Fellows
In the Media & AI Initiative, fellowship means being part of a dynamic community of innovators, educators, and industry leaders working together to shape the future of media and artificial intelligence. Fellows get to contribute their expertise, collaborate on cutting-edge projects, and help drive the Initiative’s mission to create meaningful impact at the intersection of technology and communication. It’s a chance to be at the forefront of innovation and make a real difference!​
The Leadership Council of the Media & AI Initiative is the governing body responsible for overseeing the Initiative's strategic priorities, governance, and resource allocation. It ensures alignment with the Initiative's mission, facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration, and makes key decisions on programs, partnerships, and membership. The council is composed of Founding Fellows, liaisons, and special members, collectively guiding the Initiative's growth and impact.
Leadership Council
Founding Fellow / Chair
Joshua Smith, Ph.D.
A Founding Fellow of the Media & AI Initiative is a key creator of the Initiative, holding a continued leadership position to provide stability, preserve its foundational vision and principles, and guide its mission to integrate artificial intelligence into communication fields.
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Robertson School Liaison
Peyton Rowe, MFA
The Robertson School Liaison represents the Robertson School on the Leadership Council, ensuring the Initiative aligns with the school’s strategic priorities and advocating for its growth and mission.
Graduate Student Liasion
Nancy Kent Smith
The Graduate Student Liaison represents the voice of students on the Leadership Council, bringing fresh perspectives and ensuring student interests are part of the conversation. They help connect students with opportunities to engage in cutting-edge projects and collaborations in media and AI, making their ideas and contributions a vital part of the Initiative's success.
Founding Fellow / Grand Marshall
Scott Sherman
A Founding Fellow of the Media & AI Initiative is a key creator of the Initiative, holding a continued leadership position to provide stability, preserve its foundational vision and principles, and guide its mission to integrate artificial intelligence into communication fields.
Affiliated Fellow / VCU Faculty Liaison
Marcus Messner, Ph.D.
The VCU Faculty Liaison represents interdisciplinary faculty perspectives on the Leadership Council, fostering collaboration across departments and supporting the integration of academic expertise into the Initiative’s goals.
Industry Liasion
TBA
The Industry Liaison in the Media & AI Initiative brings real-world expertise and connections to the Leadership Council, bridging the gap between academia and industry. They play a key role in ensuring the Initiative stays relevant and impactful by sharing insights, fostering collaborations, and helping to address real-world challenges at the intersection of media and AI.
Affiliated Fellows are high-performing members (students, faculty, or industry professionals) whose expertise and contributions advance the mission of the Media & AI Initiative. Appointed for a one-year term, they engage in mentorship, research, and collaboration that strengthen innovation and education in media and AI. Their impact is highlighted in the Initiative’s annual report, showcasing how their work directly benefits our shared goals.
Affiliated
Fellows
Affiliated Fellow (Research Focus)
Jin Chen, Ph.D.
Dr. Jin Chen is an assistant professor at the Robertson School of Communication at VCU. Dr. Chen studies the role and influence of artificial intelligence within communication and media contexts. Her research examines how people interact with and perceive AI technologies, and how these experiences shape adoption patterns, user engagement, and media consumption, using a combination of methodological approaches.
Affiliated Fellow (Teaching Focus)
Scott Witthaus, M.A. Ed.
Scott is a storyteller, educator and innovator. He is currently teaching a class called Storytelling with AI for the Robertson School of Communications that looks how AI can amplify human creativity, not replace it. He also taught Visual Storytelling (among other classes) for over 17 years at the VCU Brandcenter. During that time he created some of the first generative-AI student assignments at the school.
Scott’s interest in AI goes beyond simply the technical. Scott wants to explore the strategic and tactical use of creative AI so that his students might better fill professional needs in our new AI world. He is always looking for ways to assist his students be more valuable in the professional environment after they leave school.
Affiliated Fellow (Teaching Focus)
Jeff MacDonald
Jeff MacDonald is Director of Innovation & Technology at Movers+Shakers, where he embeds AI-powered creative systems across agency teams and clients. He leads AI education programs, evaluates and operationalizes emerging tools, and prototypes in-house products that help creative work move faster without losing its soul. Named one of Business Insider's 15 advertising executives leading the industry into generative AI, Jeff brings a practitioner's perspective to every room. He holds an M.S. in Creative Technology and a B.S. in Creative Advertising from VCU, and has taught as an adjunct at the VCU Brandcenter off and on since 2012.
Affiliated Fellow (Teaching Focus)
Oliver Speck, PhD
Affiliated Fellows advance the mission of the Media & AI Initiative by contributing expertise and leadership at the intersection of artificial intelligence and communication. Fellows may include faculty, students, and industry professionals, and are granted access to Initiative resources and programs .
They serve renewable one-year terms and are expected to actively support priorities such as student innovation, educator support, research advancement, and industry collaboration . Through meaningful participation and alignment with the Initiative’s mission, Fellows help strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and drive continued innovation in media and AI .
Affiliated Fellow (Research Focus)
VIctor Tan Chen, PhD
Victor Tan Chen is an associate professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies labor markets and economic inequality. He has published five books—The Missing Class, Cut Loose: Jobless and Hopeless in an Unfair Economy, Organizational Imaginaries, The Craft of Sociological Research, and the Handbook on Unemployment and Society—and his work has been featured in the Atlantic, New York Times, BBC News, and NPR. One of his current projects examines the impact of AI technologies on work and culture.
Affiliated Fellow (Research Focus)
Amy Rector, PhD
Affiliated Fellows advance the mission of the Media & AI Initiative by contributing expertise and leadership at the intersection of artificial intelligence and communication. Fellows may include faculty, students, and industry professionals, and are granted access to Initiative resources and programs .
They serve renewable one-year terms and are expected to actively support priorities such as student innovation, educator support, research advancement, and industry collaboration . Through meaningful participation and alignment with the Initiative’s mission, Fellows help strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and drive continued innovation in media and AI .
Affiliated Fellow (Teaching Focus)
Andrew Massa, PhD
Andrew Massa is a vegan, advocate, artist, and academic of all things related to media/art.
Currently a professor at Norfolk State University and Virginia Commonwealth University,
Andrew is interested in broad, philosophical questions concerning artificial intelligence;
specifically, how AI might mirror man’s speciesist (the prejudicial belief that humans hold
superiority over other animal species) hierarchical proclivities. Within the classroom, Andrew
encourages students to consider their usage of AI as both friend and foe, noting the ever-evolving
immediacy of vast information and its deleterious potential to circumvent critical meditation(s).
Affiliated Fellow (Teaching Focus)
Jennifer Johnson
Affiliated Fellows advance the mission of the Media & AI Initiative by contributing expertise and leadership at the intersection of artificial intelligence and communication. Fellows may include faculty, students, and industry professionals, and are granted access to Initiative resources and programs .
They serve renewable one-year terms and are expected to actively support priorities such as student innovation, educator support, research advancement, and industry collaboration . Through meaningful participation and alignment with the Initiative’s mission, Fellows help strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and drive continued innovation in media and AI .