Jessica Pucci, a leading faculty member in data analytics and audience engagement at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, is taking on a key leadership role at the school.
Pucci is joining the Cronkite School leadership team as assistant dean. In her new role, she will lead and continue to expand the school’s world-class digital audience programs for students and professionals.
Since joining the Cronkite School in 2016 as the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Professor of Practice, Pucci has taken the school’s nascent efforts in digital audiences and analytics and transformed them into a world leader in this emerging field of study.
“Jessica has demonstrated all of the attributes we want in our Cronkite leaders,” said Cronkite School Dean Christopher Callahan. “She is a master professional and teacher who is passionate about our students, grasps the mission of our school, embraces responsibility, works tirelessly, exudes energy and optimism and embodies the values of our namesake, Walter Cronkite.”
As assistant dean, she will continue to lead the Cronkite School’s digital audience degree and certificate programs and oversee the Digital Audiences Engagement Lab, an immersive professional program in which students create and execute digital strategies for real-world clients.
Pucci also will be charged with developing the school’s first robust executive education programs, and she will lead the school’s digital audience degree efforts in Los Angeles.
“The Cronkite School is an amazing place for our wonderful students, and I’m thrilled to be taking on this new leadership role,” Pucci said. “I’m looking forward to expanding our digital audience programs to help our students succeed in today’s media jobs.”
Pucci was named director of digital audience programs in 2017. She spearheaded the efforts in the creation of two online degrees, a Bachelor of Science in Digital Audiences and a Master of Science in Digital Audience Strategy. She also led the launch of an online graduate certificate in digital audience strategy as well as an online minor in digital audiences. In a short period of time, these programs have seen explosive growth, Callahan said.
In addition, Pucci has made a tremendous impact on countless students at the Cronkite School. She led more than 50 students in managing and producing content for all of the official social media channels for the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four. She also oversaw the creation and implementation of Electionland at the Cronkite School, a first-of-its-kind election day social media project by ProPublica and Google that earned a 2017 Online Journalism Award.
Prior to joining the Cronkite School, Pucci directed brand journalism, social media and engagement for large national home-design and retail clients at the communications agency Manifest, formerly McMurry/TMG. She also has worked in magazine journalism.
Pucci holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, where her research focused on journalism ethics. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin.