Board of Advisors
Loyola University Chicago's
School of Communication
Board of Advisors
Laureen Cassidy
Laureen Cassidy is vice president, corporate communications for Baxter International where she oversees a global communication team responsible for the company’s sustainability efforts, corporate reputation, internal and external communications, business communications, and the company’s non-profit foundation. She joined Baxter in June 2010 after a nearly 20-year career in Public Affairs and Communications at Abbott where she established the communications function outside of the U.S. on behalf of the company’s pharmaceutical, nutritional and hospital businesses, and led the U.S. pharmaceutical communications team during a time of significant growth and scientific advancement.
She serves on the Women’s Leadership Council for Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business and on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Loyola’s School of Communication.
Laureen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a Master’s in Business Administration; both from Loyola University of Chicago.
Amy Le
Amy Le is the co-owner of DucknRoll Food Truck & Catering, Chicago’s newest addition to the food truck craze. DucknRoll is a concept inspired by Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches, with a contemporary take on flavors from China, Japan, Korea and Thailand.
Previously, she worked as a reporter for the Sun-Times news group, Lerner Newspapers, GrubHub.com and Today’s Chicago Woman magazine. Le earned her B.A. in communications at Loyola University Chicago.
Brian P. McIntyre
Brian P. McIntyre is the Senior Vice President of Basketball Communications for the National Basketball Association. McIntyre is responsible for the direction and ongoing activities of the NBA’s overall communications strategy including global communications for the NBA, WNBA and the NBA’s developmental league. During his 31-year career with the NBA, he has overseen the public relations activities of every major NBA event including playoffs, championships, all-star games and the draft. McIntyre is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and was inducted into the Loyola (Ill.) Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ruthellyn Musil
Ruthellyn Musil is the former senior vice president for corporate relations at the Tribune Co. where she also served as vice president for corporate relations from 1995 to 2004 and corporate director of communications from 1992 to 1995. She’s also held many other leadership positions with the Tribune Co. Musil holds a bachelor's degree in English from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Northwestern University.
Thomas M. Purcell
Thomas M. Purcell is the Executive Producer of The Colbert Report. Purcell has been with "The Colbert Report" since its launch in 2005, previously serving as supervising producer and head writer. In fall 2009, his writing team won the show's first Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program. In 2009, “The Colbert Report” won a sought-after Peabody® Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. Also during his tenure at the show, he has received a Writer’s Guild Award in 2008. Purcell is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.
Judith C. Rice
Judith C. Rice is Senior Vice President/Head of Community Affairs & Economic Development for BMO Harris Bank. She previously served as Treasurer for the City of Chicago. Immediately preceding her appointment as City Treasurer, Ms. Rice served as the first women commissioner of two of the biggest infrastructure agencies in City of Chicago government. From 1999 to 2000, she headed the Chicago Department of Transportation; prior to that, from 1996 to 1999, she was Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water.
Earlier, Ms. Rice was managing Deputy Director, then Director for the Department of Revenue where she was instrumental in the complete overhaul of the City's parking tickets fine collection system. She began her city career in 1989 as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. From 1982 to 1989, Ms. Rice worked in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office where she rose from a Victim/Witness Assistant to Assistant State's Attorney.
Ms. Rice received her JD from John Marshall Law School in 1988 and was admitted to the Illinois Bar the same year. She graduated Cum Laude in 1981 from Loyola University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Melody Spann-Cooper
Melody Spann-Cooper is the Chairman of Midway Broadcasting and President of WVON Radio. Spann-Cooper manages Chicago’s only African-American owned and operated radio station and owns the Midway Broadcasting Corp., the station's parent company. Spann-Cooper is the only female to hold these coveted positions in the third largest broadcast market in the country. WVON is the oldest Black-oriented radio station in Chicago. With its urban talk format, the station is lauded as a leading source of information and community empowerment. Under her leadership, WVON became the first and only media institution to receive the prestigious Studs Terkel Award from the Community Media Workshop.
Spann-Cooper holds a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago. She is the daughter of legendary radio personality Pervis Spann “The Blues Man.”
Martin J. Stock
Martin J. Stock is the CEO of Cavalry, a new Chicago advertising agency. Stock is the former director of account management at DraftFCB. Prior to joining FCB in 1989, Stock worked in St. Louis at D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles on the Anheuser-Busch account. Along the way he spent time at Young & Rubicam Chicago, working on the Motorola corporate assignment. He began his career at Meldrum & Fewsmith in Cleveland, where he supported the General Mills Restaurant business.
A 29 year veteran of the ad agency business, Stock received a B.A. in Communication from Loyola University Chicago.
Howard A. Tyner
Howard A. Tyner spent more than 38 years reporting and editing in the United States and abroad. Early in his career, Tyner spent a decade oversees in Europe and the former Soviet Union as a correspondent with United Press International. He joined the Chicago Tribune in 1977, became the Tribune’s Moscow bureau chief in 1982, and later returned to Chicago and was made the 19th editor in 1993. Finally, Tyner was the vice president of editorial for Tribune Publishing before retiring in 2003.
Tyner received a B.A. from Carleton College and an M.S.J. from the Medill School of Journalism. He is chairman emeritus of the World Press Institute and served on the boards of the American Press Institute, the Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships and the Arthur F. Burns Press Fellowship program.
Zandra Zuno
Zandra Zuno is Senior Vice President and Practice Leader of Multicultural and Hispanic Marketing at Golin Harris Public Relations. Zuno previously served as vice president and director of marketing and manager of global integration at Golin Harris and as a senior consultant at Zimat Consultores, the largest public relations firm in Mexico. Zuno earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from Northwestern University.