Marya L.
Doerfel

Marya Doerfel is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. A leading scholar in organizational communication, Doerfel’s research explores how social networks and interorganizational relationships influence community resilience, inclusion, and transformation. Her work is grounded in field-based studies of communities facing a wide spectrum of disruptions—from political upheaval and environmental disasters to infrastructural collapse and social fragmentation. Her scholarship has been supported by the National Science Foundation and published in top-tier journals in communication and information science, including Communication Monographs, Journal of Communication, and JASIST. She is the lead editor of two major volumes: Organizing Inclusion, an award-winning edited book that spans levels of analysis and disciplinary perspectives to advance equity-focused communication research, and The Routledge Handbook of Communication and Resilience, a comprehensive edited volume that integrates perspectives across levels of analysis and disciplinary boundaries.

As department chair, Doerfel works collaboratively to support faculty development, foster interdisciplinary engagement, and promote an inclusive academic culture. Her experience in organizational dynamics and her broad scholarly perspective inform her contributions to promotion and tenure review processes, where she brings a thoughtful and field-informed lens to evaluating academic impact and leadership.