Following a national search, Drake University has named Catherine Staub as the next dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Staub, an associate professor at Drake since 2015, is currently the Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter chair of magazine journalism, and director of the E.T. Meredith Center for Magazine Studies at Drake. “Professor Staub is a thoughtful and ethical leader, and a strong advocate for the journalism profession, as well as committed to the Drake mission of an outstanding educational experience,” said Drake University Provost Sue Mattison. Staub’s professional credentials include work as an associate editor for Meredith Corp., a communications consultant for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, and founder and CEO of Lexicon Content Marketing, a Des Moines communications firm. Staub will begin her role as dean on July 1, 2022, as she succeeds Kathleen Richardson, who has served as dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2014 and will retire at the end of June 2022.