About the Authors

Robert E. Dittmer, APR

Bob Dittmer has more than 35 years experience in public relations, marketing, and higher education.

He currently serves as a faculty member of the Indiana University School of Journalism, culminating more than 15 years as an adjunct faculty member with colleges and universities around the country in both graduate and undergraduate programs. He teaches public relations courses, is responsible for managing the public relations sequence, and serves as the marketing and retention officer for the school.

He also has served as the director of media relations for both an American government organization with responsibilities for all of Europe, as well as for a major NATO organization with responsibilities for public information worldwide. Bob has more than 15 years experience in public relations and advertising agencies, working with a wide variety of clients in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer arenas. He is also an author and literary agent.

With a B.A. from John Carroll University, an M.A. from Marshall University, and accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), he is also dedicated to his profession. He was the 1998 president of the Hoosier (Indiana) Chapter, PRSA. He also served as 1999 chair of PRSA’s National Association Section and as chair of PRSA’s East Central District in 2001 (five states) and remains on the Board of Directors of the Hoosier Chapter. Bob was elected to membership in the Indianapolis Public Relations Society in 1998.

Bob has spent years managing governmental and business units worldwide, including owning his own consultancy. Throughout the years he has collected the experiences, thoughts, and ideas he and others have developed to solve the management challenges we all face daily. He is the author of 151 Quick Ideas to Manage Your Time. He is currently at work cowriting another book on writing.

Bob and his wife, Susan, live in Indianapolis.

Stephanie M. McFarland, APR

Stephanie McFarland’s management career began more than 20 years ago, supervising employees for her family’s business. While most 16-year-olds were “hanging out,” she was home doing payroll to ensure employees could receive their paychecks on Friday.

Through the past 18 years, Stephanie has managed projects, teams, and departments in multinational, Fortune 500, government, consultancy, and nonprofit organizations. She had provided public relations management counseling to more than 20 clients and employers in industries ranging from electric utilities to pharmaceuticals. Her personal philosophy of management has evolved over the years from merely culling employees to “get the job done,” to discovering what makes them tick and seeking out ways to develop them for their current roles and beyond.

Stephanie is a certified crisis consultant and an accredited public relations professional with the Public Relations Society of America. She holds her B.A. in English from Indiana University and her master’s of science in communication management from Syracuse University in New York.

In addition, Stephanie is an adjunct faculty member of the Indiana University School of Journalism in Indianapolis, where she teaches public relations management courses to undergraduate and graduate students.

Her management experience has earned her numerous awards in advertising and public relations.

She lives just outside of Indianapolis with her husband, 6-year-old daughter, and their two dogs, Sebastian and Baxter.