Christen Buckley, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor - Department of Public Relations

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Public interest communicator specializing in public relations, specifically digital communications and advocacy scholarship. 5 years of experience as a digital media strategist with a strong background in campaign development, research and analytics, and branding for digital channels.

Awards and Honors

Djung Tchoi Graduate Teaching Award, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, 2023.

2024 Global Fellows Program, UF International Center, 2023.

Areas of Expertise

Communication Technology, Corporate Social Responsibility, Crisis Communication, Social Advocacy and Social Change, Strategic Communication

Education

Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
M.A., Media Studies, Pennsylvania State University
B.A. with High Distinction in International Politics, Pennsylvania State University
B.A., Theater with a minor in French and Francophone Studies, Pennsylvania State University

News

• Studies: Effective Corporate Social Advocacy Message Choices and Using Data to Enhance Nonprofit Communication Strategies (February 17, 2025)
• Christen Buckley Named a UF International Center 2024 Global Fellow (November 6, 2023)
• Christen Buckley Joins UFCJC as a Public Relations Assistant Professor in Fall 2023 (January 9, 2023)
• All News About Christen Buckley

Publications

Refereeed Journal Articles

Overton, H., Vafeiadis, M., Diddi, P., Buckley, C., & Dardis, F. (2025). Examining the impact of corporate social advocacy (CSA) issue ownership and message content on authenticity perceptions and behavioral intentions. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. DOI: 10.1108/CCIJ-05-2024-0080

Buckley, C. (2025). When Employers Speak Out: Examining Effects of Corporate Social Advocacy Through Belief Match, Organizational Identification, and Authenticity. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08933189251321506

Dardis, F. E., Buckley, C., Mitra, P., Heaton, C., & Xiao, A. (2025). Improving nonprofit engagement on social media: Using big data, machine-learning, and sentiment analysis to evaluate leading nonprofits’ message strategies on Twitter/X. International Journal of Information Technology, 17(1), 395-407. DOI: 10.1007/s41870-024-02263-5

Voges, T. S., Jin, Y., Buckley, C., Eaddy, L. L., & Lu, X. (2024). A new framework for managing “crisis spillover” as a type of sticky crisis: Initial insights from a crisis communication expert panel. Public Relations Review, 50(1). DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102424

Harrison, V. S., Bober, J., Buckley, C., & Vallos, V. (2023). “Save Our Spikes”: Social Media Advocacy and Fan Reaction to the End of Minor League Baseball. Communication & Sport, 12(5), 812-834. DOI: 10.1177/21674795231151916

Harrison, V. S., Vafeiadis, M., Diddi, P., Buckley, C., & Dardis, F. E. (2022). Understanding how corporate social responsibility partnership factors influence nonprofit supportive intentions. Public Relations Review, 48(5), 102184. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2022.102184

DiRusso, C., Buckley, C., Diddi, P., Dardis, F. E., Vafeiadis, M., & Eng, N. (2022). Designing effective corporate social advocacy campaigns using valence, arousal, and issue salience. Public Relations Review, 48(3), 102207. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2022.102207

Eng, N., Buckley, C., & Peng, R. (2022). Tracking the Path of the Green Consumer: Surveying the Decision-Making Process from Self-Transcendent Values to Supportive CSR Intentions. Sustainability, 14(3), 1106. DOI: 10.3390/su14031106

Freeman, J., Buckley, C., Triptow, C., & Chai, Y. (2021). For the love of lists: identifying the effects of listicle type and length. New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia, 27(4), 301-323. DOI: 10.1080/13614568.2021.2001581

Vafeiadis, M., Harrison, V. S., Diddi, P., Dardis, F., & Buckley, C. (2021). Strategic Nonprofit Communication: Effects of Cross-Sector Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Alliances on Nonprofits and the Mediating Role of Social-Objectives Achievement and Consumer Brand Identification. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 15(4), 275-292. DOI: 10.1080/1553118x.2021.1945610

Harrison, V., Buckley, C., & Xiao, A. (2020). The roles of donation experience and advocacy: extending the organization–donor relationship model. Journal of Communication Management, 25(1), 85-103. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-06-2020-0057

Vafeiadis, M., Bortree, D. S., Buckley, C., Diddi, P., & Xiao, A. (2019). Refuting fake news on social media: nonprofits, crisis response strategies and issue involvement. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(2), 209-222. DOI: 10.1108/jpbm-12-2018-2146

Book Chapter

Buckley, C., Kim, K. H., Navick, N., & Schwoon, B. (2022). A Conversation About the Future of CSR Communication Research. In The Routledge Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility Communication (pp. 357-366). Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003184911-34

Presentations

Buckley, C. (2024). Incentivizing Privacy Practices: Applying Privacy-as-Trust to the Organizational Public Relationship Model. Paper/Poster at International Communication Association Conference, Gold Coast, Australia.

Buckley, C. (2024). Corporate Conscience: Applying Ethics Of Care Informed Crisis Responses To Corporate Social Advocacy Backlash. Paper/Poster at International Communication Association Conference, Gold Coast, Australia.

Buckley, C., Norman, M., Troy, C., Yang, Y., Bao, A., Overton, H., & Jung, Y. (2024). Storytelling, AI, and Transparency in Public Relations for Social Change. Paper/Poster at International Public Relations Research Conference, Orlando, FL.

Troy, C., Buckley, C., Alrawi, A., Kim, N., Vafeiadis, M., & Overton, H. (2023). Empowering Employees: Applying Organizational Identification Theory to Corporate Social Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights. Paper/Poster at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Washington D.C.

Xiao, A., & Buckley, C. (2023). Mobilizing Supportive Stakeholders: Applying the Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA) to Corporate Social Advocacy. Paper/Poster at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Washington D.C.

Pressgrove, G., Buckley, C., & Fraustino, J. (2023). Pandemic lessons from nonprofit leaders: Insights from and for community resilience in Appalachia. Paper/Poster at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Washington D.C.

Research

Specialization

advocacy communication, digital communication, nonprofit communication, crisis communication, ethics

Courses

Syllabi are temporarily not available.