Maria Venetis
Professor of Communication
Faculty, PhD COM Faculty
Biography
Maria Venetis is an interpersonal communication scholar who examines how dyads manage health-related issues. Her scholarship addresses how clinicians, patients, and companions navigate medical interactions, and how particular communication behaviors promote patient well-being. She also studies how patients and close others such as partners and family communicate about or avoid discussing health issues and the impact of these behaviors on psychosocial and relational outcomes. Venetis is particularly interested in dyadic communication processes that enact resilience within couples managing a stressor as well as how individuals share private information with others.
Venetis has been praised for both her research and teaching. Recent research accolades include the 2024 Excellence in Research Award from the Department of Communication and the 2024 Distinguished Article Award from the National Communication Association Health Division. Her teaching and mentorship has been acknowledged and honored with the Warren I. Susan Award for Excellence in Teaching from Rutgers University.
Venetis and Hull edited a special section of Patient Education and Counseling (2025) on diversity, equity, and inclusion in patient engagement in healthcare interactions. Venetis and colleagues (Doerfel, Theise, & Scharp) have co-edited "The Routledge Handbook of Communication and Resilience" (2026). Current research includes examining how adolescent and young adult cancer survivors and their parents communicate to promote survivor cancer management independence and resilience processes among dyads managing health stressors. Venetis is the co-director of the CommUnity Health Action Lab (CUHALab).
Education
Ph.D., Communication, Rutgers University
M.A., Speech Communication, The University of Southern Mississippi
B.A., Speech Communication, The University of Southern Mississippi