Dr. Steve Elers is an Associate Professor of Communication at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³». Originally from New Zealand, he brings a diverse background in academia, public service, and Christian ministry.
He holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Auckland University of Technology; a Master of Public Relations and a Master of Learning and Development (Education Leadership) from the University of Southern Queensland; and a Master of Chaplaincy from the University of Otago.
As a communication scholar, he has published in top tier journals including New Media & Society, Management Communication Quarterly, Public Relations Review, and Health Communication, among others.
Before entering higher education, he served as a police officer in Perth, Western Australia. During his tenure at Massey University, he took a one-year secondment after being approached by the then Deputy Commissioner of New Zealand Police to work at New Zealand Police National Headquarters as a senior research advisor in the Evidence Based Policing Centre.
One example of his research is a encouraging arrested persons to attend their court hearings.
In 2025, he was appointed by the New Zealand government as a Commissioner of the Representation Commission, tasked with determining electorate boundaries for the 2026 general election. Watch his .
He is an ordained Anglican minister and was the Vicar General (second-in-charge) of his Diocese – Te Hui Amorangi ki Te Upoko-o-te-Ika (the Māori Diocese of the Anglican Church from Wellington to Taranaki) – under Bishop Waitohiariki Quayle.
He also served as Priest-in-Charge of St Michael’s Māori Anglican Church in Palmerston North and sat on the General Synod Standing Committee (the governing body) of the national Anglican Church in New Zealand.
As a Christian leader in a lower socioeconomic area, Reverend Elers was often called upon to mediate conflicts between rival gangs. His ministry emphasized peace, restoration, and the power of prayer.
Dr. Elers considers it a privilege to serve at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³», where he helps students grow in faith, communication, and intercultural understanding.
