He has written or co-authored articles in several public relations journals and two books on international public relations. He serves as series editor for the Cambria Press Communication Collection and has more than nine years of professional public relations agency experience. Gaither speaks Portuguese and has lived or taught in Brazil, Ghana and China. He has sailed on eight Semester at Sea voyages, most recently as executive dean on the spring 2008 voyage. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Park Doctoral Fellow and outstanding graduating Ph.D. student in his class. He has an M.F.A. in literary journalism and B.A. in English Writing/Latin American Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.