Biography

Justin F. Willett, Ph.D., MHA, is Research Director for the Novak Leadership Institute. His research examines how leadership communication shapes workplace culture and enhances employee engagement and well-being. Willett also investigates narrative persuasion mechanisms in health communication, exploring how storytelling influences health attitudes and behaviors. Across both research streams, he focuses on understanding the strategic communication processes that drive positive outcomes in organizational and healthcare contexts.

Willett teaches Strategic Communication Leadership (JOUR 4242/7242) at the undergraduate and graduate levels, while mentoring students in their academic and professional development. (see Courses page)

Research Interests

• Leadership communication
  • Workplace culture and respectful work environments
  • Employee engagement and well-being
  • Communicative support for flexible work arrangements
• Health communication
  • Narrative persuasion and healthcare storytelling
  • Media coverage of public health issues
  • Strategic health messaging
• Narrative Persuasion
  • Persuasive mechanisms in organizational and health contexts
  • Message personalization strategies
  • Content-conditional effects in persuasive messaging

Google Scholar

Professional Experience

Willett has over 20 years of professional experience spanning journalism, healthcare communications, and academic research. Prior to joining the Institute, he served as Communications Manager for MU Health Care and the School of Medicine. In that role, Willett oversaw external websites (muhealth.org and medicine.missouri.edu), publications, owned content, and social media operations. In 2020-21, Willett led MU Health Care's COVID-19 communication efforts, including promotion of the health system's COVID-19 vaccine program, which increased website pageviews by nearly 1200%. 

Education

• Ph.D., Journalism, School of Journalism, University of Missouri
• Master of Health Administration, School of Medicine, University of Missouri
• Bachelor of Journalism, School of Journalism, University of Missouri