About the Authors

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About the Authors
Author Images	Author Bios
Hilary Altman, Ph.D., LMFT	Hilary is Chair of Communication and Co-Chair of the Art, Music, and Communication Department, as well as a Communication instructor for the amazing students of Merritt College in Oakland, California. With a B.S. and Master’s degrees from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern, she has also worked in radio, and nonprofits, and is also a licensed therapist. Hilary is a disability advocate and enjoys hiking, rescuing dogs, and watching basketball and football, preferably with family and friends.
Kristine Clancy, Ph.D.	Kristine is a professor of Communication Studies at Golden West College. She began her interest in the field as a competitor on the speech and debate team and CSU Long Beach where she received her B.A. and M.A. before going on to get her Ph.D. at Purdue University. When she is not teaching and working she enjoys spending time playing games with her family and baking.
Elizabeth (Liz) Coleman, M.A.	Liz is a professor of Communication Studies at American River College and has been teaching for 15 years. She is a proud community college graduate and earned her B.A. in Communication Studies from U.C. Davis. She went on to earn an M.A. in Instructional and Organizational Communication from CSU, Sacramento. Liz serves on the Student Learning Outcomes Committee and is the faculty advisor for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. When she is not in the classroom, you will find her running her consulting business, nurturing her creative side, spending time with her two boys, hiking, meditating, traveling, and enjoying a cup of coffee in the backyard.
Liz Encarnacion, M.A.	Liz Encarnacion (she/they) is an assistant professor of communication studies at Chaffey College. After transferring from Grossmont College in San Diego to Cal Poly Pomona, Liz went on to receive her master's in Human Communication studies from Cal State Fullerton. Liz is actively engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across Chaffey Campus and the state of California, working with students and faculty-driven by the same missions.
Angela Hoppe-Nagao, EdD, M.A.	Angela is a professor of Communication Studies at Cerritos College, where she has also served as department chair, Guided Pathways faculty coordinator, and on numerous campus committees. Her research interests center on interpersonal conflict management and developing communicative competence. Her joys in life are spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, and teaching.
Anu Khanna, Ph.D.	Anu has been a professor at De Anza College since 2000 in both the Intercultural Studies and Communication Studies departments. Most recently she has been serving as Department Chair of Communication Studies and Co-Coordinator of the Learning in Communities program. Anu was born in Wisconsin (yes, she is a Packers fan) and raised mostly in Illinois. She has a B.A. from the University of Illinois and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She earned her Ph.D. in Intercultural and Organizational Communication from Arizona State University. Prior to working at De Anza, Anu worked in the Maricopa Community College District developing leadership training for academic leaders. Outside of work, Anu enjoys traveling with her husband and two teenagers, cooking, reading, and crafting.
Karyl Kicenski Ph.D.	Karyl has been researching and teaching for 30 years in the field of Communication and Cultural Studies. Her research focuses on the analysis of public communication that enables social, political, and cultural ideologies to produce power and privilege. She is also interested in critical pedagogy and teaching practices that enhance student learning. When not at work, she enjoys eating pastries and visiting tropical locales.
Victoria Leonard. M.A.	Victoria Leonard has been teaching since 1981 and began her career at California State University, Northridge. After 14 years she began full-time at College of the Canyons. Over her career, Professor Leonard has served as department chair, on numerous campus committees, and has served students as adviser to the COMS Club and Sigma Chi Eta Honor Society. Her primary goals as a professor have been to help students connect theories to their lives. When not working, she can be found in the U.K. visiting her son and his family, spending time with her daughter who is also a COMS professor, or repurposing and chalk painting furniture.
Alex Mata, M.A.	Alex Mata is a Professor of Communication Studies at San Diego, Miramar College. She also serves as the Humanities Department Chair and Mentoring Coordinator for her campus. Alex finds new ways to explore her passion for understanding Communication Studies as a mom, wife, friend, daughter, advocate, community member, and countless other interactions with those around her. When she is not working, Alex enjoys being outside, traveling to new and exciting locations to learn about all of the beauty this world has to offer.
Rebeca Moran, M.A.	Rebeca is a Community College and California State University system professor. She was born and raised in San Francisco CA, and the first Latina in her family to graduate from college. She feels that her multicultural upbringing influenced her to want to become an effective communicator. She worked as an International Flight Attendant for United Airlines while studying for her master's. Rebeca earned a B.A. in International Relations and M.A. in Communication.
Brielle Plump, M.A.	Brielle is currently an online faculty member throughout the California Community College system and State University system. She graduated from UC Davis with a Bachelor's degree and San Diego State University with a Masters degree, both in Communication Studies. Throughout her training, she was drawn to material that intersects technology, health, culture, and relationships. Today she continues to bridge these topics in her courses, and her additional work as an Instructional Designer at UC Santa Cruz, focusing on education technology and equity. When she is not virtually working on campus she is in the yoga studio where is also a teacher and teacher trainer.
Armeda C. Reitzel, Ph.D	Armeda Reitzel is Professor Emerita at Cal Poly Humboldt where she has been teaching Communication for over 40 years. She earned a B.A. in German and English, M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and Ph.D. in Speech Communication. Dr. Reitzel was a Fulbright Scholar in Nicaragua in 2010. She has been to every continent except one (Antarctica) and hopes to go to that seventh continent someday!
Tiffany Ruggeri-DiLello, M.A.	Tiffany has been teaching Communication Studies classes since 2012. Professor Ruggeri is an alumnus of California State University, Fullerton, and currently teaches the essentials of argumentation, public speaking, group communication, and interpersonal communication. Professor Ruggeri believes in student-centered learning, and that coursework should be designed so that what is learned in the classroom will aid in student success in all facets of life, in real-time.
Eric Weidner, M.A	Eric has taught in the Communication Studies Department at San Francisco State University since 2013 where he teaches courses in public speaking, small group and team communication, and interpersonal communication. Eric was born in Flint, Michigan and he received his BA from Wayne State University in Detroit and then went on to earn his MA from San Francisco State University. Aside from academia, Eric is a talent acquisition and DEI leader who strategically and creatively grows and scales teams to help companies achieve their business goals. Outside of work, Eric loves to travel, experiment in the kitchen with new dessert recipes, and hike throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Kimberlie Yee, M.A.	Kim has been teaching in public education for the last 30 years. She spent most of her teaching career in elementary education. Since retiring from teaching children, she has returned to what drew her to education - teaching Communication Studies. Currently teaching very part-time and asynchronously as an adjunct instructor for Cerritos College, Kim is enjoying her retired life!