Professor Richards is a rhetorical critic, historian, and theorist who specializes in political communication and discourses of civic identity. Her articles and reviews have appeared in journals including Quarterly Journal of Speech, Rhetoric and Public Affairs, and Western Journal of Communication, and her research has received a number of national awards, such as the 2009 Most Outstanding Dissertation in Political Communication Award from the National Communication Association.

In addition to serving as an assistant professor in the department of Rhetoric & Media Studies, Professor Richards holds affiliate appointments in the American Ethnic Studies program and Women’s and Gender Studies program at Willamette. In 2010, she was appointed a faculty fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion, Law and Democracy.

Professor Richards regularly teaches courses in rhetorical criticism, history, and theory; race, gender, and communication; political and legal discourse; persuasion; and public address.

In addition to her research and teaching, Professor Richards promotes public engagement and deliberation by co-directing the Conversation Series on Freedom and Responsibility in Public Life, serving on the Native American Advisory Council, and facilitating Indian Country Conversations.

Prior to joining the faculty at Willamette University, Professor Richards completed her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and served as a Teach For America corps member in Washington D.C.

Please visit http://peerreviewed.net to learn more about her courses, publications and research, as well as rhetorical studies.