She has been on faculty at Auburn since 2002 and teaches public relations courses at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Brunner earned her BA in marketing communications at Juniata College (1993), her MA in communication at Auburn University (1995) and her PhD in mass communication with a concentration in public relations at the University of Florida (2000). Brunner’s research focuses on public relations and diversity issues. She has published in various communication journals including the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Public Relations Quarterly, The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication and the Journal of Communication Management.