My college career began at Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where i earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in general studies. From there, I earned a Bachelor's (BA) degree and a Master's (MA) degree in Communication from University of South Florida, where I focused on communication as performance and interpersonal communication. I then earned a doctorate (PhD) degree in Communication from Purdue University, focusing on interpersonal communication. I came to ETSU in 1997, not knowing how long I would stay. But the beauty of the region and its people, ETSU students' eagerness to learn, and the proximity to my family roots in Western North Carolina has compelled me to stay for nearly three decades. Both of my own children have graduated with degrees from ETSU, so it’s an institution I deeply believe in. I've contributed to the university in a number of ways during my time here. Currently, my focus is on working with faculty and staff to help them have difficult conversations and resolve conflicts.

Teaching Focus

I've taught courses in a number of areas, including family communication, women's studies, food and communication, theory, research methods and advanced public speaking courses.

• • COMM 2330 - Communication Theory
  • COMM 3045 - Advanced Public Speaking
  • COMM 3346 - Speaking for Social Change
  • COMM 5330 - Graduate Communication Theory

 

Scholarly Interests / Publications

My research has focused on communication in health and aging; maternal well-being and mother studies; food studies; and family communication. I've worked with graduate students exploring social protest experience and strategies of resilience during COVID-19. I primarily use focus group, interview, and story/narrative research methods.

Click Here for a Complete List of Publications

On A More Personal Note

I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where I spent much of time in the pool or on the beach. I like camping, working with plants and flowers, and loving on my sweet Maggie (my dog) and on Greysen, Sophie, and Thomas (my cats), and going to the gym. My partner and I enjoy good restaurants, crime shows, and daily games in the New York Times. I am the proud mother of two adult children, Isaac and Chelsea, who are ETSU graduates. My favorite vacation spot is an isolated cabin in the woods somewhere (but with internet!).