Michelle A. Brown

Ph.D. Student

College of Media, Communication, and Information Science

Department of Communication

University of Colorado, Boulder

Boulder, CO 80309

michelle.a.brown (at) colorado (dot) edu

RESEARCH FOCUS

language and social interaction, interactional linguistics, critical race discourse analysis, conversational analysis, ethnography, identity, race, racism

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Communication

• University of Colorado Boulder – current

M.A., Communication – Linguistics

• University of Colorado Boulder – May 2019
• CLASP Certificate (Culture, Language and Social Practice)

B.A. Philosophy

• University of Colorado, Denver

Courses

Instructor | Interpersonal Communication

Instructor | Discourse, Culture & Identity

Instructor | (Critical) Intercultural Communication

Grader | Gender & Communication

Conferences & Workshops

• Points of Departure (Feb. 2025)

Participant: The International Winter School on Conversation Analysis (CA) and Interactional Linguistics (IL) offers researchers a focused 3-day workshop to explore different analytic pathways in CA/IL research, including starting with forms, actions, or broader interactional tasks. Participants will engage in practical group work, guided reflections, and discussions, enhancing their methodological understanding and problem-solving skills in CA/IL.

• NCA: Communication for a Greater Regard (2024)

Presenter: (Top Student Paper in Rhetorical & Communication Theory Division) Rhetorical Intervention into the Discourse Analytic Framework

Presenter: Second-Sight as a Stance Strategy During the Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing

Co-Presenter: “They do not want to help Blacks”: Cultural Persuadables in Media Representations of Ukrainian Refugee-Hosting Nation

• NCA: Freedom (2023)

Graduate Student Panel

• NCA: Honoring PLACE: People, Liberation, Advocacy, Community, and Environment (2022)

Presenter: “The nature of the beast:” Identifying discursive practices in competing interpretations of the Thin Blue Line

• Community and Social Interaction Conference: Cultivating Communication Practices (2021)

Panelist

Current Work Experience

CU Boulder May 2024 – present

Graduate Part-time Instructor

• Develop and teach undergraduate courses focusing on the interrelation of discourse, culture, and identity.
• Design engaging online curriculum, incorporating multimedia resources, discussion forums, and interactive assignments to enhance student learning and participation.
• Facilitate critical thinking and analytical skills through in-depth analysis of various cultural texts, media, and communication practices.
• Provide timely and constructive feedback on student assignments, fostering academic growth and encouraging independent thought.
• Utilize learning management systems (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas) to organize course materials, track student progress, and communicate effectively with students.
• Implement diverse assessment methods to evaluate student understanding and application of course concepts.
• Conducted virtual office hours and provided personalized support to address individual student needs and concerns.

TTEC | 10/2019 – present

Lead Communication Specialist

• Lead DE&I internal communications and provide consultation on external communications, regarding social justice initiatives, multicultural and celebrations, and more.
• Create DE&I resources including internal DE&I style guide for conscious language use and editorial calendar for diverse cultural celebrations globally.
• Provide insights and expertise for inclusive language in employee-facing company policies.
• Create various types of employee communications tactics; including electronic, print collateral, intranet articles, processes, job aids, toolkits, etc.
• Partner closely with internal clients and teammates to deliver on company and department priorities and objectives, including providing clients with consultation and recommendations
• Streamline complex ideas and business strategies into relevant, approachable, and engaging messages tailored to the audience
• Support the execution of written communication plans including program strategies, messaging, tactics, and timelines

Presentations:

• Incorporating Plain Language into employee communication
• Incorporating Trauma Informed Language into urgent employee communication

Professional Development
CLDI Research (2024 – present)

BIPoC EMCA4RJ (2021 – present)

Participant in Dr. Shrikant’s Refugee DA lab (2022)

ISCA: Analyzing Race/ism in Interaction workshop (Summer 2022)  

Professional Affiliations  
National Communication Association

Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS)

International Society of Conversation Analysis  

Volunteer Experience

Board Member to Be the Change Community School (2022 – 2024)

Communications expert for BEES Computing LLC (2022 – present)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Community Language Access Program (CLAP) (2019)