Karen Freberg

Professor of Strategic Communication, Director, Author, and Consultant with a specialization in building academia-industry partnerships.

Karen Freberg is a prominent academic and professional in the field of strategic communication. Currently, she serves as the Director of The Bird's Nest Student Agency, the University of Louisville's first student-run agency focused on strategic communication, a role she has held since July 2022. In this capacity, she oversees a full-service agency that provides students with hands-on experience in the industry.1

In addition to her directorial role, Freberg is a Full Professor of Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville. She has an extensive background in teaching and research, focusing on areas such as social media, public relations, and crisis communications. Her academic contributions include several books, notably "Social Media for Strategic Communications," which received the APEX print book award in 2019.1

Freberg is also recognized for her consulting work with major brands like Adobe, Facebook (Meta), and Hootsuite, where she advises on social media strategies and influencer marketing. Her commitment to bridging academia and industry is evident in her efforts to mentor future professionals in the field.1

Highlights

Nov 13 · twitter

Amazing event last night w/ @mahagaber at @uofl w/ @thebirdsnestlou 🪺!

Thank you Maha for coming out to UofL and sharing your insights and book w/ all of us!! https://t.co/3K1le0ILW6

Experience

Director at The Bird's Nest Student Agency and Professor of Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville

Graduate Teaching Associate at the University of Tennessee; Public Relations Intern at Total Media

Education

Ph.D in Communications from University of Tennessee; Master of Arts in Strategic Public Relations from University of Southern California; Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from University of Florida