social media influence and activism

advocacy

crisis communication

IMC

Dr. Brian G. Smith became the director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Richard T. Robertson School of Communication, on July 1, 2026. A self-described "builder" and "connector," Dr. Smith brings over 20 years of higher education experience and a vision centered on innovation and communication as action.

He joins VCU from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he served as professor and the inaugural chair of the Integrated Marketing Communications department. There, he managed a program of 1,600 students and launched the university's first student-run IMC agency and student research journal. His extensive academic career also includes faculty roles at Brigham Young University, Purdue University, and the University of Houston. He currently serves as editor for the International Journal of Strategic Communication.

Dr. Smith’s research focuses on social media engagement, influencer relations, advocacy, and integrated communication.  In 2017, he received a Fulbright Award to study refugee-related hate speech in Europe. He has also secured research grants from Facebook and Penn State University’s Arthur W. Page Center. He is the co-editor of the book, Research Methods for the Marginalized (2025, Routledge). Smith has published over 40 articles and book chapters in leading journals, including Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Computers in Human Behavior, and International Journal of Strategic Communication.

Before entering academia, Dr. Smith spent years in the industry as a brand marketing manager, managing editor, and PR professional. He earned his Ph.D. in communication from the University of Maryland in 2009, following a master's degree in international relations and a bachelor's degree in humanities from Brigham Young University.

Drawn to VCU’s forward-thinking “what’s next” mentality, Dr. Smith aims to position the Robertson School as a hub for both technical mastery and strategic decision-making. Outside of his professional life, the Southern California native is an indie music enthusiast who enjoys playing the piano and hosting family jam sessions with his four sons. He is fluent in Spanish and can navigate his way through Italian as well.