Carolyn Smith Casertano

Carolyn Smith Casertano, APR, Fellow PRSA, is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona, where she teaches public relations courses and serves as faculty adviser to the University of Arizona chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). 

She speaks frequently to students and professionals on a wide array of topics including public relations ethics, crisis communications, the future of public relations, and the impact of AI. As the public relations program has grown at the University, Carolyn led the curriculum development and process to create the new undergraduate degree program, which will begin in Fall, 2026. Additionally, she has developed and taught new courses including Crisis Communication and Public Relations, Public Relations Ethics, Social Media and Public Relations, the first public relations study abroad classes in Orvieto, Italy and the first global Introduction to Public Relations course for the University’s micro campus in Lima, Peru. She will lead the inaugural Student-run Public Relations Agency course in the University in Fall, 2026.

An award-winning communications professional, she brings more than two decades of experience spanning strategic planning, message development and implementation, media relations, crisis communications, thought leadership, advocacy, and brand positioning. In addition to her academic appointment, she owns and operates CC Communications LLC, specializing in marketing, communications, and public relations. 

She is deeply engaged in leadership and service to the public relations profession and at the local, regional, and national levels. She recently served as a Regional Representative for PRSA, providing field service and advocacy for the North Pacific and Western Districts, representing 11 states and 27 local chapters. Her extensive service record also includes serving on the PRSA Western District Board of Directors, past president of the Southern Arizona PRSA chapter, and leadership roles for the PRSA Educators Academy. She currently serves as chair of the Teaching Committee for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Public Relations Division, and participates on the AEJMC’s Internship and Career Interest group. In recognition of her leadership and dedication, she was named the 2020 Public Relations Professional of the Year and received the PRSA Western District’s 2022 Platinum Service Award. 

Carolyn’s career achievements have been recognized at the highest levels of the profession. Her work with the American Cancer Society helped her team win a coveted PRSA Silver Anvil Award, the standard for communications excellence and widely regarded as the ultimate recognition of outstanding performance for professional communicators. A respected educator and scholar-practitioner, Carolyn is accredited in public relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board. In 2023, she was inducted into the prestigious Public Relations Society of America College of Fellows, an honorary organization of more than 350 senior professionals and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions to the field. She completed the Advanced Crisis Communication Certificate Program through PRSA and was recently certified as a mediator through the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. Carolyn is also an inaugural Fellow of the University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Dean’s Office and, in 2026, was accepted into the Institute for Public Relations Elevate Society. 

She holds a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Arizona.

Dr. Smith Casertano will not be accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.