Resume

• 2015

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

  Graduate Certificate in Women's and Gender Studies\nAdvanced Opportunity Program Fellowship\nDistinguished Dissertation Fellowship\nEliana G. Berg Award for Graduate Research

  English (Media

  Cinema

  and Digital Studies)

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Quality Matters Instructional Designer

  QM Quality Matters

  Women's and Gender Studies Graduate Certificate

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• 2013

  Master of Arts (MA)

  UWM Chancellor's Graduate Student Award

  English (Media

  Cinema

  and Digital Studies)

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• 2011

  Undergraduate (Study Abroad)

  I studied abroad in Edinburgh

  Scotland during Fall 2011.

  English and Film

  Edinburgh Napier University

• 2008

  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

  Graduated Summa Cum Laude\nUniversity Scholar of the Davidson Honors College

  English (Creative Writing and Film Studies)

  The University of Montana

• 1996

  Abstract—Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the science fiction/fantasy TV series Doctor Who (1963–1986

  2005–)

  50 couples chose to marry

  renew vows

  and engage in civil partnerships during a mass Doctor Who–themed wedding in London. By using Doctor Who fandom as a case study

  I explore how fans are able to construct

  define

  and maintain their identity in wedding culture by the meaning they ascribe to objects present in the wedding performance. By using the concept of weddings as performance narratives

  I describe how fans are able to tell the story of their experience and identification with fandom

  but because not everyone identifies with fandom

  fans must communicate this narrative in a highly selective manner

  choosing details that both satisfy their identities as fans and make sense to a diverse audience of fans and nonfans alike. In doing so

  fans are negotiating this identity within the heteronormative structure of wedding culture. The presence of the wedding ceremony reveals that fan identity and performance

  despite seeming subversive to mainstream

  are actually influenced and shaped by these traditional spaces and rituals.

  Doctor Who-Themed Weddings and the Performance of Fandom

  Abstract: Although abstinence-only programs in the United States have historically failed to provide medically accurate information on sexual health

  young people in the twenty-first century have turned to YouTube to answer their sex questions. The accessible and engaging format of the YouTube video has helped some sex educators achieve Internet fame among a mass audience of users devoted to watching their web series and interacting with them on social media. Using two sex education channels (Laci Green’s Sex Plus and Lindsey Doe’s Sexplanations) as case studies

  this article investigates the ways in which YouTube stardom shapes the production of and engagement with online sex education videos. In doing so

  the article uncovers how Internet fame helps to create a brand of sex education salient to audiences across media platforms that rely on the illusion of face-to-face interaction

  the development of an authoritative yet approachable identity

  and the cultivation of a virtual community.

  Subscribing to Sex Edutainment Sex Education

  Online Video

  and the YouTube Star

  A book chapter in Celebrity and Youth: Mediated Audiences

  Fame Aspirations

  and Identity Formation

  edited by Spring-Serenity Duvall.\n\nAbstract: In late capitalist society

  cultural appropriation has become a recurrent problem for celebrities looking to infuse their image with the garments and hairstyles of Latin American

  African

  Asian

  and Indigenous cultures. Young female celebrities are especially drawn to the social and economic benefits that come with modeling cultural difference against the bland landscape of white Western society. At the same time

  celebrity culture’s investment in mainstream feminism has placed pressure on celebrity girls to reconsider cultural appropriation’s role in their fashion choices. This chapter explores the complicated intersection of cultural appropriation and popular feminism in the fashion and branding of celebrity models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid. Working with Chandra Talpade Mohanty’s critique of homogenized perspectives in Western feminism

  the chapter examines how Jenner and Hadid engage with postfeminist politics of choice and agency to justify their co-optation of the styles and iconography of Third World cultures. The fascination with cultural difference becomes a lucrative selling point

  especially for young fashion icons competing in an attention-based economy. The chapter argues that the commodification of cultural appropriation in Jenner and Hadid’s celebrity brands helps mask the histories of colonial displacement with the rhetoric of female empowerment in the commercial industry.

  “Under Western (Girls’) Eyes: Cultural Appropriation and Feminism in the Celebrity Fashion of Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid”

  Abstract: In the last decade

  there has been a confluence of transgender celebrities in the entertainment industry as trans issues have garnered attention in public policy and debate. Reality television

  known for exploring the lives of both ‘ordinary’ and ‘extraordinary’ people

  has been a critical site for mainstream audiences to learn about the experiences of transgender people. While attention has focused on Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox

  this article examines transgender issues as mediated through Jazz Jennings’ self-brand and her TLC reality series I Am Jazz (2015 – present). Jazz

  a transgender teen girl living in Florida

  has crafted her brand as an activist

  author

  and YouTube producer while expressing her message of living authentically. On reality TV

  I argue that Jazz’s self-brand collides with the ‘messy real life’ brand touted by TLC’s sensationalised programming. As I Am Jazz attempts to mainstream transgender issues via the nuclear family

  it also fabricates moments where Jazz must engage with hostile rhetoric that questions her identity. The article reveals that I Am Jazz represents a current trend in reality TV that positions transgender stars in a state of perpetual conflict

  showing how their public mediated selves require reaffirmation to maintain rather than disrupt normative culture.

  “The Reality of ‘Messy Real Life’: Jazz Jennings and the Dramatisation of Young Transgender Celebrity in TLC’s I Am Jazz”

  Kirby Ann Witte

  I co-wrote this one-act play for my Play Production class in high school to take to the Eastern New Mexico State University Drama Fest in 2008. We won several awards

  including Best Original Play. After high school

  we published the play in 2009 through Pioneer Drama Services

  where it has gone on to grace the stages of theatre classes across the country.\n\nSynopsis: In a parody of Dante’s Inferno

  Romeo and Juliet arrive in Limbo where they await their judgment. The melodramatic lovers are in good company. The wise-cracking disembodied head of Macbeth

  the bitter Lady Macbeth

  and the scheming Iago are also being given a second chance to redeem themselves. Will they learn the lessons Shakespeare's Hell has to offer?

  Shakespeare's Inferno

  Abstract: Over the last 10 years

  girls on YouTube have been creating stop-motion videos with their American Girl dolls. Many of these girls began producing videos when they were tweens and have continued participating in the American Girl YouTube (AGTube) community into their late adolescence and early adulthood. In this article

  I explore the intertextuality of tween girl culture as it is performed and reflected on by teen (13 to 18) and young adult (19 to 24) girls in their online doll videos. Through an examination of their AGTube channels

  I show how girl producers negotiate their experiences and desires as teens and young adults within the tween culture of American Girl. I argue that AGTube functions as an audience- generated paratext of American Girl

  and demonstrate how teen and young adult girls interact with and challenge the marketplace boundaries of tween girl culture in digital spaces.

  “The Doll ‘InbeTween’: Online Doll Videos and the Intertextuality of Tween Girl Culture”

  A promotional video I filmed and edited for the UWM Career Development Center webpage.

  cream city review live! video

  Produced a promotional video for cream city review's new live reading event series.

  \"It's Dangerous to Go Alone! Take This!\": The Battle Cries of Teaching Composition Through Role-Playing and Gaming Perspectives

  Poster presented at the 20th Annual UW-Milwaukee/Marquette University First Year Graduate Pedagogy Conference. \n\nMy project looked at adopting and adapting certain principles gleaned from studies in gaming and role-playing for the composition classroom. A particular emphasis was placed on building activities using certain gaming principles that could help students better comprehend and practice interpretive and reflective writing

  as well as peer review and revision.

  NMSU Carlsbad Promotional Videos

  My colleagues and I worked on a series of promotional videos

  as well as a TV commercial

  spotlighting some of the programs at New Mexico State University Carlsbad.

  Doctoral Dissertation

  Currently managing my six chapter dissertation project exploring discourses of anxiety and hope in the U.S. and how they inform representations of young girls living under a surveillance media culture (e.g. reality TV

  social media

  transmedia texts

  etc.).

  Scotland Yet: An Evening of Scottish Cinema

  Culture

  and Conversations on National Identity

  Prior to the decision on Scotland's 2014 independence referendum

  my colleagues and I organized a panel discussing Scottish cinema and culture.

  Tami Williams

  Zach Finch

  Allain Daigle

  Lauren Haufler

  The Oval Literary Magazine

  I worked as the Design and Layout Editor for Volumes III

  IV

  and V.

  Alumni Writing Center Tutor Videos

  I produced and edited new tutor bio videos for the Writing Center website to show how tutoring can have an effect on one's personal

  academic

  and professional lives.

  Play Portals: Mindful Interactions of Self and Text

  As part of the UWM First Year Composition Forum

  my group presented on how mindfulness could be incorporated into the English composition classroom to better stimulate learning. My portion of the presentation illustrated how role-playing activities and embodying other voices in writing exercises could aid in reading comprehension.

  Master's Thesis Project

  I successfully defended my MA thesis in Media

  Cinema

  and Digital Studies for a project titled \"Sex Ed on YouTube: Analyzing Online Video as a Space for Youth to Engage in Sexual Dialogue.\"

  Jessica

  Johnston

  TRIO

  Upward Bound Program

  UWM School of Continuing Education

  cream city review

  The Mosaic Company

  New Mexico State University

  Freelance

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC)

  New Mexico State University

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Quasimondo Physical Theatre

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  As a graduate student at UWM

  I develop and teach a variety of writing and film/media-related courses for college students

  face-to-face and online

  in the English and Film Studies Departments.\n\n- Film Studies 391: Television Criticism & Theory (Spring 2019)\n- Film Studies 205: History of Film I (Fall 2017 - TA)\n- Film Studies 291: Intro to Television Studies (Spring 2017

  Spring 2016 - online) \n- Film Studies 111: Entertainment Arts: Film

  TV

  & the Internet (Fall 2016 - online

  Fall 2015 - online

  Spring 2015 - TA) \n- English 102: College Writing and Research (Spring 2016

  Fall 2015

  Spring 2015)\n- English 101: Intro to College Writing (Fall 2014

  Spring 2014

  Fall 2013)\n

  Graduate Teaching Assistant

  University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

  Carlsbad

  NM

  Wrote profile stories on students

  faculty

  and different departments as the university correspondent for the Carlsbad Current-Argus newspaper

  as well as filmed campus events and produced several short commercials and promo vids for the college website.

  Marketing & PR Coordinator

  New Mexico State University

  I supervised the registration table during the conference

  transported lunch

  and provided rides to out-of-town presenters to conference events.

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC)

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC)

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  As hospitality liaison of this conference

  my responsibilities included: \n- Orchestrating accommodations and transportation for non-local conference presenters. \n- Driving presenters to and from the airport and train station\n- Researching and sharing restaurant and commuting options in the Milwaukee area.

  Hospitality Liaison

  Carlsbad

  NM

  I filmed and edited safety training videos with Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects and integrated them in new training software (Lectora) to engage and inform employees on mining safety.

  Videographer Intern

  The Mosaic Company

  Carlsbad

  NM

  Taught and created lesson plans for developmental English and digital video production and editing during Spring 2013 at New Mexico State University Carlsbad.

  Adjunct Instructor

  New Mexico State University

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  Advise and motivate undergraduate and graduate students working on writing assignments and projects across a multitude of disciplines

  covering how to generate topics

  organize ideas

  develop content

  refine language

  and revise drafts. Promote the services and value of the Writing Center to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee community

  including giving verbal presentations at first-year student orientation as well as filming and editing alumni tutor testimonial videos for the Writing Center website.

  Writing Center Tutor

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  I adapt college-level courses into one- to two-week summer classes for high school students in the College for Kids/Teens pre-college program. Course topics have included:\n\n- Short fiction writing\n- Television representation\n- Film studies\n- Participatory media and culture\n- Life skills\n- Playwriting

  Summer Program Instructor

  UWM School of Continuing Education

  Carlsbad

  New Mexico

  Worked in student development for the Manufacturing Sector Development Program by organizing welding competition events and assisting students with transcripts to ensure progress towards certificate and associate degree completion.

  Administrative Assistant

  New Mexico State University

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  Generate creative social media content (editorial

  graphic) for upcoming theatre productions and increase audience engagement across Facebook

  Twitter

  Instagram

  and LinkedIn accounts. Assist development by researching company sponsors for show productions and capital campaign. Create documentation for corporate giving and manage yearly grants deadline calendar. Develop social media and brand guidelines specific to organization for future volunteer and intern use.

  Marketing and Development Intern

  Quasimondo Physical Theatre

  To gain media production experience

  I contributed written and filmed news stories with my Canon EOS 6D

  spotlighting local events

  charities

  and organizations for an independent digital news company. I also recorded and edited together interviews in Adobe Premiere Pro of members of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church to commemorate their 50th anniversary; DVD sales were donated to “Packs for Hunger

  ” a group that provides backpacks of food for low income children on the weekends.

  Freelance

  New Mexico State University

  Carlsbad

  NM

  Organized a free monthly fall film series at NMSU Carlsbad and scheduled lecturers to provide an informative and entertaining evening for students and the Carlsbad community.

  Film Series Coordinator

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  As the co-vice chair

  my responsibilities included: \n- Developing outreach strategies for the conference call-for-papers focusing on graduate programs in the Midwest. \n- Managing the volunteer schedule and coordinating with faculty to act as panel respondents.

  Co-Vice Chair

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC)

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC) is an annual event held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that supports the sharing and collaboration of national and international graduate student research and art across the disciplines. \n\nMy responsibilities as chair included: \n- Organizing the theme

  abstract call

  and keynote invitation (Rachel E. Dubrofsky

  USF) for the 2-day conference that attracted 50 presenters across the Midwest and North America. \n- Securing funding from university groups and managing a $9

  000 budget for conference venue

  food

  and related events. \n- Creating abstract reading criteria for volunteers and designing and scheduling the conference program. \n- Coordinating design and printing of promotional materials.\n- Arranging and approving venue and catering options.\n- Managing and updating conference website and social media accounts year-round. \n- Facilitating a professional pedagogy workshop with other conference organizers for attendees and volunteers.

  Chair

  The Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference (MIGC)

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  At the UWM Career Planning and Resource Center

  I aided career counselors with scheduled and walk-in student appointments

  designed career resource hand-outs

  and performed videography work for promotional purposes.

  Career Resource Assistant

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  I develop and teach a 6-week-long English and writing curriculum over the summer for underprivileged high school students in the Milwaukee area interested in pursuing the STEM fields in college.

  Summer English Instructor

  TRIO

  Upward Bound Program

  Remote

  I adapted a college-level course (History of Film) for online students of New Mexico State University according to the Quality Matters Rubric (5th edition). I also completed online training for QM instructional designer certification and piloted the online course during Spring 2015. After receiving feedback from QM reviewers

  I revised the course to better fit the QM rubric.

  Instructional Designer

  New Mexico State University

  Greater Milwaukee Area

  I solicited and reviewed art work submitted to cream city review

  a creative literary magazine located at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Other responsibilities included: creating issue covers using Adobe InDesign

  filming reading events promoting upcoming issues of the magazine

  and editing and uploading short videos to YouTube.

  Art Editor and Videographer

  cream city review

  International Girls Studies Association

  Member

  Society of Cinema and Media Studies

  Italian

  English

  Eliana G. Berg Award for Graduate Research

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  James A. Sappenfield Fellowship in English

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  UWM Chancellor’s Graduate Student Award

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  University Scholar of the Davidson Honors College

  University of Montana

  Heldrich-Dvorak Travel Fellowship

  Southwest Popular/American Culture Conference

  Helen J. Olson English Department Scholarship

  University of Montana

  Advanced Opportunity Program Fellowship

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

  Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship

  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• NMSU Carlsbad

  NMSU Carlsbad is a member of Vimeo

  the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

  NMSU Carlsbad Promotional

  cream city review live! - February Reading

  /cream city review/ is a Milwaukee-based non-profit literary journal devoted to publishing memorable and energetic fiction

  poetry

  creative nonfiction

  inte...

  cream city review live! - February Reading

  Alumni Tutor Videos

  Along with the writers they assist

  tutors also reap short and long term benefits from their Writing Center training and experience. Listen to alumni UWM tutors discuss how being tutors affected their academic

  professional and personal lives in these...

  Alumni Tutor Videos

  2019: Artifice Program — The MIGC

  Light refreshments and drinks provided. Registration and Welcome Breakfast 8:30am

  Curtin Hall 175 (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Campus

  3243 N. Downer Ave.) Panel 1: The Artifice of Inclusion: Nostalgic Masculinity in Modern Media 9:00am –...

  2019: Artifice Program — The MIGC

  Welcome to the Career Planning & Resource Center

  A brief overview of the UWM Career Development Center resources.

  Welcome to the Career Planning & Resource Center

  I manage the social media presence for Children and Youth Media and Culture

  a scholarly interest group within the Society for Cinema and Media Studies. Other responsibilities include:\n\n- Sharing calls-for-papers

  book chapters

  and related conference events across member networks. \n- Communicating important information to the membership regarding SCMS meetings

  travel awards

  and mentorship program. \n- Soliciting panel sponsorships and promote panels before and during the annual SCMS conference.

  SOCIETY FOR CINEMA & MEDIA STUDIES

  Mentor

  I advised two new instructors with developing syllabi

  assignments

  and activities for English 102: College Research and Writing. Other duties included:\n\n- Facilitating monthly meetings to discuss strategies and challenges of the course. \n- Conducting teaching observations later in the semester and provided verbal feedback and suggestions for improving classroom instruction.

  UWM English Department

  Graduate Representative

  I offered program information and maintained communication with prospective and accepted graduate students in the Media

  Cinema

  and Digital Studies track. Other duties included:\n\n- Organizing social events to foster community among students and faculty. \n- Producing and sharing weekly email news bulletins on relevant events

  job openings

  and call-for-abstracts. \n- Coordinating student bios to include on the program website.

  UWM English Department

  Research

  Videography

  Editing

  Copy Editing

  Digital Media

  Digital Photography

  Photoshop

  News Writing

  Creative Writing

  Publishing

  Film Production

  InDesign

  Television

  Public Relations

  Storytelling

  Facebook

  Video Editing

  College Teaching

  WordPress

  Final Cut Pro

  Doctor Who-Themed Weddings and the Performance of Fandom