Dr. Allison J. Steinke is an award-winning scholar, educator, and communications professional serving as a Teaching Assistant Professor and Brand Thinking Initiative Leader at the University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Dr. Steinke is the author of the internationally recognized book Brand Thinking: Building Brands You Can Believe In (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025), and has published and produced hundreds of articles and vignettes on topics ranging from purpose-driven brands to innovation to human trafficking. Her research, which includes an award-winning dissertation on solutions journalism, uses application of institutional theory and networked organizational forms to bridge the gap between high-level theory and real-world execution.

With a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, Dr. Steinke specializes in brand thinking, digital storytelling, organizational strategy, and social media management, educating thousands of students in the Hubbard School's undergraduate and Master's in Strategic Communication graduate program, empowering them to lead with innovation. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Steinke leads the Hubbard School's Brandt Fund for Brand Thinking Initiative. Dr. Steinke has directed significant research projects, including those funded by the Brandt Fund. Dr. Steinke has also partnered with leading brands including Twin Cities Public Television and the Star Tribune/News Media Alliance to produce research and media projects that showcase thought leadership and best practices in innovation and media. Dr. Steinke is an active member of the International Communication Association (ICA), Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and has presented her work at conferences across the globe—including the Cardiff Future of Journalism Conference and for members of the Arthur W. Page Society. 

Dr. Steinke serves as a dedicated mentor and adviser for hundreds of students each year, consistently striving to equip and empower the next generation of strategic brand leaders, communicators, and entrepreneurs with emerging tools including artificial intelligence (AI). As founder of The Believability Co. LLC, she combines rigorous qualitative and quantitative research with brand storytelling and digital production skills in AI and UX to prepare brands to navigate complex organizational landscapes and digital ecosystems. As a wife, mother, breast cancer survivor, and active community volunteer, Dr. Steinke holds a deeply rooted commitment to advancing inclusion and accessibility across her research, teaching, consulting, and service, and brings resilience and optimism to her work.