Dr. Keaten is Professor Emeritus at UNC and Adjunct Professor of Business.  Previously he served as Chair of Communication and Journalism and as the A.M. & Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar at the University of Northern Colorado. Prior to that Jim served as Associate Dean for the College of Humanities and Social Science. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership, quantitative research methodology, and intercultural communication. He earned both his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Communication and Statistics from Penn State University. He completed his post-doctoral work in world religions at Harvard University.

Throughout his career, James has earned numerous research and teaching awards, including Professor of the Year, Book of the Year, and College Scholar of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research has been published in numerous scholarly journals, both national and international.  James has served as international consultant for the customer support industries globally, including Japan, Korea, India, Central America, and the Philippines. He is a recipient of the Frost and Sullivan award for Competitive Strategy, Innovation, and Leadership while serving as Chief Science Officer for StarTek.

Charles Soukup is Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of Northern Colorado. He earned a PhD in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska. Charles’s research and teaching emphasize the role of technology and media in the formation of culture and community. His research has examined varied topics such as dialogue across religious differences, the role of digital media in community development, and the impact of smartphones on everyday life.  He teaches courses concerning intercultural communication, new technologies, and persuasion. 

Dr. Soukup has recently published the book (with Christina Foust): Popular Culture in Everyday Life: A Critical Introduction. Charles’s work has appeared in journals such as Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, New Media and Society, The Information Society, Critical Studies in Media Communication, and Western Journal of Communication.