Laurie Lewis, Professor, Department of Communication (COLFA)
Her scholarly work investigates listening, organizational change, volunteering and nonprofits, effective organizational collaboration, stakeholder engagement, input solicitation, and participative processes. Her most recent book is The Power of Strategic Listening published by Roman and Littlefield received the American Library Association’s CHOICE outstanding academic title designation. She is also author of the award-winning book Organizational Change: Creating Change Through Strategic Communication and co-editor of the International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication as well as numerous other academic publications. She teaches courses on Organizational Communication and Listening at the undergraduate level and serves as a mentor and advisor for graduate students. She recently was certified by the Interactivity Foundation as a Collaborative Discussion Coach and is a member of the National Association for Dialogue and Deliberation and The Aspen Institute’s Weavers Network.
Sara DeTurk, Professor, Department of Communication (COLFA)
Her scholarly work explores intercultural alliances, intergroup dialogue, training, and facilitation of diverse groups. Dr. DeTurk’s publications include articles on intercultural empathy, the meaning of diversity for Americans, the effects of intergroup dialogue programs, and the communication tactics of intercultural allies. She has also co-authored a manual for community development practitioners working with immigrants. Her most recent book is Activism, Alliance Building, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, published by Lexington Books. She has, for several years, been training students as dialogue facilitators and co-hosting semi-annual structured dialogue events. Topics have included racial justice, gender in popular culture, mental health challenges, free speech, and visible and invisible identities among others. Dr. DeTurk has also trained Top Scholars and Resident Assistants in dialogue facilitation, and has expanded dialogue events off campus in collaboration with organizations like the peaceCENTER, the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest, and UTSA’s program for Civic and Community-Engaged Leadership. She recently was certified by the Interactivity Foundation as a Collaborative Discussion Coach.
Tamanda Chabvuta, Associate Professor of Instruction, School of Communication, Language & Culture, COLFA; Associate Director, Center for Dialogue & Deliberation
Her scholarly work explores community organizing, dialogue and deliberation, listening, and storytelling, with attention to how people build resilience and civic capacity together. Dr. Chabvuta's publications include articles on dialogic listening and community agreements in the International Journal of Listening, community resilience during COVID-19 in the Western Journal of Communication, and African feminism in film in the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, as well as a book chapter on facilitative leadership in the high school classroom. At Colorado State University's Center for Public Deliberation, she facilitated dialogue on campus and with statewide stakeholders, designed dialogue and deliberation processes, and co-authored the Youth Civic Action Program curriculum materials. She teaches organizational communication and public speaking and has previously taught Applied Deliberative Techniques, Negotiation, Public Argumentation, and Group Communication. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Texas A&M University.
Advisory Board
- Maria Alejandro, Program Director, Center for Civic Engagement; Rowdy Corps
- Gina Amatangelo, Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives Honors College, and Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Public Administration (HCAP)
- Fatma Arslan, Professor of Instruction, Computer Science (COS)
- Matthias Hofferberth, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science (COLFA)
- Robert Rico, Director of Restorative Practices & Associate Professor of Practice (HCAP)
- Jelena Todic, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work (HCAP)
- Emilie Amrein, Associate Dean of Community Engagement, COLFA, Founding Executive Director, UTSA Arts, Professor, Interdisciplinary School for Engagement
