BIO

Yes...it's my real name.

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I have been teaching exclusively online since 2017.

I love it.

Online design and teaching allow me to connect with diverse, non-traditional student populations in a way that is meaningful for their educational needs and future careers.

Online education allows my students to better achieve their academic goals, while also maintaining busy professional and personal lives.

I specialize in quickly building and efficiently teaching communications courses in the Canvas LMS for “at-risk” learners including First-Generation, Accommodated, and ESL students.

I hold a Ph.D. in Mass Communications and have over 17 years teaching experience at the post-secondary level, including graduate coursework and certifications in digital and distance learning. My courses are accessible, mobile-friendly, multi-media and Quality Matters compliant. 

I am currently employed as an adjunct professor by Santa Fe College, teaching eleven annual online sections of public speaking in the Canvas LMS. At Santa Fe, I have earned the Certificate in Online Design and Instruction, and my public speaking course was the first at the College to receive Quality Matters certification.

Speeches in the course are focused on personal development including professional introductions for job interviews, informative speeches on topics in the students’ majors and persuasive speeches where students offer innovative solutions to real-world problems in their future careers.

My course is a multimedia experience serving students with a variety of learning styles in an asynchronous format. I use free, online, open-source texts to eliminate the financial burden of textbooks. My course is mobile-friendly acknowledging the needs of today’s students to learn while on the move.

My virtual classroom is built around a spirit of collaboration with text and video discussions promoting student engagement and participation. I encourage my students to take personal accountability for their education and provide a learning environment and course format where they can grow not just as professional communicators, but as leaders in the new online classroom environment.

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I also design and teach online communications courses for Western Wyoming Community College in the Canvas LMS including Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Nonverbal Communication, Persuasion and Introduction to Mass Media.

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In the past, I have taught at the University of Maine, Husson University, and the University of Florida where I was the 2015 Anderson Scholar Award Recipient Faculty Nominee in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

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I earned my bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in 1997. In Texas, I worked as a reporter in public television, traffic director in public radio, produced a community affairs show called "Brazos Arts" and was the assistant development director for KAMU-TV & FM. 

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I worked as a morning show news producer for KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, where I was fascinated by the trial of nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee. I decided to attend graduate school at the University of Florida so I could study open government with Professor Emeritus Bill Chamberlin. I began my research ark by looking at Freedom of Information and public records, but ended up taking a detour to research the results of the 9/11 attacks on public records retention at the Environmental Protection Agency. This detour would ultimately keep me looking at the Patriot Act for years and would eventually lead to my interest in surveillance.​

While at UF, I also conducted legal research for the ​Marion Brechner Citizen Access Project. I produced the "Government in the Sunshine" video for the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information in 2004. ​I completed my master’s degree in telecommunications at the University of Florida in 2005 under Dr. John Wright, before completing my doctorate in Mass Communications in 2008.​

I was an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Maine from 2008-2012. I launched the state's first collaborative journalism website "Mobile Maine News" in 2008. I also produced a documentary called "The Way It Is:  The State of Journalism in Maine" that aired on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network in 2010. 

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I have presented research at conferences organized by the Surveillance Studies Network, the Broadcast Education Association (BEA), the National Communication Association (NCA) and the American Educators in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC). 

In 2011, I was the media point person and created the website for Occupy Bangor.

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From 2014-2017, I was a Board Member, Produce, Actor and Youth Troupe Director for the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre.

I live in High Springs, Florida and stay busy with gardening, home improvements and my poodles, Jackson, Judith, Juniper and Jethro.  

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Media

“The Future of News:  Journalism and new media students team up,” The Maine Campus, Thursday April 2, 2009.

“New York Times Boston bureau chief visits university, “ The Maine Campus, Thursday April 2, 2009.

Story about CMJ 593 class collaboration with New Media, WVII 6 p.m. newscast, April 20, 2009.

“Pulitzer video finalist relying on UMaine Community in National Competition,” UMaine News, April 5, 2010.

“UMaine professor stranded in London,” The Bangor Daily News, April 21, 2010.

“Professor stuck in Europe after volcano erupts,” The Maine Campus, April 22, 2010.

“Student wins video competition, $10,000 International Reporting Opportunity,” UMaine News, April 23, 2010.

“UM student wins $10,000 prize for video,” The Bangor Daily News, April 30, 2010.

“The Way It is:  The State of Journalism In Maine,” MPBN Television Highlights, Thursday, August 5, 2010.