She earned her doctorate in Communication and Society from the University of Oregon in 2012 and her research addresses the intersection of public relations and online communities. She is particularly interested in the ways online publics build trust, develop influence and organize to pursue shared goals. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed academic journals and she frequently speaks on the subject of online influence at professional conferences and industry events. Dr. Stansberry has worked in agency, corporate, and nonprofit public relations, most recently as the online community manager for the International Society for Technology in Education.