Hazel Cole

Hazel Cole is an Associate Professor and Head of Public Relations in the Department of Mass Communications at the University of West Georgia's School of Communication, Film, and Media. She holds a PhD in Mass Communication & Journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi (2008).

Her research examines diversity in media, digital communication ethics, and race/gender representation. Cole co-authored Race, Gender, and Image Repair Theory (2018), analyzing crisis communication in social media contexts.

She teaches Public Relations Principles, Media Ethics, Diversity & Mass Media, and Public Relations Management. Her current projects investigate meme culture's role in social justice movements and music's impact on health behaviors.