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Photograph of Whitney Harris

Whitney Harris Professorial Lecturer Journalism

Degrees
Master's degree in Broadcast Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park

Bachelor's degree in Communication, University of Maryland, College Park

Bio
Whitney Harris Christopher (she/her) is an award-winning multimedia journalist, researcher, and voiceover artist. She currently serves as a Professorial Lecturer in the School of Communication at American University.

Whitney’s expertise is shooting, writing, editing, reporting, and producing broadcast news stories for local television network affiliates. She also uses this expertise in TV news as the basis for her research and publications exploring hair-based discrimination in the broadcast news industry, particularly for Black women and women of color.

Before entering the education field, Whitney was an anchor, reporter, and multimedia journalist for several local news affiliates including ABC, NBC, and CBS. She received an Associated Press award for her multi-platform coverage of a news story and her work has been nominated for several other awards such as regional Emmys and Murrow awards.

Whitney has covered numerous crime scenes, car accidents, fires, and high-profile court cases, but what she really enjoys are human interest stories. As a morning anchor and reporter at the ABC-News affiliate in Richmond, Virginia she created several community-oriented video series including one about outstanding teachers called Above and Beyond the Classroom and a series about different ways to get active in her community called Get Fit RVA. She also profiled a convicted felon’s journey to having his voting rights restored, and one man’s discovery of his family’s ties to slavery on a nearby plantation. Whitney is passionate about telling impactful stories and is thrilled to share those insights with students to help the next generation of journalists.

Whitney previously taught for nearly five years in the Digital Media department at the University of the District of Columbia and served as an adjunct professor at American University.

In addition to her work in video broadcasting, Whitney also serves as a professional voiceover artist for a local government contracting company.
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Spring 2024

  • COMM-305 Digital Skills

  • COMM-632 Backpack Video Journalism

Summer 2024

  • COMM-725 In-Depth Brdcst Prod Capstone

Fall 2024

  • COMM-305 Digital Skills

  • COMM-305 Digital Skills