Karen Freberg, Ph.D.

Karen Freberg is a Professor in Strategic Communications at the University of Louisville, where she teaches, researches, and consults in social media strategy, public relations, and crisis communication. Freberg is an award-winning author, and has written several award-winning books in public relations, social media, and personal branding. She is also the Director of The Bird’s Nest, a full-service student-run agency focused on strategic communication.

Freberg also has worked on several consulting opportunities with General Motors, Adidas, Brown-Forman, Churchill Downs, Sun Tan City, Adobe, Facebook, Chipotle, HubSpot, The Breeders’ Cup, DHS, CDC, Hootsuite, Colorado Ski Association, and Firestorm Solutions. Freberg has coordinated and advised various companies on the areas of social media pedagogy and certification programs, such as Cannes Lions (Co-Chair of the Cannes Lions Educator Summit), Hootsuite (Advanced Social Media Certification and #HootAmb), Meltwater (certification program and contributor), Adobe (EDUMax Thought Leader and Adobe Education Leader), Facebook Blueprint (Subject Matter Expert), and HubSpot (Education Founding Member).