Elaine enjoys running, reading, watching movies, and spending time at the Jersey shore.

A native of the Philadelphia area, Elaine joined the Communication Department at La Salle in the fall of 2000. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. from Penn State University and her B.A. from Ursinus College where she graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Prior to La Salle, Elaine taught as a lecturer at both Penn State and Ursinus and served as a teaching/research assistant while pursuing her graduate degrees. She also has worked as a team facilitator, and in the fields of public relations and corporate communication.

Elaine's teaching areas include: interpersonal communication; communication theory; small group communication; research methods; communication ethics; and the communication of sex, gender and sexuality. Her current research explores competitiveness within friendships and communication patterns among women with eating disorders.

Elaine recently co-authored a textbook with Marianne Dainton (also of the Communication Department) - "Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life." She also co-authored a book chapter on maintaining friendships throughout the lifespan and published an article in Communication Yearbook examining current research on relationship maintenance behaviors.

Elaine is an active member in the field of human communication and is a member of the National Communication Association (NCA) and the International Association for Relationship Research (IARR).

Outside of the classroom, Elaine enjoys working out, reading, watching movies, going to the theater, and spending time with her husband.

OFFICE:
Com Center 204

PHONE:
215-951-5196

EMAIL:
zelley@lasalle.edu