Leadership Updates for the School of Communication and Journalism and the Alda Center

August 25, 2025

Dear SoCJ and Alda Center faculty and staff,

I am writing to share updates on leadership of the School of Communication and Journalism (SoCJ), and the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science (Alda Center).

For the past several years, Dr. Laura Lindenfeld has served in a dual role overseeing both SoCJ and the Alda Center. She started as Alda Center director in 2016 and first began serving as SoCJ Dean in 2019. In her time as Dean of SoCJ, she has led significant enrollment growth, the hiring of several outstanding new faculty, and the formation of distinct departments for Communication and Journalism. As Executive Director of the Alda Center, she has led the growth of the center and expanded the scope and impact of its work across the university and throughout the scientific community.

Now, in order for that trajectory to continue, SoCJ and the Alda Center each need singular leadership to support their next stages of development. As such, the roles of Dean and Executive Director will no longer be held jointly. Dr. Lindenfeld will continue in her role as Executive Director of the Alda Center, and Dr. Stephanie Kelton will serve as Interim Dean of SoCJ. This change is effective Sept. 8, 2025.

Dr. Kelton is a highly acclaimed and internationally recognized economist. Her faculty position at Stony Brook straddles economics and public policy and she has considerable experience in communication and related fields in the context of her role as a leading proponent of modern monetary theory and her promotion of her national best seller The Deficit Myth.

As we move forward with distinct leaders of the Alda Center and SoCJ, we are committed to a smooth transition for faculty and staff. In some cases, faculty and staff positions share responsibilities across both SoCJ and the Alda Center. We will work closely with those individuals over the coming weeks to clarify duties and responsibilities. If you have any questions about this, feel free to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Carl
Carl W. Lejuez
Executive Vice President and Provost