CI mourns the loss of former Dean H. Dan O'Hair

The University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information mourns the loss of former Dean and current Department of Communication Professor H. Dan O’Hair, who died Dec. 31, 2022, surrounded by family.

Prior to coming to UK, O’Hair served as department chair and professor at Texas Tech University and the University of Oklahoma, where he founded the Center for Risk and Crisis Management. He also served as the president of the National Communication Association in 2006.

He served as dean of the College of Communication and Information from 2009-2018 before returning to the faculty to again pursue his passions of teaching and research.

Some of the notable college events under his leadership include:
• Renaming the previous College of Communications and Information Studies to its current name, College of Communication and Information;
• Creation of the Innovation Network for Entrepreneurial Thinking (iNET) certificate for students interested in entrepreneurial work in any major at the University of Kentucky;
• Establishing the CI Connect Living Learning Program, which offers first-and-second year CI majors an opportunity to interact with faculty and staff in their residence hall. Those in the LLP also take connected courses designed for them and taught by CI faculty;
• Launching of the College’s newest undergraduate major, information communication technology, in 2014 and the ICT master’s program in 2015;
• Establishing the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication when the ISC program split from the former School of Journalism and Telecommunications (now named the School of Journalism and Media)

“Dan O’Hair had a national reputation as a scholar in the critically important field of crisis communication,” UK President Eli Capilouto said.  “As dean, he led our College of Communication and Information through a pivotal period of growth and change that aligned with the incredible transformation happening in the field of communication. But perhaps more than anything else, his enduring legacy will be that of mentor, guide and friend — to young faculty and scholars who he taught and nurtured, and who now are leading in their own right in these critical communication areas, which are so vital to our world and its future.”

In his career as a scholar, O’Hair published more than 100 research articles and scholarly chapters. He authored and edited more than 25 books in the areas of communication, risk management, health communication and terrorism, including the best seller, “A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking (Seventh Edition).” He was named a UK Research Professor in 2020.

His most recent publication, “Communication and Catastrophic Events: Strategic Risk and Crisis Management” and its predecessor, “Communicating Science in Times of Crisis: COVID-19 Pandemic” featured research and analysis from University of Kentucky faculty in both the College of Education and CI. Both books were co-edited with his spouse, Mary John O’Hair, former Dean of the College of Education and a current professor of educational leadership studies.
Besides his family, one of his greatest joys was mentoring, supporting and guiding students, staff and faculty. In 2020, he established the O’Hair Early Career Faculty Fund to encourage faculty members at the start of their academic careers.

Jessalyn Vallade, associate professor in the School of Information Science, was one of the initial recipients of the O’Hair Early Career Faculty Award in 2021.

“I was incredibly honored to be one of the first recipients of the O’Hair Early Career Faculty Award and to have the opportunity to share that honor and talk about my career and goals with Dan,” Vallade said. “The award itself is a true testament to Dan's commitment to mentoring and supporting junior faculty and colleagues.”

Sarah Barriage, assistant professor in the School of Information Science, was also named an O’Hair Fellow.

“Dr. O’Hair was a kind and supportive person,” Barriage said. “Receiving this award early in my time at UK was gratifying and helped me to feel like my contributions to the College and the larger professional community are seen and valued.”

The O’Hair family has suggested gifts to this fund in lieu of flowers. Learn more about supporting the O’Hair Early Career Faculty Award here.

“Dan was so supportive of me as I moved into the role that he held for nearly a decade,” said Jennifer Greer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. “He was transformational in the life of the College during his term as dean, and Dan was so enjoying working with students, on books and with grant-funded projects in the Department of Communication in his post-dean career. It’s just so heartbreaking that this new way of giving back to the College and the profession was cut tragically short.”

Memorial Service details and obituary information can be found here.