Heather Epkins

At Johns Hopkins, Heather Davis Epkins serves as a lecturer in the MA in Communication program, teaching applied communication, public relations, and media literacy with a focus on clarity, credibility, and trust under pressure.

Epkins is an Internal Communications Strategist at Science Applications International Corporation, where she advises executive leaders and designs communication systems that align a 25,000-person workforce. Her work focuses on translating complex strategy into clear, actionable messaging and building AI-enabled communication workflows that scale alignment.

With more than 20 years of experience across government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, Epkins has led high-stakes communications at the enterprise and statewide level, including directing cross-agency communications within the administration of Larry Hogan and serving as a press secretary on Capitol Hill. Her work has supported public trust, behavior change, and decision-making during complex and rapidly evolving conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her research examines media coverage of national security and terrorism, with peer-reviewed publications and international presentations. She brings this combined academic and applied expertise into the classroom, equipping students to communicate in ways that are understood, trusted, and drive action.

Epkins holds a BA in Communications from Virginia Tech University, an MA in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University, and PhD in Communications, Public Relations, Media, and Terrorism from the University of Maryland. Outside of her professional work, she is active in community service and is a proud mother of two.