General Information
Staff Profile
Marianne has been teaching for 17 years in the field of Communication, with an emphasis on the effective use of one’s voice and physicality to connect with others in interpersonal and public contexts.
Her ability to integrate corporeality into presentations derives from her medical background; she earned her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy with a minor in Anatomical Sciences at Colorado State University. She subsequently worked with individuals recovering from spinal cord injuries, strokes, head injuries, and other traumas. One of her most memorable training experiences included working with Vietnam Veterans recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Marianne’s enduring interest in healing extended into her love of nature and children, which inspired her to transition from medicine to education. She earned her MA in Speech Communication from San Jose State University, and her PhD in Communication from the University of Utah, where she developed expertise in the areas of environmental communication and conflict resolution, both from a feminist perspective. Marianne has taught courses in Public Speaking, Persuasion, Interpersonal Communication, Conflict Resolution, and Rhetorical Analysis, and her research includes investigations of wilderness programs for at-risk youth, and how they use (or misuse) nature to shape the identities of their participants.
In her free time Marianne enjoys traveling, yoga, singing, hiking, visiting friends and family, eating chocolate, and engaging in any activity related to water (excluding drowning).