Niki Campbell is the Founder & CEO of The Flourish Group, a wellness consulting firm that provides individual health coaching, workplace wellness programming and wellness communications strategy. A leader in comprehensive health communications, Campbell’s communication services include wellness education videos, newsletters, blogs, internal and external communication, and digital/social content that promotes health and well-being. Her list of accolades includes Pennsylvania’s 50 Best Women in Business (2006), SRU Outstanding Young Alumni (2009), and Pittsburgh Magazine’s Women in Business Honoree (2024).
Prior to launching The Flourish Group, Campbell worked with some of the nation’s leading companies and PR firms, including McDonald’s Corporation, where she worked as corporate communications director, and UPMC WorkPartners, where she was the director of strategic sales initiatives. Among her numerous other roles, Campbell has consulted with Duquesne Light Company, Allegheny County Airport Authority and HAVI Global Supply Chain Solutions. She also owned her own public relations and marketing consulting firm, serving mainly mid-sized companies and nonprofits in the Pittsburgh market. Niki started her career with Ketchum, one of the world’s pre-eminent PR firms, where she spent more than seven years as media relations manager. At SRU, Campbell majored in English and minored in communication. She was a member of PRSSA and the Delta Zeta sorority. Currently, Campbell serves on the Strategic Communication & Media Department Advisory Board. She works with students and is a regular guest speaker and panelist for department events. Campbell also is an adjunct faculty member at Chatham University.
Hall of Fame Inductee
Timothy (T.J.) Hess, Class of 1997
Timothy (T.J.) Hess is an on-air personality, commercial production assistant, and mix show coordinator for Audacy Pittsburgh, a radio network that includes 1020 KDKA-AM, 101.1 FM, 93.7 The Fan, Pittsburgh's Country Y108, WAMO, and 100.7 Star Pittsburgh. Hess works with NFL Films as an enhanced audio technician for NFL games played at Acrisure Stadium and served as the Pittsburgh Steelers pregame DJ from 2017 through 2020. Since 2020, he also has been a resident mix show DJ for WMYB Energy 92-1 in Myrtle Beach.
Hess was nominated twice for Mix Show DJ of the Year for his work on WBZZ 100.7. As a voice-over artist, he has worked with Fresh Media in Pittsburgh to create many client television and radio commercials. A professional DJ, Hess has opened for dozens upon dozens of musical acts from Morgan Wallen and Flo Rida to Journey and Hugh Jackman. He is also the resident DJ at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh. Hess graduated from SRU with a degree in communication with an emphasis in broadcasting. He was a member of WRSK radio and Lambda Pi Eta honor society, a lab assistant, and campus DJ while also making the dean’s list.
Hall of Fame Inductee
Beth (Choike) Thompson, Class of 2008
Beth Thompson is an award-winning public relations executive who has been recognized for her integrated strategic communication work with global, national, and regional brands. In her role as the vice president and director of PR and social media for Gatesman, Thompson oversees programs for dozens of clients in retail, technology, energy, non-profit, health care, financial, and other sectors. Her account work has been recognized with more than 80 national and regional awards in media relations, social media, events, and community relations. Thompson is accredited in crisis communications and reputation risk management by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and is recognized and recommended by nationally syndicated journalists and producers for media relations. Her campaigns have been featured in top-tier media including ABC News, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and the Huffington Post, among others. An accomplished media writer, her work has been published in Forbes, AdvertisingWeek, and Ragan’s PR. In 2024, she was named the PRSA Pittsburgh Communicator of the Year, a recognition that follows her 2016 Gatesman Plus it Up Award, a 2013 PR News Social Icon Award, and PRSA Pittsburgh Rising Star nominations in 2009 and 2010.
While at SRU, Thompson was a public relations major and a stand-out student athlete, making the dean’s list while also serving as captain of the women’s swimming and water polo teams. She was a founding member of PRSSA Rock PRoductions and a WSRU-TV intern. She continues to support the department and its students as an active member of the Strategic Communication and Media Advisory Board, conducting mock interviews, reviewing senior presentations, and reviewing student portfolios. She invests in others’ success by hosting interns and hiring several SRU SC&M alumni. Thompson has been recognized by the Women’s Sports Foundation for her work in advancing Title IX, earning the Geena Davis Takes Aim National Resolution. She is also a proud See Jane Advocate and Member of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Among many other roles, she serves or has served as an executive board member of the American Diabetes Association of Western Pennsylvania, a contributor to the Forbes Communications Council, and a member of the PGH Tech Council.
Katie Shope, Undergraduate Excellence Award: Katie Shope will graduate this May with a degree in strategic communication and media, a concentration in advertising and a minor in art. Katie is a member of the SRU Honors College and holds several leadership roles across campus, including president of RockOUT, president of SRU’s Advertising Federation of America chapter, and the advertising manager for The Rocket. Katie is also a co-host, producer and editor for “Real Talk: Girlies on Air,” one of WSRU-FM’s first podcasts.
Shope’s nominator, Dr. Nicholas Artman, describes their work ethic as “unmatched.” In class, Dr. Artman said, “Kaitlyn went above and beyond to improve as a photographer. They asked questions in class and consistently met with me during office hours to receive extra feedback and direction on her work. Because of that extra effort, their final essay was one of the top three photo projects in the class.”
Shope also completed a successful internship at Tegna- KUSA in Denver, CO., a top-twenty media market, where they produced content for digital and broadcast platforms. According to Tegan’s vice president for marketing, Blaire Nelson Marlin, “Katie knocked every project out of the park. They are passionate about what they do and are incredibly curious. A diligent, dedicated, and efficient worker, they were typically the first one in class and was ready to roll up their sleeves every day. They took on new projects, beat their deadlines, and became an integral member of the team. They proved to be a diligent and dedicated worker, a very strong editor and camera worker. We were thrilled to have them on our team. Katie is a star!”
Dr. Robert Watson, Founders Award: Dr. Robert Watson is an SRU alumni, former administrator, and historical expert on SRU. Watson graduated from SRU in 1970 with a degree in biology and returned to the university in 1972 to begin his administrative career.
From 1972-2011, Watson held several positions including assistant registrar/acting registrar/coordinator of transfer programs (1972-1980), assistant dean of graduate and special academic programs (1980-1984), associate dean of special academic programs (1984-1986), dean of academic services (1986-2000) and finally, vice president for student life (2000-2006). In 2006, Robert J. Watson Hall was named in his honor. Of his myriad of accomplishments, Dr. Watson is a member of the SRU Athletic Hall of Fame. He has also been recognized with the SRU Men’s Soccer Ring of Honor. In 2011, he published a book titled Slippery Rock University, The Legend Behind the Name, which chronicles the history of SRU. In 2022, Dr. Watson was named a legacy member of SRSGA.
Since retiring, Watson has spent much of his time working with students in the classroom and out in the field, serving as a historical source for the university community. When it comes to his involvement with the Department of Strategic Communication & Media, Watson works with students in both the digital media production and multimedia journalism majors. According to Dr. Franklyn Charles, “Dr. Watson has been an incredibly asset to the COMM 254 Message Preparation students, specifically providing students with historical knowledge and connections they might not otherwise make in a 15-week course.”
