J.D., University of Cincinnati
M.B.A., James Madison University
M.S., James Madison University
B.A., Otterbein University 

Angela Hayslett’s academic background began in mass communication and broadcasting, alongside a sport management minor, and later expanded to graduate degrees in law, sport and recreation leadership, and an MBA in executive leadership. Her professional experience has included work in the sport industry, along with 16 years in JMU’s Sport and Recreation Management Department, where she also coordinated the internship program for several years.

Communication has remained central to that work. Through writing, speaking, and interviewing others about issues in sport, Hayslett developed a growing interest in how people understand sport and how that understanding shifts as technology and media continue to evolve. That same curiosity shapes both her scholarship and her work as Chief Futurist Officer for Sports Futurists, where she studies change across the sport landscape and considers what it may mean for the future.

More recently, that interest has extended to artificial intelligence and the ways new tools are influencing communication and learning. She is especially interested in helping students think carefully about those tools. The goal is not simply to show them how to use AI, but also when to question it.

In the classroom, Hayslett encourages students to look for patterns, make connections, and approach ideas from more than one angle. More than anything, she hopes they leave with curiosity, sound judgment, and a lasting habit of lifelong learning.