Fairfield University’s Department of Communication will host its first annual Faculty Research Spotlight on Monday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. in the Barone Campus Center Dogwood Room. Kristina Ruiz-Mesa, PhD, associate professor and graduate program director, has been selected to discuss her research topic, “Cultivating Understanding: Communication Practices for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”  

Based on her own scholarship, which focuses on organizational and instructional communication practices to improve institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Ruiz-Mesa's work has been presented at conferences throughout the United States and Europe. Her research has been published in the Journal of Communication Pedagogy, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Communication Education, Basic Communication Course Annual, the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, and in book chapters on a variety of issues related to public speaking, diversity leadership, higher education, race, and feminism.

Dr. Ruiz-Mesa is also the lead author of Inclusive Public Speaking, a national textbook designed to help individuals communicate effectively, reflect on their intersectional identities, and connect with diverse audiences.

Dr. Ruiz-Mesa's educational journey includes a BA in communication and an MA in strategic communication from Villanova University. During her undergraduate program at Villanova, she pursued a concentration in Latin American studies and a minor in Spanish language and literature. Later, she earned her PhD in communication with a specialization in organizational communication from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her doctoral work focused on organizational identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion in U.S. higher education, with her dissertation research delving into the applied communicative practices of chief diversity officers in colleges and universities.

Prior to joining Fairfield University, Dr. Ruiz-Mesa held teaching positions at Villanova University, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and California State University, Los Angeles. At Cal State LA, she directed one of the largest public speaking programs in the United States and earned a prestigious National Communication Association award in 2022.

Dr. Ruiz-Mesa's dedication to education is further evident through her mentorship of hundreds of undergraduate students as the director of Villanova University's St. Thomas of Villanova Scholars (S.T.O.V.S.) bridge program. Additionally, she has contributed significantly to graduate education, serving on 19 MA thesis committees and two doctoral dissertation committees. In recognition of her outstanding mentorship, she was honored as one of Cal State LA's Graduate Faculty Mentors of the Year in 2020.