Chris Snider

Associate Professor

Chris Snider is a nationally recognized educator, speaker, and consultant who helps organizations understand and apply generative AI and social media in practical, strategic ways. A full time professor at Drake University since 2010, Chris teaches courses in social media strategy, digital and multimedia storytelling, generative AI and web design, and his research and teaching focus on generative artificial intelligence, emerging media platforms, and smartphone video.

Chris is the co owner of Innovation Profs LLC, where he works directly with companies, nonprofits, and leadership teams to demystify generative AI and turn it into a tool for real world impact. Through keynotes, workshops, and hands on training sessions, he helps audiences move beyond hype to understand how AI can improve communication, marketing, productivity, and decision making. He also regularly leads digital media workshops in Des Moines focused on social media strategy, generative artificial intelligence and video storytelling.

Before joining Drake, Chris spent more than a decade in professional newsrooms, bringing a practitioner’s perspective to his work. He moved to Des Moines in 2005 to serve as editor of Juice magazine and later became assistant managing editor for digital and innovation at the Des Moines Register. There, he helped lead the company’s early adoption of social media, live content, and mobile storytelling, work that earned him recognition as Gannett’s top digital editor in 2008 and a spot on Presstime Magazine’s 20 Under 40 list.

Earlier in his career, Chris worked as a designer and news design director at the St. Louis Post Dispatch and began his career at the Baltimore Sun. This blend of design, journalism, and strategy shapes his engaging speaking style, which combines clear explanations, real examples, and actionable takeaways.

Chris is a graduate of the University of Iowa and earned his MBA from Drake University in 2013. He lives in Des Moines with his wife (Des Moines author Laura Snider), three children, two dogs and two cats. 

In addition to speaking and teaching, he provides web design and digital marketing services for organizations across Central Iowa.

• Website

Contact Information

Email: christopher.snider@drake.edu
Phone: 515-271-4594
Address: 2805 University Avenue Des Moines, IA 50311-4505

Office: 117 Meredith Hall
Office Hours: Monday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesday 9-11 a.m. and Wednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Courses Taught

• JMC31 Multimedia lab
• JMC55 Digital Media Strategies
• JMC58 Foundations in Visual Communication
• JMC59 Intro to Visual Communication
• JMC65 Social Media Stategies
• JMC102 Multimedia Journalism
• JMC105 Web Content and Development
• JMC199 Social Media Methods
• JMC199 Personal Branding
• JMC199 Design Thinking
• JMC199 Entrepreneurial Journalism Online
• MAC206 Digital Media Strategies
• MAC210 Visual Communication
• MAC220 Social Media Strategies
• MAC222 Emerging Media Strategies
• MAC223 Multimedia
• MAC224 Content Marketing