Diana Sisson, Ph.D., joined the USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law in November 2022. Prior to joining the Joseph F. Rice School of Law, Dr. Sisson attended Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, and was an assistant professor of public relations at Auburn University.

While at Auburn University, Dr. Sisson produced 10 publications, specifically eight articles in top-tier journals and two book chapters. Awarded $20,000 in competitively selected grants, Dr. Sisson was a Research Fellow and Page Legacy Scholar with the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Sisson's research agenda focuses on the intersection between public relations, authenticity, relationship management, and social media in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Her research and co-authored research has been presented at various international and national conferences.

Prior to returning to academia, Dr. Sisson worked for several years in digital public relations, specifically in social media strategy and web content management, for major healthcare organizations, as well as for urgent care and primary care medical centers in Virginia. She also taught public relations courses as an adjunct instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University and as a doctoral candidate at the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Sisson earned her B.S. and M.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University, and her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. During her doctoral program, Dr. Sisson earned the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s 2014 Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award. Additionally, Dr. Sisson received VCU School of Mass Communication's Top Scholar Award in 2008.