Post-It Notes, Sharpies, and Sweater-vested Dadvice

Meet Dr. Chris Yandle, an award-winning public relations professional, one-time (as the kids say) viral social media sensation, creator of #DadLunchNotes, adjunct professor, bestselling author (briefly), dad, coffee afficianado, and sweater vest enthusiast.

Chris Yandle, Ph.D., APR, is the Associate Commissioner for Strategic Communications with the Louisiana Board of Regents, where he has served since March 2021. He oversees Regents' branding and external communications strategy, resulting in BOR earning over 25 communications awards in the last two-plus years. Since assuming the lead role at Regents in March 2023, Dr. Yandle has been honored as Practitioner of the Year (2023) and Communicator of the Year (2024) by the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana. Dr. Yandle is also an adjunct professor at LSU's Manship School of Mass Communication. You won’t find him on RateMyProfessor.com, but students have said he is their favorite professor in their end-of-course evaluations.

Over his 18-year career, Dr. Yandle has received 55 regional or national public relations and communications awards for his work in college athletics, K-12, and higher education.

He is also an outspoken advocate for mental health. Since 2019, he has raised over $9,500 for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) through its annual NAMIWalks campaign.

Chris became a national and international viral sensation in 2021 for the daily inspirational notes he writes his daughter Addison. The father-daughter duo appeared on NBC's TODAY, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Good Morning America, and media outlets in France, Sweden, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

#DadLunchNotes

  • Not everyone can be a flamingo.

  • Let karma handle the dirty work.

  • I'm a dad and I use Google all the time!

  • Life is going to rip holes in us.

Notes

Quotables

  • "Chris' accomplishments speak for themselves. But what truly impresses me is his character. I now call Chris a friend. I will always respect and admire the work he produces and will remain in awe of his talents. I will never forget his generosity and kindness toward others."

    Conor Laffey, Chief Communication Officer
    Snoqualmie Valley School District

  • "Not many people are lucky enough to have a ranging list of marketable skills in multiple areas, but Chris is one of those exceptions. He's a proven innovator in communications and one who understands the strategy and planning necessary to be successful."

    Julie Couret, Executive Coach
    New Orleans, Louisiana

  • "Dr. Yandle possesses uncommon traits in his ability to lead with both precision and empathy. He operates with a high degree of emotional intelligence and understands the dynamics of human connection and the impact he can have on tomorrow’s leaders."

    Dr. Chris Hebert, College Educator
    Texas Tech University

  • "Dr. Chris Yandle is the ultimate balance between being a practitioner and educator, which we need today more than ever in higher education. We need more people like Chris who are contributing in all three areas - to academia, our industry, and society."

    Dr. Karen Freberg, Associate Professor
    University of Louisville