Juan-Carlos Molleda is a tenured professor and the Edwin L. Artzt Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon since 2016. Molleda has accumulated more than two decades of experience teaching and researching public relations and communication management at the University of Florida (2000–2016), University of South Carolina (1997–2000), and Radford University (1995–1997).
Molleda received his bachelor of science in social communication (1990) from Universidad del Zulia in Venezuela, a master of science in corporate and professional communications (1997) from Radford University in Virginia, and a doctor of philosophy degree in journalism and mass communications with an emphasis on international public relations and international business (2000) from the University of South Carolina. Since his doctoral studies in South Carolina, Molleda has become a leading teacher and scholar in global corporate public relations management. In 2010, he was awarded the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Since 2014, he has been the co-director of the Latin American Communication Monitor, which is part of the Global Communication Monitor program that the European Public Relations and Research Association organizes.
In addition to his outreach to the professional community, Molleda is member of the Institute for Public Relations’ Board of Trustees, The LAGRANT Foundation’s Board of Directors, and the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations’ Board of Advisors. In Oregon, he is member of the HIV Alliance’s Board of Directors and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art’s Leadership Council. Between 2007 and 2013, he held leadership positions (secretary, vice chair, and chair) with the Public Relations Division of the International Communication Association.
Molleda’s professional portfolio has informed his teaching and research. Between 1987 and 1993, he was manager of public relations, corporate communication, and advertising and promotions for a large Venezuelan financial consortium. In 1998, 2003, and 2004, he worked “professional summers” at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina’s Corporate Communications Division, Burson-Marsteller Latin America in its Miami headquarters, and Perceptive Market Research, respectively. He also consulted on a major strategic planning project in international public relations for Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville, FL and conducted training on behalf of Weber Shandwick in 2011.
PhD, Journalism and Mass Communication, “Integrative Public Relations in International Business: The Impact of Administrative Models and Subsidiary Roles,” University of South Carolina, 2000
MS, Corporate and Professional Communication, “An Assessment of Western Multinational Oil Corporations in Venezuela: Communication Strategies and Awareness of Publics,” Radford University, 1997
BS, Audiovisual Journalism, “El Zulia Canta,” Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela, 1990
Dr. Molleda’s research interests are in global corporate public relations management, including coordination and control mechanisms and transnational crises; public relations practices, regulations, professionalism, and social roles in Latin America; multi-sector partnerships creation and maintenance; and the interplay between the construct of authenticity and strategic communication practices. He has introduced to the international academic community the concept and theory of cross-national conflict shifting (Journalism Studies, Public Relations Review), the Latin American School of Public Relations (“Journalism Studies”), as well as the social roles of public relations in Brazil (“Journal of Public Relations Research”) and Colombia (PRSA Educators Academy and Anagramas, a peer-reviewed publication from Universidad de Medellin, Colombia). Since 2014, he has been the co-director of the Latin American Communication Monitor, which is part of the Global Communication Monitor program that the European Public Relations and Research Association organizes.
Dr. Molleda has a national and international record of conference papers, lectures, and publications (e.g., Association for Education in Journalism and Communications, Association of Public Relations Professionals of Puerto Rico, Brazilian Association of Public Relations, Canadian Public Relations Society, Central University of Venezuela, Colombian Center of Public Relations and Organizational Communication, Cuban Circle of Public Relations, Dominican Circle of Public Relations, Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations, International Communication Association, International Public Relations Association [IPRA], Latin American Association of Public Relations, National Chengchi University in Taiwan, National Communication Association, National University of Central Peru, Public Relations Society of America [PRSA], Social Communication College Casper Libero in Brazil, University Institute of Public Relations in Venezuela, University of Costa Rica, University of Malaga in Spain, University of Medellin in Colombia, University Rey Juan Carlos in Spain (Fulbright Senior Specialist), University of Turabo in Puerto Rico, and University of Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela).
Books
Álvarez-Nobell, A., Molleda, J. C., Moreno-Fernández, A., Athaydes, A., Suárez-Monsalve, A.M. & Herrera, M. (2021). Comunicación estratégica y relaciones públicas en América Latina: crisis del COVID-19 en la gestión de comunicación, ciberseguridad, situación de las mujeres, retos éticos y nuevas competencias. Resultados de una encuesta en 20 países. Bruselas: EUPRERA.
Molleda, J.C., & Kochhar, S. (2019). Global and Multicultural public relations. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell.
Moreno, A., Molleda, J.C., Athaydes, A., Suárez, A.M., Herrera, M. & Álvarez, A. (2017). Latin American Communication Monitor 2016 – 2017: Tendencias en comunicación estratégica: big data, automatización, engagement, influencers, coaching y competencias. Resultados de una encuesta en 17 países. Madrid, España: EUPRERA/DIRCOM.
Moreno, A., Molleda, J.C., Athaydes, A. & Suárez, A.M. (2015). Latin American Communication Monitor 2015. Excelencia en comunicación estratégica, trabajo en la era digital, social media y profesionalización. Resultados de una encuesta en 18 países. Bruselas: EUPRERA.
Refereed Publications
Álvarez-Nobell A, Molleda JC, & Athaydes A. (2022). Strategic issues and main professional trends in public relations: Results from 19 Latin American countries. Public Relations Inquiry.
Navarro, C., Moreno, A., Molleda, J.C., Khalil, N., & Verhoeven, P. (2020). The challenge of new gatekeepers for public relations. A comparative analysis of the role of social media influencers for European and Latin American professionals. Public Relations Review, 46(2), article 101881.
Molleda, J.C., Moreno, A., & Navarro, C. (2017). Professionalization of public relations in Latin America: A longitudinal comparative study. Public Relations Review, 43(5), 1084-1093.
Molleda, J.C., Kochhar, S., Moreno, A., & Stephen, G. (2015). An intertwined future: Exploring the relationship between the levels of professionalization and social roles of public relations professionals. Research Journal of the Institute for Public Relations, 2(2). Available at: http://www.instituteforpr.org/intertwined-future-exploring-relationship-...
Book Chapters
Álvarez-Nobell, A., Molleda, J.C., Moreno-Fernández, A., & Suárez-Monsalve, A.M. (2021). Latin America and the strategic communication dilemma in times of COVID-19. In R. Tench, J. Meng & A. Moreno-Fernández (Eds.), Strategic communication in a global crisis’. London: Routledge.
Suárez-Monsalve, A.M., & Molleda, J.C. (2019). Strategy. In B. Brunner (Ed.), Public Relations Theory: Application and Understanding (pp. 11-20). New Jersey: Willey Blackwell.
Bravo, V., Molleda, J.C., Giraldo-Davila, A.F., & Botero-Montoya, L.H. (2018). Chiquita Brands, its illegal payments to paramilitary groups in Colombia, and the transnational public relations crisis that followed. In B. Brunner & C. Hickerson (Eds.), Cases in public relations: Translating ethics into action (pp. 343-348). New York: Oxford University Press.
Molleda, J.C., Suárez, A.M., Athaydes, A., Sadi, Gabriel, Hernáandez, E., & Valencia, R. (2018). Influences of postcoloniasm over the understanding and evolution of public relations in Latin America. In E. Bridgen & D. Verčič (Eds.), Experiencing public relations international voices (pp. 152-164). New York: Routledge.
Molleda, J.C., & Stephen, G.C. (2017). When conflict shifts: An analysis of Chiquita Brands’ transnational crises in Colombia and Guatemala. In A.M. George & K. Kwansah-Aidoo (Eds.), Culture and crisis communication: Transboundary cases from, nonwestern perspectives (pp. 308-324). New Jersey: Wiley.
Molleda, J.C. (2016). Authenticity. In C.E. Carroll (Ed), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation (pp. 51-54). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Molleda, J.C. (2016). Corporate reputation in Latin America. In C.E. Carroll (Ed), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation (pp. 382-384). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Referred Conference Research Papers
Moreno, A., Navarro, C., Molleda, J.C. & Fuentes, C. (2018, September). Measurement and predictors of resilience among Latin American public relations professionals: An application of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Paper presented at EUPRERA 20th Annual Congress 2018 BIG IDEAS! Challenging Public Relations Research and Practice, Aarus, Denmark.
Molleda, J.C., Moreno, A., Navarro, C., & Stephen, G. (2016, June). Professionalization of public relations in Latin America: A longitudinal comparative study. Paper accepted for presentation at the International Communication Association 66th Annual Conference, Division of Public Relations, Fukuoka, Japan.
Molleda, J.C., & Oloke, T. (2016, June). The African Union Commission’s multinational Ebola campaign informed by and against the decision-making model for localization. Paper accepted for presentation at the International Communication Association 66th Annual Conference, Division of Public Relations, Fukuoka, Japan.
Trade Publications
Molleda, J.C. (2021). Developing the future of the profession: How higher education and the industry should work together. Thought Leaderships Essays of the International Public Relations Association. Available at: https://bit.ly/3GXSIFQ
Molleda, J.C. (2021, September 10). Leading a strategic plan for an uncertain future during a time of disruption and upheaval. PR Daily. Available at: https://bit.ly/3Em7zsL
Molleda, J.C. (2019, April 12). Venezuela’s crisis is a tragedy – but comedy gold for satire, cartoons and memes. The Conversatioon. Available at: shorturl.at/hnqZ0
Molleda, J.C. (2016, January 11). Taxonomy of responses to VW’s Goodwill Package reveals PR lessons. PRNews. Available at: bit.ly/1OwJctk
Molleda, J.C. (2015, October 9). Volkswagen’s transnational crisis: In full-speed mode. Institute for Public Relations’ blog. Available at: http://www.instituteforpr.org/volkswagens-transnational-crisis-%E2%94%82...
Alvarez Nobel, A., Moreno, A., & Molleda, J.C. (2015, September). Los comunicadores latinoamericanos, críticos con el éxito de la comunicación de social media en sus organizaciones [Latin American communicators, critics with the success of social media communication in their organizations]. Dircom, 108, 12-13.