People

Renée Baker

Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction

Contact

Office: CIS 3005
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BIO

Renée Baker, DBA, is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Zimmerman School of Advertising & Mass Communications at the University of South Florida. An educator and experienced industry practitioner, her teaching and academic interests connect advertising, media, artificial intelligence, trust, and communication in regulated industries.

Dr. Baker joined the Zimmerman School as an adjunct faculty member in 2018 and has taught hundreds of students in Advertising Management, Media Planning for Advertising, and Portfolio Building. Beginning in Spring 2027, she will also teach Introduction to AI and Media.

Her academic work is informed by nearly three decades of experience at leading financial-services organizations, including senior executive leadership as a chief marketing officer and national head of advisor networks. She is also the founder and CEO of The RBI Group, a consultancy that advises financial-services firms and other organizations on marketing strategy, communication, organizational transformation, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Her continuing work with industry informs her emphasis on strategic reasoning, ethical practice, professional readiness, and student success.

Dr. Baker serves on the Zimmerman School Advisory Council and is developing the Zimmerman Student Talent Book, an initiative designed to connect students with employers and professional opportunities. She is a member of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the International Association of Artificial Intelligence Consultants.

EDUCATION

  • Doctor of Business Administration, Wilmington University
  • Master of Business Administration, Penn State University
  • Bachelor of Science in Finance, Rutgers University

TEACHING AREAS

  • Advertising management and strategy
  • Media planning and audience strategy
  • Integrated marketing communication
  • Artificial intelligence and emerging media
  • Professional development and portfolio strategy

RESEARCH SPECIALIZATIONS

  • Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in advertising and media
  • Algorithmic trust, responsible AI, and human oversight
  • Strategic communication and marketing in regulated industries
  • Audience decision-making, persuasion, and institutional trust