Dr. William Nowling

Biography

Professor Nowling directs the Communication Leadership Strategy major in the Department of Communication within the College of Communication Arts & Sciences. He is a seasoned strategic communication leader with more than 25 years of experience leading strategy formulation and communication campaigns that deliver measurable results for clients and organizations. Nowling has managed global and regional public relations and advertising agencies, driving business development and providing strategic counsel to organizations navigating challenges and change. His expertise in data collection, analysis, and interpretation has helped organizations understand, communicate and adapt to change. Nowling has a wealth of experience advising C-suite executives and has established himself as a prominent strategic communication leader, advising on a range of high-profile crisis communication cases. He served as the architect of an integrated health communication campaign for COVID-19 testing and vaccination in Wayne County, Michigan, which generated a measurable decrease in the at-risk positivity rate. He counseled Michigan’s governor during the Flint Water Crisis, crafting an effective stakeholder-focused response that provided opportunities for state and federal officials to bring assistance and investment to affected residents. Before his current role at Michigan State University, Nowling was the Managing Director and Partner at the Detroit office of Lambert & Company, where he directed a $10 million client services agency with regional offices, ensuring strategic initiatives helped clients achieve their core business objectives. He was also a Senior Partner at Finn Partners, where he recruited and led a staff of 15 professional communicators, doubling revenue in 12 months to $2.2 million and diversifying the client base across various sectors including healthcare, automotive, government, and technology.

Research Interests