Public Affairs Staff

Don Egle, APR
Director of Public Affairs and University Spokesman
(540) 568-5322
Cell: (540) 560-7770

Don Egle serves as the director of public affairs and university spokesperson for James Madison University. He is responsible for leading the organization’s public affairs efforts, which include media relations, crisis communications, community relations, issues management and advertising.

Before joining JMU, Don served as the director of university relations for Liberty University. There, he was responsible for media relations, web communications and creative services.

Don’s management and communication experience spans multiple industries including corporate, non-profit and higher education. He has worked with many global media organizations, including the New York Times, BBC, Associated Press, CNN, Newsweek, USA Today and Fox News.

Don attended Liberty University, where he received his bachelor's degree in public relations and his master’s degree in business administration. He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Don serves as the professional advisor for the Public Relations Student Society of America chapters at Liberty University and James Madison University.

Don is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) by the Universal Accreditation Board and serves on the accreditation committee for the Blue Ridge PRSA Chapter.

Bill Wyatt
Public Affairs Manager
(540) 568-4908
Cell (540) 820-2466
wyattwj@jmu.edu

As the media relations manager for James Madison University, Bill Wyatt coordinates the university’s interaction with print, broadcast and online journalists.

Prior to his tenure with JMU, Bill served as the director of media relations for the National Conference of State Legislatures, where he helped position the organization as the preeminent news source for information on state and local public policy. In addition to working with members of the statehouse press corps in all 50 states, Bill interacted with national news outlets such as the Associated Press, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times on a regular basis. Bill’s broadcast appearances include NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, among others.

Bill received his bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University in western Maryland. He and his wife, Carey, have six children.

Rachael Walters
Community Affairs Manager
(540) 568-4750
walterrc@jmu.edu

As the community affairs manager for JMU, Rachael Walters works to advance the university’s brand through community relations, university advertising and issues management.

Rachael comes to JMU from Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Va., where she worked as the college’s public relations and marketing coordinator. Prior to that, she served as the advertising manager at the Rappahannock Record, a weekly newspaper in Kilmarnock, Va. While at the Rappahannock Record, Rachael received 24 awards from the Virginia Press Association for excellence in advertising and design.

Rachael graduated cum laude from West Virginia University’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism with a bachelor’s degree.

Elizabeth F. Nesselrodt
Administrative Assistant
(540) 568-3621
nessleef@jmu.edu

Elizabeth is a 1984 graduate of JMU with a B.A. in English. Prior to joining the Public Affairs Office in September 2008, the Harrisonburg native worked as a commercial insurance agent, a local newspaper reporter, and in various administrative capacities. Elizabeth and her husband Forrest, who also works at JMU in Computing Support/Lab Services, have a son and live in Penn Laird.

Janet L. Smith
Public Affairs Coordinator
(540) 568-8008
smithjl@jmu.edu

An alumna of James Madison University, Janet has worked in JMU's media relations office since 1986. After graduating in 1981 as a member of the first "all JMU" class—the student body that enrolled in fall 1977 immediately following the school's name change from Madison College—the Woodstock, Va., native worked as a newspaper reporter in Lexington, Va. She is a member of the Public Relations Council of the Shenandoah Valley and the College Communicators Association of Virginia and the District of Columbia. Janet and her husband, Steve, have a son, and live in Dayton.

Eric Gorton ('86 BS, '09 MS)
Public Affairs Coordinator
(540) 568-3674
gortonej@jmu.edu

Eric graduated from JMU in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in communications and in 2009 with a master of science degree technical and scientific communication. Eric joined the Office of Public Affairs in March 2005. Previously, Eric worked for four years in public relations with the Virginia Department of Transportion, nearly two years as a Web content developer for a private company in Harrisonburg and for 12 years as a newspaper reporter and editor in Harrisonburg. Eric and his wife, Linda, also a 1986 JMU alum who works in JMU's Office of Admissions, live in Harrisonburg and have two sons.

Paula Polglase ('92,'96)
Public Affairs Associate
(540) 568-5863
polglaph@jmu.edu

Paula graudated from JMU in 1992 with a bachelor of arts degree in communications followed by a masters in education degree in college student personnel administration in 1996. She has worked for JMU in the Office of Residence Life, Student Activities and Involvement and for the Office of Annual Giving. She is an active volunteer in the community and serves on the board of the Harrisonburg Children's Museum. Paula and her husband Geoff ('85), who works for JMU Athletics, live in Harrisonburg and have three sons.