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Dr. Jen Ptacek’s research employs mixed methodological approaches to exploring organizing in health contexts, specifically how health care professionals communicate to offer support and coordinate patient care. Her work aims to improve health communication practices to bolster worker and patient well-being. Her organizational and health communication interests also intersect with peacebuilding, exemplified in her work in Liberia, West Africa, in reducing political violence during health crises. Prior to joining academia, Dr. Ptacek held multiple management positions which have informed her organizational work.

Dr. Ptacek has published in journals including Health Communication, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Annals of International Communication Association and others. Her recent book, “Leader-member exchange and organizational communication: Facilitating a healthy work environment,” was published by Palgrave Macmillan. She has also presented her work at annual conferences including the International Communication Association conference, the National Communication Association conference and the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication.

Professional activities and affiliations

Research interests

Courses taught

• CMM 320: Interpersonal Communication
• CMM 352: Persuasion
• CMM 372: Communication for Health Professionals
• CMM 411: Health Communication
• CMM 412: Research Methods in Communication
• CMM 419: Communicating Health Disparities
• CMM 421: Organizational Communication and Writing
• CMM 425: Professional Seminar in Communication Management in Organizations
• COM 501: Communication Research and Methods
• COM 517: Organizational Communication
• COM 572: Communication for Health Professionals

Selected publications

Ptacek, J. K., & Connaughton, S. L. (2022). Addressing the intersections of health, organizing, and peacebuilding: A case study of peacebuilding in Liberia. Health Communication. 

Ptacek, J. K., & Apker, J. (2021). Stress and burnout: A review of research in health organizations. In T. L. Thompson & N. G. Harrington (Eds.). Routledge Handbook of Health Communication (3rd ed.). 

Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Ptacek, J. K. (2021). Leader-member exchange and organizational communication: Facilitating a healthy work environment. Palgrave Macmillan.

Ptacek, J. K., Kamal, D., Rawat, M., Linabary, J. R., & Connaughton, S. L. (2020). Doing locally led peacebuilding: An examination of the relationally attentive approach to conducting engaged scholarship in Liberia, West Africa. In P. Kellett, S. Connaughton, & G. Cheney (Eds.). Transforming conflict and building peace: Community engagement strategies for communication scholarship and practice. Peter Lang Publishing.

Connaughton, S. L., & Ptacek, J. (2020). Doing engaged scholarship: Inclusion theory meets practice in the context of a peacebuilding initiative in West Africa. In M. Doerfel & J. L. Gibbs (Eds.). Organizing Inclusion: Moving Diversity from Demographics to Communication Processes (pp. 43-57). New York: Routledge. 

Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Ptacek, J. K. (2019). Communicative complexity and effort: Relating personal factors to young adults’ ability to develop fruitful working leader-member relationships. International Journal of Business Communication.

Recent presentations

Ptacek, J. K. (2022). The role of electronic support groups on contested health conditions: Informing health communication to promote well-being. Paper presented at the 2022 17th Biennial Kentucky Conference on Health Communication. 

Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Ptacek, J. K. (2022). Supported and stifled: Exploring the communication contradictions and complexities of the middle manager role. Paper presented at the 2022 72nd Annual International Communication Association Conference, Paris, France.

Jarvis, C., Ptacek, J., & Benedict, B. (2022). Exploring the communicative construction of resilience in the nursing profession. Extended abstract presented at the 2022 72nd Annual International Communication Association Conference, Paris, France.

Ptacek, J. K. (2021). Investigating how nurses communicate in online spaces: A mixed methods approach. Poster presented at the 2021 D.C. Health Communication Conference (virtual). 

Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Ptacek, J. K. (2020). Socializing into a profession where they eat their young: Nursing students’ expectations for leader-member relationships. Paper presented at the 2020 70th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Gold Coast, Australia (virtual).

Ptacek, J., & Connaughton, S. (2019). Addressing the intersections of health, organizing, and peacebuilding: A case study of peacebuilding in Liberia. Paper presented at the Peace and Conflict Communication Division at the 2019 National Communication Association 105th Annual Convention, Baltimore. 

Collins, B., Hall, J., Welch, J., Ptacek, J., Miller, K., Rawat, M., Knighton, D., & Kendall, M. (2019). Assessing satisfaction, learning, and professional outcomes in online graduate communication education: Two studies from a large online professional master’s program. Paper presented at the Communication Assessment Division at the 2019 National Communication Association 105th Annual Convention, Baltimore. 

Omilion-Hodges, L. M., & Ptacek, J. K. (2019). Communicative complexity and effort: Relating personal factors to young adults’ ability to develop fruitful working leader-member relationships. Paper presented at the 2019 69th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Washington, D.C.