Our Faculty
Learn from experienced marketers, communicators, academic scholars and thought leaders
Northwestern University Medill Integrated Marketing Communications faculty members reflect a mix of both industry professionals and academic scholars. They produce cutting-edge research, lead top marketing communications companies and develop innovative solutions to complex challenges. They consistently push the envelope in the field of marketing communications to find the most effectives strategies for engaging consumers—now and in the future.
All of our IMC classes, including classes in the IMC Professional program, are taught by the same faculty. Not only will you learn from these experienced thought leaders in your classes, but they will also become your mentors and supporters. In addition, you join their networks of marketing communications professionals who work all over the world.
Vijay Viswanathan
Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications and Associate Dean of IMC
Viswanathan's research focuses on consumer decision making, especially in the realm of branding, pricing, cross-media consumption and social influence. His research has important implications for the economic impact of managerial decisions related to marketing communications.
Frank Mulhern
Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications, Associate Dean of Research and Executive Director of Academic Programs in San Francisco
Mulhern specializes in research on the economics of marketing, the impact of new media technologies on marketing communications and the measurement of advertising and promotion effects, particularly in retail environments.
Kelly Cutler
Lecturer and Director of IMC Professional Program
Cutler has more than 20 years of experience in digital marketing. She is the founder and CEO of Kona Company, a digital strategy firm. Prior to that, she co-founded and led a Chicago-based search engine marketing firm for 11 years. She began her career working for Classified Ventures, Cars.com and AOL.
Michelle Weinberger
Associate Professor
Weinberger’s research takes a sociological approach to understanding consumers, stakeholders and marketplace actors. She studies socio-cultural aspects of consumption and the role of various forms of marketing communications in creating meaning for stakeholders.
Ernest Duplessis
Associate Professor
Duplessis was formerly senior vice president of corporate communications and government affairs at Mondelēz International. His career includes over 25 years of public relations, internal and external communications, investor relations and government affairs experience spanning corporate America and the U.S. Military.
Judy Franks
Assistant Professor
Franks had a 23-year career at Chicago’s leading ad agencies, where she rose to the executive ranks across both the media and creative strategy disciplines. She is author of “Media: From Chaos to Clarity,” a book that highlights Five Macro Forces that are reshaping the media ecosystem.
Jonathan Copulsky
Senior Lecturer and Executive Director of Medill Spiegel Research Center
Jonathan Copulsky is an innovative marketing leader, growth strategist and thought leader with over 35 years of experience working at the intersection of brand, marketing strategy, content marketing and marketing technology. He most recently worked at Deloitte as principal and CMO.
Gerry Chiaro
Assistant Professor and Director of Immersion Quarter
Chiaro recently worked in marketing for several CPG companies such as Frito Lay, Pepsi Bottling Group, Gatorade, Pizza Hut and McDonald's. He then started a consulting businesses and served clients such as TGI Fridays, Travelocity, Anheuser-Busch, United Airlines and Coke.
April Carlisle
Adjunct Lecturer
Carlisle is currently the vice president, shopper marketing for The Coca-Cola Company. She heads a large team of shopper marketers that lead all programming for North America across all classes of trade and across the broad portfolio of beverages.
Elizabeth Harris
Adjunct Lecturer
Harris currently serves as the chief strategy officer at Leo Burnett/Arc Worldwide, working across both their brand and shopper marketing groups. In addition to this position, Harris has worked in both Chicago and New York at DRAFT, Y&R and Grey, collaborating with such clients as P&G, Sears, Walgreens, MillerCoors, Intel, CVS and “got milk?”