top of page

Service & Leadership

Hands

"Serving others
prepares you
to lead others."
~John Ruskin~

Service can take a variety of forms, including mentorship, leadership, advising, policy analysis, program development, program evaluation, community development, public education, community relations, governance, and advisory or collaborative roles. However it is manifested, it is critical for higher education and is part of faculty responsibilities as academic citizens. Service can develop one's quality of instruction and stimulate scholarship. It is an intellectual and promotional resource for institutions. I am active in matters of college governance, curricular design and assessment, personnel matters, program recruitment, student support, and DEI advocacy. I serve my discipline in various capacities, including, but not limited to, conference reviewing and programming. And I engage in public scholarship and community service wherever possible. Institutional service helps to get things done on campus. Professional service supports the work of the discipline and the academy at large. Service that directly engages students helps to improve their educational experience and their perception of the institution's ethos. Service to the community builds civic capital for all.

Service must include being a co-conspirator and advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and justice. Such efforts necessitate a continuing process of learning and improving. Towards this, I regularly take advantage of educational opportunities to better understand the standpoints of others and how I can better create environments of belonging for students, faculty, staff, and community members. These efforts have included safe-zone training for LGBTQAIPD, disabled, and racial identities, anti-racism and anti-bias training, universal design training, mentorship training, workshops for pedagogies of belonging and equity, and workshops for intergroup dialoguing. I am actively involved with campus and community efforts to improve DEI, such as serving on committees and faculty groups dedicated to antiracism, sexual orientation and gender identity expression, and diversity and inclusivity action. DEIJ work took on added meaning for me in Spring 2015 when a colleague received a series of racist and homophobic death threats which shook my campus and made visible many systemic inequities and prejudiced practices that had otherwise been ignored. As I turned class time over to group discussions, problem-solving meetings, and venting sessions, and found my usually quiet office hours suddenly populated by scared, hurt, and angry students, I received a crash-course in the difference between passive allyship and active co-conspiratorship. I worked behind the scenes with an ad hoc student group that petitioned the administration, leveraged social media, and staged multiple demonstrations to bring about rapid change in college policies and staffing. I joined the marches, the vigils, and the speak-outs, where I listened to their stories and learned that I always have more to learn.

Leadership

& Governance

Willing to step up to support my organizations and colleagues, I play various roles that require group communication, multi-party coordination, scheduling, decision-making, budgeting, assessment practices, outreach and promotion efforts, and knowledge of Parliamentary Procedure. • In Fall 2023, I became the Assistant Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at SUNY Cortland. • I chaired or co-chaired multiple college committees (including SUNY Potsdam's English & Communication Student Liaison, Curriculum, and Personnel Committees; the SUNY Cortland Communication & Media Studies Personnel and Curriculum Committees, and a search committee; the SUNY Cortland Educational Programming Subcommittee of the Antiracism Task Force, the Presentation Skills Committee, and the Faculty Mentoring subcommittee of PRODiG). • I served as Chair of the Political Communication and the Rhetoric & Public Address interest groups of the Eastern Communication Association, as Vice President and President of the New York State Communication Association, as a member of a National Communication Association governance committee. • I was the faculty sponsor for the SUNY Potsdam Delta Omicron chapter of Lambda Pi Eta. • I was the lead organizer on many events, including seven honor society inductions, a "#StopAAPIHate" forum, and a state-wide conference. • I am active in matters of college governance as a member of SUNY Cortland's Educational Policy Committee, and as a member of SUNY Potsdam's Faculty Senate, Arts & Sciences Council, and General Education Committee.

Curriculum Development

& Assessment

I am experienced in reviewing and developing curriculum proposals, student learning outcomes, and assessment protocols at the course and program levels. • From Fall 2006 through Spring 2017, I served as the "oral skills coordinator" at SUNY Potsdam. As a resource person to the General Education Committee, I was actively involved in the review, approval, and assessment of courses fulfilling the SUNY presentation skills General Education requirement and the college's speaking intensive requirement. This decade+ of work gave me experience dealing with college-wide curriculum revisions, SUNY system guidelines, and college discussions around mission and vision. • Since Fall 2017, I've served as the public speaking director and Presentation Skills Committee Chair at SUNY Cortland. In these roles, I am not only active in the review, approval, and assessment of presentation skills courses for General Education, but also in the curricular development and faculty support of public speaking classes in the Communication & Media Studies Department. • Serving as Chair of departmental curriculum committees in both Communication & Media Studies at SUNY Cortland and in English & Communication at SUNY Potsdam, I helped usher in a variety of initiatives through research, communication, paperwork, and dialogue - including new programs and program revisions at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. • Through service to SUNY Potsdam's English & Communication Graduate Committee and the Graduate Affairs Committee, I gained experience in graduate program development, revision, recruitment, and funding. Both on and off the committees, I was actively involved in program assessment for curricular revisions and for improved recruitment and retention for SUNY Potsdam's MA program in discourse studies. • I helped to develop, shape, and/or implement assessment initiatives and instruments for the Speech Communication major at SUNY Potsdam, the public speaking course at SUNY Cortland, and the General Education presentation skills requirement at both SUNY Cortland and SUNY Potsdam. • As Assistant Dean in the School of Arts & Sciences, I have an active role in developing interdisciplinary programs in both the sciences and the humanities. • I participated in the external review process of her departments at SUNY Cortland and at SUNY Potsdam, and in the Middle States review and accreditation processes at SUNY Cortland, SUNY Potsdam, and the College of St. Rose.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, Justice

I am committed to supporting and expanding diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the academy. • I served on SUNY Cortland's Antiracism Task Force and the Sexual-Orientation & Gender Identity Expression committee, and the faculty mentoring committee for the Diverse Faculty Fellows. • I served SUNY Potsdam's Diversity & Inclusivity Action Coalition. • I engage numerous workshops on advocating for justice, fostering more inclusive classrooms, using universal design in teaching, and mitigating biased hiring practices. • I strive to enact good IDEA practices in my classroom and to support students in their fights for equity and justice on campuses. • As Vice President of NYSCA, I implemented a Land Acknowledgement as part of the annual conference and the use of pronoun stickers with conference badges and assisted in the creation and implementation of a code of conduct. • I revised the standard public speaking curriculum at SUNY Cortland to be more inclusive and equitable regarding speech codes, neurodivergent communication practices, and other expressions of diversity. I recognize that these efforts are only a starting place and that my commitment to IDEA is an ongoing work-in-progress that always has room for improvement.

Student & Faculty

Recruitment + Retention

My efforts to recruit, and keep, people in programs, organizations, and initiatives include running focus groups, writing surveys, reviewing survey responses, auditing communication, building social media profiles, designing websites, and seeking creative partnerships. • In Fall 2023, I became Assistant Dean in the School of Arts & Sciences at SUNY Cortland - a position focused largely in supporting, advancing, and celebrating student success. In this capacity, I meet with excelling students applying for scholarships and with struggling students working to reach their goals. • From 2011 to 2017, I was the faculty sponsor for the SUNY Potsdam Delta Omicron chapter of the Lambda Pi Eta communication honor society. In this capacity, I annually sent the invitations to eligible students, coordinated their membership fees, and planned and hosted the induction ceremony - managing room reservations and set-up, food requests, speakers and invited guests, the ceremony script, and photos. I also worked with the group to host communication game nights, offer peer tutoring, and to participate in Free Speech Week. • From 2013 to 2017, I was the faculty advisor to the SUNY Potsdam Comic Book Club. I worked with CBC students on doing comics criticism, fundraising, and charity work, as well as helping them coordinate group field trips. • I extended the boundaries of the classroom through engagement with Project Censored and the US Media Literacy Week. • I have contributed to discussions, proposals, and outreach efforts for membership drives, member support, and member engagement for the New York State Communication Association, National Communication Association, and American Sociological Association. As part of the NCA Convention Committee, I worked with member feedback to foster a responsive and inclusive organization with enhanced student, faculty, and community engagement, with mechanisms in place to measure success of initiatives. • Serving on multiple personnel committees, I review numerous applications for reappointment (for both tenure-track and non-tenure track appointments), tenure, promotion, and sabbatical leaves, and contributed to revisions of personnel policies and guidelines.

University + Professional

Service & Networks

As a reviewer and editorial board member of multiple journals and as a regular reviewer, panel chair, and/or respondent for multiple scholastic organizations, I know how much unseen work is needed to maintain the activities of the academic community. • I advise 20-40 undergraduate student majors and minors in communication and related programs annually since Fall 2006. • I regularly engage my campus communities by representing the department at open houses and other events, processing in convocations and commencements, and attending college celebrations. • I support campus functions and talks by colleagues and other departments. • I engage with community service via public scholarship, doing research and transcription for museums and libraries, and working for campus get-out-the-vote initiatives. • Actively involved in the National Communication Association and Eastern Communication Association since 2002, I am a regular participant, chair, respondent, and reviewer for multiple professional associations and hold lifetime membership in NCA, ECA, the Rhetoric Society of America, and the New York State Communication Association. • I have served committees, interest groups, and/or affiliates for NCA and ECA, as well as for the American Sociological Association. • I am a Distinguished Research Fellow of the ECA and a Wilson Scholar of the NYSCA. • Through the interdisciplinary nature of comics studies, she has established connections with scholars throughout the U.S., and around in the world, in communication, rhetoric, media, literature, composition, library science, history, anthropology, sociology, political science, business, and religion.

University Leadership

Assistant Dean, School of Arts & Sciences, SUNY Cortland: Fall '23 - present

  • Co-Chair of the Diverse Faculty Fellows Peer Mentoring Subcommittee

  • Secretary of Phi Kappa Phi (2024-?)

  • Fulbright Scholars Committee (2023)

  • Alpha Delta Scholarship reviewer/interviewer (2024)

  • Alumni Recognition & Raising the University Profile Committee (2024)

  • Administrative Assistant I search committee (2024)

  • Meet with/advise students in academic distress

  • Review degree certifications

  • Develop or assist with initiatives as needed, including policy drafting and curriculum development

  • Conduct interviews with faculty job candidates as required

  • Ad hoc meeting chair

Chair, Presentation Skills Committee, SUNY Cortland: Fall ‘18 – present

  • Lead review of Presentation Skills course proposals (about 3-4 per year)

  • Assist in GE assessment of Presentations Skills courses

  • Support Presentation Skills faculty

  • Edit handbook draft for Presentation Skills courses

Co-Chair, Anti-Racism Task Force-Educational Programming Subcommittee, SUNY Cortland: Spring ‘21 – Fall ‘21

  • Coordinated meetings

  • Took minutes

  • Managed subcommittee files and documents

  • Instigated and coordinated the May 2021 #StopAAPIHate student forum

Chair, Communication & Media Studies Curriculum Committee, SUNY Cortland:  Fall '21- Spring ‘22

  • Scheduled meetings

  • Led discussions to finalize program changes

  • Assisted department chair with inputting curriculum proposals into Curriculog system

  • Collected resources on social media curriculum, program recruitment, learning outcome development for use in assorted initiatives

Co-Chair/Chair, Communication & Media Studies Personnel Committee, SUNY Cortland: Spring '19, Fall '22-Spring '23

  • Scheduled meetings

  • Led personnel reviews in accordance with college policy

  • Implemented the use of Appreciative Inquiry for personnel review to improve efficiency of committee discussions

  • Compiled policy revisions

Chair, English & Communication Student Liaison Committee, SUNY Potsdam: Fall '16–Spring '17

  • Led the selection process for 20 annual student awards

  • Completed and filed paperwork to ensure award certificates and funds were released for the Arts & Sciences Honors Convocation

Chair, English & Communication Curriculum Committee, SUNY Potsdam: Fall ‘09–Spring ‘11

  • Scheduled meetings to review course proposals (used emails when meetings were unnecessary)

Oral Skills Coordinator, General Education Committee, SUNY Potsdam: Fall '06-Spring '17

  • Provided resources and guides for instructors of first-year speaking and speaking intensive courses.

  • Led discussions about first-year speaking and speaking intensive course proposals

Faculty Advisor, Comic Book Club, SUNY Potsdam: Fall '13–Summer '17

  • Ensured students adhered to Student Government Association guidelines

  • Integrated learning opportunities into club activities

  • Supported student academic efforts

  • Led community service projects

Faculty Sponsor, Lambda Pi Eta (Delta Omicron) communication honor society, SUNY Potsdam: Spring ‘11–Summer ‘17

  • Managed eligibility lists

  • Sent membership invitations

  • Collected dues

  • Handled budgeting

  • Planned, implemented and hosted the annual induction ceremony - including invitations, catering, script, speakers, and decorations

  • Scheduled meetings 

  • Coordinated officer elections

  • Organized activities, including game nights and peer tutoring services

Academic Leadership

Nominating Committee Chair, New York State Communication Association: 2023-2024

  • Solicited, collected, & vetted​ nominations for open positions

  • Assembled ballot and ran election

President, New York State Communication Association: 2021-2022

  • Scheduled and led four annual meetings and one special session in accordance with Parliamentary Procedure​

  • Implemented a new Code of Conduct and associated standing committee

Vice President, New York State Communication Association: 2020-2021

  • Planned the 2021 annual conference

    • Developed the theme; wrote & distributed the call

    • Solicited & coordinated paper reviewers

    • Made programming decisions and scheduled sessions

    • Secured keynote speakers

    • Designed and assembled the program copy

    • Communicated regularly with participants and member

    • Planned both hybrid and virtual variations

    • Implemented COVID-19 safety measures

    • Coordinated with the venue

    • Regularly updated the website

    • Assembled conference totes/materials

    • Instituted the use of pronoun stickers and social distancing stickers for badges

    • Introduced a land acknowledgement to the program

Vice President-Elect, New York State Communication Association: 2019-2020

  • Reviewed student submissions​

  • Organized top student paper awards

Chair, Rhetoric & Public Address Interest Group, Eastern Communication Association: 2022-2023

  • Posted call​, solicited reviewers, created panels

  • Communicated with conference organizer and interest group membership

  • Led annual meeting

  • Served the Nominating Committee

Co-Organizer, National Communication Assoc Pre-Convention Seminar on Public Sphere Theory: 2009 & 2010

  • Selected a theme and readings

  • Posted a call​ for participants

  • Reviewed submissions

  • Communicated with participants about acceptance and logistics

  • Crafted schedule

  • Communicated with participants

​Chair, Political Communication Interest Group, Eastern Communication Association: 2008-2009, 2023-2024

  • Posted call​, solicited reviewers, created panels

  • Coordinated the Centennial Scholar selection in Political Communication

  • Led annual meeting according to Parliamentary Procedure

  • Served the Nominating Committee

​Vice-Chair, Political Communication Interest Group, Eastern Communication Association: 2007-2008

  • Planned and hosted the annual "Wine & Spots" session, with decorations and give-aways

bottom of page