Heather Bermudez began her career as a public relations practitioner in agency and corporate settings before moving to marketing and internal communications and on to her latest work in academia and non-profit organizations. Her research interests involve health communication and stigma communication in a digitized world. Her earlier work with non-profits led a grassroots movement to create public awareness for teen dating violence in Greater Miami which was recognized by Mayor Carlos Gimenez with a Mayoral Proclamation of “REAL Love Miami Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week.” Bermudez is passionate about communications and is committed to providing students with hands-on, real-world experiences both in and out of the classroom bringing them closer to their fields and communities.