A more formal description of myself follows, but I was interested in med school having paid my way through college as a nurse's aid in labor & delivery. There is no greater feeling than being present when new life comes into the world each day. That dream crashed when my academic advisor said that Bs in math and science would keep me from med school, but stating that I was "perky" and should pursue a career in broadcasting or communication field. So I am in my 26th year as a Communication Professor, and try to remain connected to the medical profession through publishing, in consulting to medical practices and new residents, and in teaching Health Communication courses.

I have been an educator for twenty-six years to both traditional and adult learners.

In addition to my teaching, I am a health communication specialist and trainer. In this capacity, I writes and deliver numerous training programs to both public and private sectors.

I offer private communication coaching, corporate seminars, workshops and speech writing. I consistently earn a rating of "excellent" and enjoy working with professionals to take training back to the workplace.

Teaching Interests:

Health Communication
Business and Professional Communication
Communication in Teams
Criticism of Public Discourse
High Impact Speaking
Introduction to Human Communication
Training and Development
Counter Culture Communication

Research Interests

Patient-Physician Communication
Business and Professional Speaking / Interviewing Skills
Communication Education
Customer Service in Organizations
Interpersonal Communication
Managing Stage Fright, Performance Phobias
Organizational Leadership
Organizational Loyalty
Organizational Management
Political Communication / Rhetoric
Rhetorical Criticism
Service-Learning
Small Group Problem-Solving Skills
Teaching Strategies to Improve Student Retention
Training and Development



I am passionate about teaching and fascinated by the study of Human Communication. It is both a privilege and a commitment to be part of the process that guides students into their future.

Teaching Philosophy:

The foundation of my teaching is based on the belief that the best way to learn about effective communication is to practice it. Certainly the practice of studying examples of effective and ineffective communication principles and theories in textbooks and from lecture notes is valuable; however, I find that real learning comes through student's own efforts at solving communication dilemmas and engaging in successful communication behaviors either in writing, through performance, or both. The majority of this is accomplished through class assignments, but also through in-class discussions and exercises. I assume the role of facilitator where I build the framework in which learning takes shape and then stimulate and nurture the students' development, assisting them through knowledge, techniques, and encouragement.

My teaching goals are to reach beyond simple promotion of any subject matter. I also try to help students learn to think logically about content, learn problem-solving techniques, and improve writing skills (writing clearly and concisely, explaining step-by-step processes, providing valid reasons for logical arguments). In addition, I guide students to see course material in a holistic context by requiring them to synthesize the various concepts of the course by applying them together. The advantage here is assisting them in a real transfer of knowledge to the workplace.