Assistant professor

M.A., University of Northern Colorado, Greeley
Graduate, Air War College
Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
A.B., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Assistant Professor Napoleon Byars joined the school in 2005. He teaches courses in public relations and news writing. His interests include studying the relationship between the military and the media and how it influences U.S. national security policy.

Previously Byars was the director of policy and communications for the Air Force Association (AFA) in Arlington, Va. He oversaw all facets of AFA communications, including media relations, marketing, Web site operations, planning for national conferences and symposia, and the writing of national security policy papers.

Prior to joining AFA, Byars was president of Creative Communications Works (CCW), a public relations consulting company in Fairfax, Va. At CCW, he offered public relations counsel to business professionals and oversaw creative projects. He authored and holds copyrights to three screenplays. Before entering the private sector, Byars was a lieutenant colonel and public affairs officer in the U.S. Air Force. He has a broad background in government communications that includes serving as public affairs officer to the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon and deputy publisher for Pacific Stars and Stripes daily newspaper in Tokyo. Additionally, he served as chief of the Air Force National Affairs Division and was responsible for coordinating and integrating marketing programs of public affairs offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the Air Force’s Air War College and Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Ala.

Byars’ military service awards and decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. The Aerospace Education Foundation named him a General Jimmy Doolittle Fellow for his achievements in advancing public understanding of aerospace power.

Office phone: 919.843.7274
Office location: Carroll 224
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