Biography

Chris Cooney is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and is the Director of the Murrow Innovation Community at Washington State University. Chris is known for his collaborative and creative problem-solving skills, developing successful interdisciplinary partnerships, and his active learning approach to teaching. He teaches the Advertising and Public Relations capstone courses, digital campaigns, and advertising writing.

Chris has over 25 years of industry experience in strategic marketing, integrated communication, enterprise online brand management, and interactive strategy. Before he transitioned to teaching, Chris was the Senior Director of Marketing Communication for the University of Idaho, where he provided leadership for the brand strategy and integrated marketing and communication for the state's land-grant, national research university. He also served in communication roles at Argonne National Laboratory and Motorola. In the classroom, Chris engages students through practical applied learning projects that draw from his professional background and industry connections.

Chris is active in the innovation ecosystem at Washington State University, where he serves as a Faculty Advisor for the Harold Frank Entrepreneurship Institute, the Boeing Scholars, the Amazon Catalyst initiative, and the Murrow Innovation Internship program. He is a WSU Entrepreneurial Faculty Ambassadors and is a member of the WSU Entrepreneurship Working Group and the Creative Corridor Group.

Chris holds an MBA from the University of Idaho and a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Western Michigan University.