Jody Koenig Kellas

Jody Koenig Kellas
Department Chair and Willa Cather Professor, Interpersonal, Family, & Health Communication Communication Studies

Dr. Jody Kellas conducts research and teaches classes on interpersonal, family, and health communication. The overarching purpose of her research program is to study the ways in which narratives, storytelling, and related forms of communicated sense-making can help individuals and families understand, negotiate, and improve communication and coping within the context of difficulty and illness. Her research lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln - NARRATIVE NEBRASKA - seeks to implement interdisciplinary, narrative-based interventions to improve caregiving, communication, and psychosocial well-being for families and care providers.

Representative Publications

Voorhees, H.L., Koenig Kellas, J., Palmer-Wackerly, A.L., Gunning, J.N., Marsh, J., & Baker, J. (in press). Making sense of memorable messages about infertility: Examining message valence by theme and sender. Health Communication.

Koenig Kellas, J. (2022). Communicated narrative sense-making theory. In D. O. Braithwaite, & P. Schrodt (Eds.) Engaging theories in interpersonal communication, 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 117-129.

Koenig Kellas, J., & Willer, E. K. (2022). Narrative pedagogy: A practice to connect teacher and student and enhance learning. In M. Houser, & A. Hosek (Eds.) Handbook of instructional communication (pp. 483-499). Kendall Hunt.

Koenig Kellas, J., Baker, J., Cardwell, M., Minniear, M., & Horstman, H. K. (2021). Communicated perspective-taking (CPT) and storylistening: Testing the impact of CPT in the context of friends telling stories of difficulty. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(1), 19-41. Doi: 10.1177/0265407520955239

Koenig Kellas, J., Morgan, T., Taladay, C, Minton, M., Forte, J., & Husmann, E. (2020). Putting CNSM Theory into action: Translational storytelling in the context of parenting. Journal of Family Communication, 20, 360-376. DOI: 10.1080/15267431.2020.1826485

Teaching

Graduate

Undergraduate

Education

Ph.D., University of Washington, 2002