Athena Du Pre, PhD

Dr. Athena du Pré, a Distinguished University Professor in Communication, teaches leadership, health communication, workplace dynamics and interpersonal communication. She also directs graduate programs in strategic communication and leadership, and health communication leadership.

du Pré has diverse experience working in journalism, public relations and academe, converging in the fields of leadership and health communication. She has authored or co-authored five books, and several chapters and articles on various aspects of communication. She is the author of “Communicating About Health: Current Issues and Perspectives,” in 5th edition, and co-author of “Understanding Human Communication,” which is a best-selling communication textbook soon to be in 13th edition.

du Pré is a recipient of the Teaching Incentive Program award and has twice been honored with the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award. She was named UWF Distinguished University Professor in 2014. In that capacity, she is collaborating with 25 University students on an upcoming book. In the project, students work with leading scholars in the field to write chapters that highlight case studies in health communication.

She is the director of two year-long leadership development programs at the University — one for staff members and one for faculty. In the community, she has served as a leadership development coach in health care, finance, law enforcement and aerospace organizations. An advocate of service learning, she oversees students in several hundred hours of community-based projects per year.