Our Team

Professor Pallavi Kumar, SOC3 Faculty Director

Communication and faculty director of AU’s Gen Z agency, SOC3.

Pallavi Damani Kumar is a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer in American University’s School of Communication and the former Division Director for the Public Communication division. In the fall of 2022, she launched SOC3, an integrated creative agency within the School of Communication to provide students from all SOC majors an opportunity for experiential learning. With the goal of diversifying the communications industry, the cohorts work with actual clients including The Home Depot, Butter Me Up, DC Central Kitchen, the 11th Street Bridge Park and the Bring Our Families Home Campaign.

Prior to teaching full time, Kumar gained more than 20 years experience in the public relations industry having worked as a vice president in Fleishman Hillard's social marketing practice in Washington, DC, a vice president/account supervisor in Ketchum's healthcare practice in New York as well as associate director of international public relations at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in Philadelphia. She began her career in environmental communication at Ruder Finn in Washington, DC.

Kumar co-authored the ninth edition of Public Relations Case Studies published by Cengage. Her articles and commentary have appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today and PRWeek. In 2015, she received the Outstanding Service to the University Community from American University. PRWeek named her to the 2017 Global Power Book - a list of the world’s most influential PR professionals. She was profiled in a chapter of the book Diverse Voices: Profiles in Leadership published by the PRSA Foundation and Museum of PR. She has served as a judge for the PRWeek Awards since 2014.

She graduated magna cum laude from American University with a degree in public affairs and public communication. She received her master’s degree in public relations/corporate communications from Georgetown University.

In 2023, she was awarded the Outstanding Teaching in a Full-Time Appointment award by American University. Also in 2023, she was the faculty advisor for a group of students who placed second in the prestigious global Arthur Page Case Study Competition for their case study "The Starbucks Union Boom: How a Pro-Worker Employer Became a Union Target." In 2015, she received the Outstanding Service to the University Community from American University. PRWeek named her to the 2017 Global Power Book - a list of the world’s most influential PR professionals. She was most recently profiled in a chapter of the book Diverse Voices: Profiles in Leadership published by the PRSA Foundation and Museum of PR. She has served as a judge for the PRWeek Awards since 2014.

She graduated magna cum laude from American University with a degree in public affairs and public communication. She received her master’s degree in public relations/corporate communications from Georgetown University.

If you are interested in more information, please get in touch by contacting Pallavi Kumar.