Abstract
This study examines the historical affiliations of past presidents of major U.S. communication associations to identify patterns in disciplinary leadership, organizational representation, and demographic change over time. By tracing the institutions associated with these leaders, the analysis documents both continuity and change in the sources of visible leadership within the field. Findings reveal substantial institutional concentration within individual associations, with a relatively small number of universities accounting for a disproportionate share of presidential terms. The results also demonstrate a pronounced shift in the composition of association leadership. Women represented only a small proportion of presidents before the 1970s but have constituted a majority of presidents since 2000. Together, these findings provide a descriptive account of how leadership within the communication discipline has developed across institutions and over time. They also highlight the importance of treating institutional affiliation as one of several factors that may shape pathways to prominent leadership roles.
Author ORCID Identifier
Aubree A. Herman: 0009-0007-3120-1154 
Narissra M. Punyanunt-Carter: 0000-0001-9645-3239
Recommended Citation
Herman, A. A., & Punyanunt-Carter, N. M. (2026). Charting the pathways: Exploring institutional affiliations of past presidents among the various communication associations. Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 43, 27–44.
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