Who I Am
My multidisciplinary approach to research sits at the intersection of health communication(s), transgender studies in religion, and critical media studies; with a particular focus on how analog and digital technology, popular discourse, and medical research impact and are impacted by social determinants of health regarding Plain Anabaptist (e.g., Amish, Old Order Mennonite) communities.
I teach courses in rhetoric, mass communication, and women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Specifically, I am well-versed in the following: public speaking, interpersonal communication, political economy of media, gender/diversity in media, media and identity, introduction to and/or history of mass media, film studies, and feminist media studies.
Education
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE COLLEGE, PA
Ph.D. in Mass Communications | May 2021
Minor in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
§ Dissertation: "Ex-Plain queerness: Mediated being and becoming among gender and sexually diverse Amish, German Baptist Brethren, And Mennonites"
§ Advisor: Dr. Matthew McAllister
§ Committee: Dr. Matthew Jordan, Dr. Hil Malatino, Dr. Patrick Parsons
THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, TALLAHASSEE, FL
M.A. in Media & Communication Studies | May 2014
§ Thesis: “Keeping the ‘he’ in ‘heroes’: A feminist political economic look at DC and Marvel superhero film adaptations,” passed with distinction
§ Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Proffitt
THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, TALLAHASSEE, FL
B.A. in Media/Communication Studies, Cum Laude | December 2012
§ International Programs Participant, London, UK | Spring 2012
§ Combined B.A. / M.A. Program Participant, College of Communication & Information
Academic Publications
Stoltzfus, L., & Flores, J. (In process). From Stitching Seams to Shooting Sinners: A Christian Nationalism Power Couple's Strategic Gendered Rhetoric. In Gides, D. M. & Braune, J. (Eds.), On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives. New York, NY: Routledge.
Stoltzfus, L. (Forthcoming). Kinship, elevated: Genetic religiosities and the impossibility of exit. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion.
Stoltzfus, L. (2021). First day of class introductions: Trans inclusion in teaching. In Phyllis Thompson & Janice Carello (Eds.), Trauma informed pedagogies: A guide for responding to crisis and inequality in higher education. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2021). Deep South Mennonite, transgender Amish: A critical autoethnography of white cisheteronormativity. In R. M. Boylorn & M. P. Orbe (Eds.), Intersecting cultural identities in everyday life (2nd ed.). Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, Inc.
Galarza, L., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2021) 84 Lumber’s constrained polysemy: limiting interpretive play and the power of audience agency in inspirational immigrant narratives. International Journal of Communication, 15(2021), 1-20.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2020). Mapping myriad positionalities in Amish media studies. Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies, 8(1), 65-74.
Cruz, J., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2020). Harley Quinn: Villain, vixen, victim. In R. Peaslee & R. Weiner (Eds.), The dark side: A supervillain reader. Jackson, MS: University of Mississippi Press.
McAllister, M. P., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2020). Television advertising: Texts, political economy and ideology. In J. Wasko & E. R. Meehan (Eds.), A companion to television (2nd ed.). Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell.
McAllister, M. P., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019). Understanding corrosive elements in the political economy of media. In E. Downs (Ed.), Dark side of media & technology: A 21st Century guide to media and technological literacy. New York, NY: Peter Lang.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2018). Trans-exclusionary discourse, White Feminist failures, and the Women's March on Washington, D.C. In J. C. Dunn & J. Manning (Eds.), Transgressing feminist theory and discourse. London, England: Routledge.
Book Reviews
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2018). Panel to the screen: Style, American film, and comic books during the blockbuster era by Drew Morton. Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Society, 2(1), 129-134.
Invited Research Presentations & Talks
Stoltzfus, L. (2023, September). "The patient's point of view." Invited panelist, the Pan-European Educational Platform on Multidrug Resistant Tumours and Personalised Cancer Treatment's (PANDORA) Science, Policy and Economy: A Complex Liaison panel.
Stoltzfus, L. (2023, March). "Mediated Amishness, white supremacy, and eugenic constructions of difference." Invited lecture for Understanding Power & Culture class, Gonzaga University.
Stoltzfus, L. (2022, May). "Meet Dr. Lars Stoltzfus." Invited talk for the Plain Rainbows: LGBTQ Amish & Anabaptist Stories podcast.
Stoltzfus, L. & Keener, K. (2021, October). “Cute, curated, capital.” Invited research presentation, Gonzaga University Communication Studies Speaker Series. Spokane, WA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, October). "Queering Amish, Amish queers." Invited speaker, When Rights and Religions Collide conference. New York, NY.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, May). "Are Amish folks supernerds or antinerds?: Stereotyping subcultures." Invited speaker, Nerd Nite #4 at Webster's Cafe & Bookstore. State College, PA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, April). Invited panelist at the Penn State English Department's Trans Solidarity in the Classroom: Course Design, Pedagogy, Philosophy panel. The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, March). "White heteronormativity, patriarchy, and hegemony: The surveilling of Amishness by academia." Invited panelist at the Amish Heritage Foundation's What About Children's Rights? Overturning Wisconsin v. Yoder Evening Panel, part of AHF's Educational Equity Series. Columbia University, New York City, NY.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, March). "Research design on gender and sexual minorities." Invited panelist at the Graduate Students in Communication's Research on Marginalized Populations: Insights from Emerging Scholars panel. The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.
Refereed Conference Presentations
Stoltzfus, L. (2023, November). Women Talking (2022) as Radical Case Study of Deliberation, Feminist Imagination, and Freedom. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD.
Stoltzfus, L. (2023, November). Trans Trouble: Laboring Toward Freedom with Communication in Community. Roundtable presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD.
Stoltzfus, L. (2021, November). Roundtable on Comparative eX-Religion: Religious and Gendered Transitions. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Academy of Religion, Boston, MA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2021, September). Settler Sexualities, Whiteness, and Compulsory Cisheteronormativity in Amish Religiosity. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Women's Studies Association, Minneapolis, MN.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, November). Queering Amishness: Surviving, surveillance, and the heteronormative erasure of LGBT2QIA+ bodies by the Christian Right. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Baltimore, MD.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, November). Wisconsin v. Yoder and the foreclosure of student activism. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Baltimore, MD.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. Galarza, L., & Brown, I. (2019, October). "Sometimes you never see the sun": Political economy, ICE, and the de/humanization of transgender immigrants. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Union for Democratic Communications, Oakland, CA.
Madden, S., Byrd, R., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, May). Purchasing Power: Etsy Activism and the Symbolic Politics of Consumption in White Feminism. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Washington, D.C.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2019, March). Heteronostalgia and Amishness: Why white people love the Amish. Paper presented at the annual CLIFF Complit conference, University of Michigan.
Galarza, L., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2018, November). 84 Lumber's constrained polysemy: Limiting interpretive play and the power of audience agency in inspirational immigrant narratives. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Salt Lake City, UT.
Galarza, L., & Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2018, March). Are you 84 Lumber material?’: Interpellation, neoliberalism, and immigrant narratives in a Super Bowl ad. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Indianapolis, IN.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2017, November). White feminist failures and trans-exclusionary politics. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Dallas, TX.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2017, November). Fetishized, monetized, and challenging otherness: Analyzing Twitter's #ExAmish. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Dallas, TX.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2017, July). Bojack Horseman: Race, representation, and labor in cultural industries. Paper presented at the annual conference of Console-ing Passions, Greenville, NC.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2017, June). Fractured Selves, Structured Selves: Depression, Dysmorphia, and Dissociation in Graphic Memoir. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Graphic Medicine Organization, Seattle, WA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2017, February). Graphic Memoir in the age of the anthropocene. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Penn State Women's Studies Graduate Organization, State College, PA.
Stoltzfus-Brown, L. (2015, October) The controversial Whedon: Feminism and Age of Ultron. Roundtable participant at the annual conference of the Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, Cincinnati, OH.
Stoltzfus, L. (2013, November). The gang’s all White here: The marginalization of minorities in comic book adaptations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Union for Democratic Communication, San Francisco, CA.
Industry Appointments
SAVVY COOPERATIVE, REMOTE BASED IN WA
Senior Researcher | January 2023 - Present
Promoted seven months after hire due to expansion of responsibilities based on skillset
Research Responsibilities: Design and implement a multi-person research agenda expanding research offerings to include services such as IRB protocol creation and review, in-depth literature reviews and meta-analyses of literature, and intercultural communication-focused design with linguistically and culturally diverse international patient populations. Continue developing and designing research focused on patients' lived experiences to consult clients on improving patient-centric healthcare.
Managerial/Mentorship Responsibilities: Educate junior researchers on best practices for human subjects research, conducting ethical research, and clarity in project design, implementation, and analysis; collaborate with junior researchers on projects while also offering guidance and constructive feedback.
Education Responsibilities: Create learning modules for company-wide trainings and onboarding on the basics of research, from methods to metrics to meaning-making. Also create learning modules for company-wide trainings and onboarding about the intersection of DEI, community health, and trauma-informed research with patient and care partner populations.
Human Resources Responsibilities: Assist Human Resources in creation, deployment, and continual evaluation of anti-discrimination policies and DEI policies.
SAVVY COOPERATIVE, REMOTE BASED IN WA
Researcher | May 2022 - December 2022
Research Responsibilities: Act as a research consultant, designing projects to incorporate the lived experiences of patients, care partners, and healthcare providers for clients to create more inclusive clinical trials; educational materials; digital technologies; and other health communications crucial for patient well-being. Own complex, mixed-methods research projects end-to-end, creating surveys, interview/focus group guides, user testing, etc. in a variety of live or asynchronous sessions. Analyze mixed-methods data, and generate reports in the form of either academic papers or plain language visual slide decks. Navigate concurrent research projects, often multi-phase, running simultaneously.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Education Responsibilities: Designed and led an internal company-wide workshop discussing social determinants of health for transgender and/or queer people; the role of policy in impacting well-being of these populations; and the importance of utilizing community-driven terminology in working with marginalized patients.
Academic Appointments
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY, SPOKANE, WA
Adjunct in Communication Studies | August 2022 - Present
COMM100: Communication & Public Speaking: Created course content based around post-pandemic communication with an emphasis on how pandemic learning, social media, and civic engagement have impacted the way we interpret our interpretations of the world around us. This interdisciplinary course combines rhetorical analysis, media studies, and interpersonal/intercultural communication to create a strong generalist foundation of communication(s).
COMM230: Understanding Identity: Designed a multimodal translating feminist/queer theory into an easily understood and praxis-based class. This course involves collaborative research projects, content creation through social media apps, and community engagement to analyze how identities are formed, maintained, and politicized.
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY, SPOKANE, WA
Lecturer in Communication Studies | August 2021 - May 2022
COMM100: Communication & Public Speaking: Created course content based around post-pandemic communication with an emphasis on how pandemic learning, social media, and civic engagement have impacted the way we interpret our interpretations of the world around us. This interdisciplinary course combines rhetorical analysis, media studies, and interpersonal/intercultural communication to create a strong generalist foundation of communication(s).
COMM230: Understanding Identity: Designed a multimodal translating feminist/queer theory into an easily understood and praxis-based class. This course involves collaborative research projects, content creation through social media apps, and community engagement to analyze how identities are formed, maintained, and politicized.
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE COLLEGE, PA
Research Assistant at the Rock Ethics Institute | June 2019 - August 2019*
Project Description: This project involved crafting, designing, researching, and delivering the university's first resource guide on transgender-inclusive teaching and research. Duties include compiling data on best practices in pedagogy and research design for gender and sexually diverse populations; collaborating with university administrators, faculty, staff, and students to cultivate research praxis across higher education institutions; and training various stakeholders in how to utilize the completed guide.
*Trainings continued post-assistantship.
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE COLLEGE, PA
Course Instructor of Note | August 2017 - August 2021
COMM110: Media & Democracy: Created lectures based on current events, media narratives, and global politics; facilitated and fostered discussion on how to be ethical and critical citizens; and crafted relevant, practical assignments.
COMM150 (online): The Art of the Cinema: Administered and graded discussions; guided student engagement and comprehension in an asynchronous course; and fostered critical thinking on cinema's communicative power and political impact through time.
COMM205/WGSS205: Gender, Diversity, and Media (in person/online): This course, cross-listed with Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, focused on the ways media and bodies interact. I created multidisciplinary assignments such as mock advertising campaigns and media analyses; introduced relevant theories and concepts; and encouraged students to critically examine power, representation, and labor.
COMM405: Political Economy of Communications: Throughout the semester I crafted interesting and up-to-date content on mediated political events; led in-depth discussion regarding questions of power, wealth, and knowledge in contemporary United States media; and highlighted the importance of critiquing media institutions.
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE COLLEGE, PA
Graduate Teaching Assistant | August 2016 - May 2018
COMM150: The Art of the Cinema: Duties included co-grading assignments and answering student emails and/or queries related to any course content.
COMM110: Media & Democracy: Duties included programming and co-creating quizzes, preparing and delivering 3-5 guest lectures, guiding discussions, and meeting with students.
COMM405: Political Economy of Communications: Duties included preparing and delivering 5-7 guest lectures, facilitating discussion, grading quizzes and exams, and holding office hours.
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, GLENDALE, CA
Adjunct Faculty | February 2015 - June 2016
SPCH01: Public Speaking: Introductory course combining rhetorical history, overcoming communication apprehension, and styles of oratory. Pragmatic course focused on effective speaking in defined communication settings such as interviews or special occasions.
PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CA
Adjunct Instructor | January 2015 - May 2016
SPCH001: Fundamentals of Speech: Introductory course focusing on practical communication, history and basic tenets of rhetoric, and overcoming communication apprehension.
SPCH010: Interpersonal Communication: Introductory course exploring personal and professional communication drawing from performance studies and intersectionality.
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, TALLAHASSEE, FL
Graduate Instructor | January 2013 - May 2014
SPC2608: Public Speaking: Course providing history and theory of oral communication with opportunities to give several types of speech utilizing multiple styles.
Service
GONZAGA UNIVERSITY, SPOKANE, WA
Advisor | Honors Student Senior Thesis | September 2021 - May 2022
Member | Communication Studies Social Committee | August 2021 - May 2022
THE UNION FOR DEMOCRATIC COMMUNICATIONS, BLACKSBURG, VA
Member | Organization Steering Committee | January 2019 - April 2021
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STATE COLLEGE, PA
Delegate | President's Commission on LGBT Equity | January 2019 - May 2021
Member | Coalition of Graduate Employees Unionization Efforts | January 2018 - May 2021
Mentor | LGBTQA Resource Center | August 2018 - May 2020
Delegate | Graduate & Professional Student Association | April 2018 - April 2019
§ Member | Committee on Advocacy & Diversity
§ Liaison | Student Health Insurance Advisory Board
Vice President & Treasurer | Graduates in Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies | August 2017 - May 2018
§ Co-organizer | 2018 international conference: "Trans_______ Feminisms", 60 attendees from US and Canada
§ Moderator | conference panel titled "The aesthetics of transgressing gender and sexuality"
Treasurer | Communication Graduate Forum | August 2016 - May 2018
Juror | Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize 2018, Pennsylvania Center for the Book | August 2017 - April 2018
Member | George Foster Peabody Awards Screening Committee, Public Service Entries | Spring 2017
Participant | Jana Marie Foundation Media Literacy Workshop for Girls | Spring 2017
GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, GLENDALE, CA
Course design | Introduction to Gender and Communication | Spring 2016
Participant | Workshop on Diversity & Pedagogy | Spring 2016
Honors & Awards
University of California at Riverside Department of Religious Studies
§ Holstein Dissertation Fellow | 2019 – 2020
National Communication Association Doctoral Honors Seminar
§ Participant | 2019
Penn State Department of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
§ Laura Richardson Whitaker Memorial Graduate Fund in Women's Studies | 2019
Penn State Bellisario College of Communications
§ Djung Yune Tchoi Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award | 2020
§ Don Davis Ethics Award | 2018
§ Douglas and Claudia Anderson Scholarship | 2017
Florida State College of Communication & Information
§ Student Leadership Award | 2013
Florida State School of Communication
§ Karl A. and Madira Bickel Scholarship | 2011
Professional Organizations
National Women's Studies Association | 2019 - present
American Academy of Religion | 2019 - present
International Communication Association | 2018 - present
National Communication Association | 2016 - present
Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association | 2013 - present
Union for Democratic Communications | 2013 - present