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Senior Editor

     At a time when women were a virtual non-entity in the athletics media relations field, Nancy Justis blazed the trail. She was named the University of Northern Iowa’s first full-time Assistant Sports Information Director in 1976 and was promoted to Director three years later. With over 30 years experience in publicizing the Panthers’ nationally-recognized men’s basketball and football teams and working with student athletes, she also mentored hundreds of student assistants during her tenure as UNI’s Sports Information Director/Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations.

     She served as an Assistant Venue Press Chief for two sports at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and for yachting at the 1987 Pan American Games hosted by Indianapolis. Justis has received countless publications awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), including first place at the national 1-AA level for the 2004 UNI football media guide. She served as Chair of CoSIDA’s Career Enhance-ment Committee for several years and was also a founding member of the Northeast Iowa Chapter of Women in Communications, Inc.

     Justis is owner of NancyJ Communications, a consulting business for high school athletics directors, coaches and student athletes.

     “Over the years when I’ve been asked to name the ‘best’ professor I had at UNI, my answer is Nancy Justis. (She) gave me more than knowledge, (she) gave me opportunity. Few earn the position to offer opportunity to others." Troy Dannen, University of Northern Iowa Athletics Director