Panel Bios
Douglas Pruim, Moderator
Interpersonal Communication, Purdue University
Douglas E. Pruim is a third year doctoral candidate in Interpersonal Communication in the Brian Lamb School of Communication. He is the assistant course director for COM 217 "Science Writing and Communication", an improv comedian, and the announcer for the local roller derby Lafayette Brawlin Dolls.
Chris Andronicos, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Structural Geologist, Purdue University
Dr. Chris Andronicos is an associate professor of Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University. His research focuses on structural geology, geophysics and geochemistry to understand how mountains are formed. Chris grew up in New Mexico, with family at Sandia Pueblo near Albuquerque, and Pine Ridge, South Dakota. This past fall, Chris gained first hand experience of life at the Oceti Sakowin Camp at Standing Rock. He has worked on the SACNAS Board of Directors. He brings a unique perspective to this debate with many former students working in the oil, gas and mineral extraction industry, while strongly valuing being a steward of the environment.
Kim Osborne, Ph.D.
C-SPAN Chair Professional in Residence, Purdue University
Recognized as a national and international authority in strategic communications, Dr. Kimberly Osborne has been an advisor to senior leaders of U.S. and foreign militaries and governments, Fortune 500 companies, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. She is the first person named to the CSPAN Endowed Chair at the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University. She is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of an international management and communications consulting firm. In her previous role as the Chief Strategic Communications Advisor to the Afghan National Security Forces, she reorganized the Afghan National Army’s communications structure, developed a training plan for senior leadership, and shaped media messaging during the presidential elections and withdrawal of the longest NATO mission in history. For these accomplishments, she received a personal commendation from Afghanistan’s Minister of Defense as well as awards and medals from the U.S. Department of Defense and NATO/ISAF. In federal service, she also served as the Chief of Research Communications for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.
An accomplished presenter and award winning writer, Dr. Osborne earned a Ph.D. from the top-ranked program in adult education at the University of Georgia. Her dissertation was a critical study of the power relations and interests that shape television news production. Her academic expertise includes media literacy, cultural studies, power and hegemony, qualitative research methods, and program planning. She earned a master’s degree in communications management from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and management from Kalamazoo College. She is a graduate of the Joint Forces Staff College at National Defense University. She is on the roster of Fulbright Specialists as a communications expert and works as a mentor/advisor encouraging educational capacity building in foreign universities and governments. Dr. Osborne was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the National Association for Media Literacy Education. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Jeannette Rankin Foundation and as a Legislative Affairs Advisor for the Global Gateway Foundation. She is also a Strategy Advisor for the Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship, a startup nonprofit leadership development program based in Los Angeles and Addis Ababa.
Raul Garcia, J.D.
Legislative Counsel, Earthjustice
Raul Garcia is a Legislative Counsel in the Policy & Legislation department at Earthjustice. He works with Congress and the Administration to protect the National Environmental Policy Act as well as to advance environmental, health and safety protections in oil and gas development.
Prior to joining Earthjustice, Raul developed a career working to protect the rights of underrepresented communities, including advocating for voting and civil rights, immigration benefits and labor and employment protections. Raul was an associate attorney at a law firm where he specialized in family and employment immigrant visa petitions, removal proceedings and asylum, among other immigration work.
Passionate about the socio-political advancement of the Latino community, Raul has worked for a number of organizations seeking to empower and defend the United States Latino community. He served as a legal clerk at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and worked at the Mexican Embassy, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA).
As a native of Mexico City who moved to Chicago at age 10, Raul sees environmental advocacy as an extension of his work protecting and advancing the interests of underrepresented communities. He remains involved in advocacy campaigns within the Hispanic community.
He is admitted to the Virginia Bar and received his JD from American University Washington College of Law in 2013. He is also a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Villanova University, where he received a full merit scholarship and majored in Global Interdisciplinary Studies and Political Science with a Certificate in International Relations.
