The Walden PR Star Award recognizes faculty and staff who serve as a subject matter expert for the Public Relations department to promote the university's brand recognition, thought leadership, and expertise.
The award recipient has demonstrated excellence in proactively communicating with the media, in coordination with Walden’s PR team, to provide timely, expert responses to media inquiries. The recipient is passionate about sharing their academic and/or professional expertise to educate the broader public and help elevate Walden’s brand, positioning it as a leader in higher education.
Eligibility and Criteria
Award recipients must be in good standing and currently employed by Walden at the time of receipt.
Eligible: Faculty and Staff
Nominators: Walden PR Department
Recipients
Winter 2022
College of Health Professions
Dr. Sri Banerjee has nearly 20 years of experience in the areas of Public Health and Global Health. He has worked at the Centers for Disease Control in the area of infectious diseases and has worked on public health projects worldwide. Additionally, he has conducted award-winning research in the areas of HIV and chronic diseases and has experience writing grant proposals. He has conducted geospatial analysis to determine the presence of food deserts. His experience as a public health consultant and serving on the board of directors of public health organizations help in providing a practical front line perspective to the learning of public health. Also, he has experience in advising students about public health projects. He has also coauthored and published more than 50 research articles in prestigious journals such as the Lancet, and the Journal of American Medical Association with emphasis on global health, social epidemiology, cancer, and injury prevention. More recently, his research has received widespread attention from prominent media outlets such as Yahoo News, Healthline, HealthDigest, and MSN Health News. He uses his medical clinical expertise and his research acumen to guide his students.
Summer 2021
College of Management and Technology
Dr. Bob Castaneda, a program director in Walden University's College of Management and Technology, is the most quoted Walden public relations expert across all of Walden’s colleges. He has been featured and quoted in more than 25 articles and responded to over 50 interview requests. Dr. Castaneda’s expertise has contributed to various business and finance topics, including how to build wealth during a recession, retirement mistakes to avoid, and how to financially prepare for a hurricane. His unwavering support for Walden’s PR efforts are evident through his collaborative spirit and passion for academia and the university.