Leslie R. Nelson

Leslie R. Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Communication Studies Department at California Polytechnic State University's College of Liberal Arts. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri (2018) and holds a B.A. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2012). Her research focuses on family communication, particularly in foster families, adoptive families, and Black family systems.

Dr. Nelson's work examines communication practices in diverse family structures, including studies on foster care transitions, racial socialization in Black families, and open adoption relationships. Her publications appear in journals like Communication Monographs and Journal of Family Communication, and she edited a special issue on 'Communication in Black Families.'

She has received numerous teaching awards including the Western States Communication Association Distinguished Teaching Award (2024) and the Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award in Family Communication (2024). Her courses include Family Communication, Gender and Communication, and Intergroup Communication.

• Loren Reid Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award (2014, 2017)
• Cal Poly Outstanding Educator in GE Courses (2019)
• Cal Poly Faculty Role Model of the Year (2019)
• Terrance Harris Mentorship Award (2020, 2024)
• COMS Student Success Award (2020)
• College of Liberal Arts Early Career Award (2023)
• Western States Communication Association Distinguished Teaching Award (2024)
• Cal Poly Outstanding Faculty Advisor of the Year (2024)
• Leslie A. Baxter Early Career Award (2024)