Professor Dr. Jerry Swerling

Biography

Jerry Swerling has over 40 years of experience as a public relations and communication consultant, educator, and practitioner thought leader. He has been honored with the PRSA-LA’s Public Relations Person of the Year Award and USC’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award. In 2015, he retired from USC Annenberg after establishing and leading the highly successful Master of Arts in Strategic Public Relations program, which is now the Master of Public Relations and Advertising. He also managed the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations program and the minor in advertising, teaching at both graduate and undergraduate levels. Swerling was the founder and director of the Strategic Communication Public Relations Center, known for its widely followed Communication Public Relations Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) Study, which serves as an essential resource for guidance to practitioners across various levels. Continuing his legacy, he maintains a management consultancy established in 1998, helping corporate clients achieve strategic organizational communications goals. His consulting clientele has included major corporations such as Southern California Edison, Cisco Systems, General Motors, and Honda, among others. Prior to his consultancy, he led the Southern California operations of Porter/Novelli, a prominent global public relations agency, expanding its presence in Los Angeles significantly.

Research Interests

Experience