Research Overview: As a group communication scholar, my research focuses on conflict management, decision making, and meeting facilitation. I take a strategic approach to my research, meaning that I investigate how individuals adapt their messages to accomplish a multitude of goals. My research tries to assist special education meeting facilitators help children with special needs and social support group facilitators improve outcomes for individuals dealing with cancer or depression. My research also works to improve communicative processes in city councils, nonprofit organizations, and data analyst teams.

Teaching Overview: I teach conflict management, decision making, and research methods at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. My teaching philosophy focuses on meeting two student needs: the need to be interactive and the need to be vulnerable. To fulfill the first need, a teacher must act as a facilitator of learning with the ultimate goal to engage the student. To fulfill the second need, students must be willing to leave their comfort zones, to take a leap of faith if you will. I encourage my students to take leaps in their learning, and if they are going to fail, to "fail gloriously." Successes and failures are important learning tools, and the classroom must allow for both.

2023 Teaching

• COMM 101: Majors and Careers in Communication
• COMM 315: Small Group Communication
• COMM 316: Conflict Communication