mathematics of voting, voting theories and impacts on elections
(813) 833-8330 (mobile)
cbeaudoin@ut.edu 

Philosophy

Experts on ethics and political philosophy
Marcus Arvan, assistant professor of philosophy
Specialties: Ethics, political philosophy, social justice and human rights
(813) 257- 3674 (office), (520) 245-7607 (mobile)
marvan@ut.edu

Steven Geisz, chair/associate professor of philosophy
Specialties: Political philosophy (particularly questions about democracy), Chinese philosophy and religion, philosophy of science
sgeisz@ut.edu 

Psychology

Experts on leadership and protests
Erin Koterba, assistant professor of psychology
Specialties: Impacts of protests on children (developmental psychology)
(813) 257- 6309 (office)
ekoterba@ut.edu

Joe Sclafani, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education, professor of psychology
Specialty: Leadership
(813) 257-3641 (office)
jsclafani@ut.edu 

Speech, Theater and Dance

Expert on censorship and GLBT issues
Gary Luter, professor of speech, theatre and dance, Honors program director
Specialties: Censorship, GLBT issues
(813) 257- 3803 (office)
gluter@ut.edu 

Sociology

Expert on sociology of religion, with an emphasis on Mormonism
Ryan T. Cragun, assistant professor of sociology
Specialties: Sociological study of religion, emphasis on Mormonism ; co-Author of forthcoming book: Could I Vote for a Mormon for President? An Election Year Guide to Mitt Romney’s Religion
(813) 257-3530 (office), (813) 466-4110 (mobile)
rcragun@ut.edu