Charlie Catalano

Charlie Catalano is an assistant professor of practice in public relations (PR) in the Brian Lamb School of Communication where he teaches courses in PR planning, techniques and writing.

Prior to joining Purdue University, Charlie worked in industry, nationally or internationally, at The Hertz Corporation, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Ethicon (a Johnson & Johnson company), Pfizer, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Syngenta and Novartis Crop Protection. All of these experiences enabled him to become a well-rounded communications professional.

Charlie also worked as a corporate and independent trainer, having designed and conducted more than 25 communications skills workshops for national trade associations, universities, corporations and nonprofit organizations. In addition, he served in the U.S. Army.

Charlie earned a doctorate in strategic communication from Purdue University, a master’s and bachelor’s in communication studies from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and an associate’s in liberal arts from Valley Forge Military Junior College. He holds the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation and is certified in reputation management from the Public Relations Society of America.

When he’s not teaching or spending time with his high school sweetheart, Charlie enjoys participating in epic ultra-endurance events. Some of those include running 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West; biking 160 miles across Indiana in one day; and running, biking and swimming 140 miles in one day. Charlie serves as a volunteer for Diabetes Training Camp and an ambassador for Diabetes Sports Project. He’s also a Level 1 Certified Coach with the Road Runners Club of America.