About
Dr. Karla Gower is a professor whose work examines the forces shaping the modern public relations profession. Her research explores the history of PR, legal considerations and crisis communication strategy, offering insight into how communicators navigate high-stakes environments where accuracy, transparency, and ethics are critical. By tracing the evolution of the field and analyzing its contemporary challenges, Dr. Gower provides a foundation for understanding how public relations can build, sustain and restore trust.
Her work highlights the importance of legal literacy and historical perspective in shaping responsible leadership, ensuring that practitioners are equipped to make informed decisions in an increasingly complex media and regulatory landscape.
Impact Beyond the University
As Director of The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, one of the industry’s most respected organizations, Gower plays a central role in advancing leadership development, ethical standards, and professional excellence across the PR field. Through research initiatives, industry partnerships and national programming, she helps bridge the gap between practice and supporting both emerging and established professionals.
Her leadership ensures that the Center remains a vital resource for understanding the qualities and competencies that define exceptional communication leadership.
A Passion for Teaching and Connection
In the classroom, Dr. Gower teaches ethics and professionalism emphasizing the communication and leadership skills essential for public relations professionals. She guides students to think critically, write with clarity and purpose and approach decision-making with integrity.