A.B.D. for Ed.D. in Instructional Technology, USC, 1981;
M.S, Journalism, UCLA, 1965
E-Mail: kfb@uw.edu
Kathleen Fearn-Banks’ research is primarily in crisis communications. She departed from that subject recently to write The Historical Dictionary of African-American Television because of her two decades in network television. She will also soon resume the study of press secretaries of U.S. presidents.
Highlights of accomplishments
- Author, Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach), 6th edition in progress for Routledge, 2020; 5th edition published in 2017,4th edition, 2010, 3rd edition, 2006; 2nd edition, 2002, 1st edition, 1996. Also Student Workbooks and Instructors’ Manuals. Book is used in more than 50 universities in the U.S. also in Europe, South America, and Asia. Book has been translated into Korean and Chinese.
- Guest editor, special edition of the Journal of Promotion Management on crisis communications, 2006.
- Author, Historical Dictionary of African-American Television, Scarecrow Press, 2006. 2nd edition, 2014. This is a hardback volume marketed primarily to libraries worldwide. The A to Z of African American Television was a paperback book published on the first edition for popular consumers.
- Co-Editor (with Anthony Chan) and author of two chapters, People to People: An Introduction to Communications (New York: American Heritage Publishing), 1997.
- Chair, Professional Freedom and Responsibility Committee, AEJMC, 1998-99. Re-elected to committee, 1999-2001. Appointed by AEJMC president to the Visibility Committee, charged with public relations for the organization, 1999-2000.
- Founder of chapter, chapter adviser, to national organization, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), 1993 to present. Helped chapter to win national competition to host the national conference in October 1995. Accompanied members to Baltimore for competition. Chapter also won “Chapter of the Year” award for the northwest region in 1995.
Honors
- 1998 PR Professional of the Year Award, presented by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Puget Sound Chapter, January 1999.
- Baskett Mosse Award national award for research, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, August 1995.
- Teacher of the Year Award, School of Communications, University of Washington, 1992-1993.
- Delta Great Teacher Award for State of Washington, presented by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., national organization of 200,000 professional, primarily African-American women, July 1992.
- Los Angeles Sentinel “Woman of the Year” – 1986.
- Listed in Who’s Who Among Black Americans – 1985.
Listed in Who’s Who in America – 1980-81.
Listed in Who’s Who in American Women – 1981-82.
Listed in 1000 Most Successful Blacks – 1973.