Murphy is a nationally-accredited public relations and strategic communications professional with over 15 years of experience in higher education. She teaches professional communication and project management courses in the Enterprise Leadership Program, prioritizing experiential learning opportunities to help advance students' professional skills including research, creative problem-solving, teamwork and customer relationship management. Prior to joining the UI faculty, Murphy created and led the public relations major at Simpson College where she taught writing, research and campaigns courses. In 2017, she founded a student-run PR agency that delivered marketing and public relations services to clients in the Des Moines metro. She also taught communications and journalism courses at Drake University and Central College. Prior to working in higher education, Murphy served as a staff director and consultant for various nonprofit organizations and small businesses specializing in the arts, health care, economic and workforce development, and 5G infrastructure. Murphy earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies and a master's degree in professional journalism from the University of Iowa.