Whether you are planning on transferring to a four-year university or looking to bolster your communication prowess, our courses give you the critical, analytical, and creative skills that set you up for long-term success in your chosen field. We offer smaller class sizes and enhance student learning through collaboration and interactive technology. Classes in Communication, English, and Media can prepare you for success in a variety of rewarding careers in fields such as law, publishing, television, education, journalism, marketing, social media, and government.
A.A.; Kirkwood Community College B.A.; University of Iowa M.A.; Iowa State University M.A.; University of Iowa Ph.D.; University of Iowa
Bio:
Dr. Carolyn S. Gonzalez earned her Ph.D. in English Literary Studies from the University of Iowa, specializing in medieval literature, neurodiversity theory, and disability studies. She holds an M.A. in English from Iowa State University and an M.A. in English Literary Studies from the University of Iowa. Carolyn received her Bachelor’s degree with Honors in English and Medieval Studies from the University of Iowa after completing her A.A. at Kirkwood Community College.
A passionate advocate for accessible education, Carolyn’s work is deeply informed by her experiences as a first-generation student and Kirkwood graduate, giving her a meaningful understanding of the challenges many community college students face. Her pedagogical and administrative philosophies are anchored in the belief that education should be both accessible and of the highest quality, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.
In her free time, Carolyn enjoys going on new adventures with her husband and kids, exploring the world, and researching and publishing on all things medieval.
A.A.; Kirkwood Community College B.A.; University of Iowa
Bio:
Jayci supports students, faculty, and staff as a former Kirkwood alum and first-generation college student. She graduated with her B.A. in both English/Creative Writing and Cinema from the University of Iowa, combining her love of storytelling between literary and visual mediums. Jayci strives to continuously build inclusive environments and foster meaningful connections within Kirkwood’s growing community. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, cooking, and learning new languages just for fun.
Communication, English, and Media Full-Time Faculty
Lisa Angelella teaches Forms of Literature: Poetry, Composition I & II, and Creative Writing and serves as an advisor for the Cedar Valley Divide, Kirkwood’s art and literary magazine. She has Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Iowa, and has published scholarly work in Woolf Studies Annual and poems in Willow Springs, 32 Poems, and Stoneboat. She loves coming to see the world in new ways through the papers students write.
Rachelle started her educational journey at Kirkwood and later earned a B.A. and M.A. in Communication Studies at The University of Iowa. Throughout her academic career, she participated in several theatrical productions and competitive speaking events. Her research interests include gender and communication and the many intersections of communication and psychology. Outside of teaching, she loves to camp, explore, and laugh as much as possible.
Originally from western Iowa, Marci has more recently enjoyed her experiences in the “Cedars” of eastern Iowa. She attended the University of Northern Iowa for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, earning a B.A. in English with a focus on both Professional and Digital Writing and her M.A. in English. She teaches Composition courses and enjoys finding ways to incorporate hip-hop into the curriculum.
B.A.: DePaul University; M.A.: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Bio:
After growing up in Iowa, Emily moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University, and then moved to Wisconsin to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She returned to Iowa in 2009 to teach at Kirkwood. She lives in Iowa City and most often teaches Composition I, Integrated Composition II, and Forms of Literature: Fiction.
B.A.; Simpson College M.A.; University of Northern Iowa
Bio:
Jacki teaches courses in Oral Communication and Public Speaking. She completed her undergraduate work at Simpson College and earned her M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Iowa. Jacki’s interest area is language, and she primarily examines communication through the lenses of Rhetorical and Feminist theories. Outside of Kirkwood, Jacki enjoys spending time with her friends and family (including her dogs), patronizing local coffee shops, and searching for new additions to her rather extensive collection of hippos.
B.A.; Hunter College, City University of New York M.A.; Rollins College PhD, University of Central Florida
Bio:
Dr. Natalia Cherjovsky teaches Fundamentals of Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Workplace Communication, College 101, and Popular Culture. She is also an advisor for Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges. She earned a BA in film and media studies from Hunter College, City University of New York, an MA in communication & technology from Rollins College, and a Ph.D. in texts & technology from the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include culture and media, gender studies, and fandom, among others. She enjoys writing, traveling, reading, going to concerts, watching movies, and playing trivia and board games.
B.A. and M.A.; Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Bio:
Gabe is a Cedar Rapids native who returned to his hometown after studying and playing collegiate soccer at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). He brings a strong passion for fostering empathy and understanding across differences—an approach that deeply informs his teaching in courses such as Fundamentals of Oral Communication and Public Speaking. Outside the classroom, Gabe remains an avid athlete, actively competing in soccer, volleyball, basketball, pickleball, and marathon running.
B.A.; Waldorf University M.A.; University of Northern Iowa
B.A.; Waldorf University M.A.; University of Northern Iowa
Bio:
Matt Foy is an Iowa native and a full-time communication instructor since 2013. His research interests include studying mass and social media using theories from rhetorical, cultural, and performance studies. He lives in Marion with his family.
Sondra received her Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of Michigan, with a focus on 19th century women’s novels. Her current academic interests are global learning, including virtual exchanges and study abroad; online education; and composition theory. At Kirkwood, she teaches composition, American Dreams, science fiction, film adaptation, and other literature classes. In her free time, she loves to read novels, travel, and go on leisurely runs through the country with her dog.
Terri is a proud alumnus of Kirkwood Community College (A.A. degree), the University of Northern Iowa (B.A. and M.A. degrees), and the University of Iowa (M.A. degree). She began at Kirkwood in 1997 working in Secondary Programs in the alternative high schools first in Washington, Iowa, then in Tiffin, Iowa. Terri came to main campus to be a part of the Learning Services Department and now the Communications, English, and Media Department. The courses she teaches include Fundamentals of Oral Communication and Workplace Communications. Terri also serves as a Reading/Writing Specialist for the TRIO Student Support Services program, which works with disadvantaged student populations. She and her husband have three children, and they reside in Solon.
Art Khaw teaches Communication courses at Kirkwood Community College. His academic interests include leadership studies, organizational communication, and health communications. Art is also a Certified Training Consultant (CTC) which he received from Ball State University’s Center for Entrepreneurial Resources and the Central Indiana Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. Art grew up in Adelaide, South Australia. He spends most of his time on the tennis courts where he competes in regional tennis tournaments and is an active member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
B.A.; California State University M.F.A.; University of California
Bio:
Shawnacy teaches classes in composition and literature ,including Elements of Writing, Composition 1, Composition 2, Core Writing, Integrated Composition, and Literature & Culture: American Dreams. Her academic interests include creative fiction, poetry, lyrical essays, anarchist and somatic pedagogies, and multicultural literature. She enjoys writing creatively, painting, being outdoors, travel, and encountering the unexpected. She is a collector of untranslatable words, and an eater of soups, both fine and mediocre.
A.A.; Kirkwood Community College B.A.; University of Iowa M.S.; Arizona State University
Bio:
Randy obtained his A.A. in Communication Media (Kirkwood Community College), B.A. in Film and Comparative Literature (University of Iowa), and his M.S. in Graphic Information Technology (Arizona State University). Randy is an associate professor in the CEM department and teaches Digital Media courses, such as Mass Media, Video Production, Audio Production, Broadcast Writing & Performance, and News Media Convergence. He is the advisor of Kirkwood Student Productions and has a passion for visual storytelling. Randy is also interested in exploring the use of virtual reality, 360 video, and augmented reality.
B.A.; University of Dubuque M.A.; University of Northern Iowa
Bio:
Sarah Mangold earned her M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Northern Iowa and her B.A. in Speech Communication and English Literature from the University of Dubuque. Sarah worked for several Iowa newspapers before coming to Kirkwood. Currently, she advises the Communiqué, the college’s award-winning student newspaper, and teaches Media History, Media Ethics, Mass Media, News Reporting, Public Relations and Marketing, and Fundamentals of Oral Communication.
Emily earned her BA and MA in Communication Studies from Northern Illinois University before joining Kirkwood as an adjunct faculty member and Instructional Designer. She became a full-time faculty member in 2019, teaching communication courses while also supporting faculty and promoting instructional quality across the college. Emily has presented at several conferences and facilitates trainings on topics such as open educational resources (OERs), effective online and hybrid teaching, course design, building connections with students, and inclusive teaching strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and cats, as well as running, reading, and working on puzzles.
B.S.; University of Alabama M.F.A.; Georgia College & State University
Bio:
Danny Plunkett earned his M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University and his B.S. in Biology from the University of Alabama. He teaches Composition courses at Kirkwood’s Cedar Rapids campus and his creative interests include literary fiction, weird stories, and prose poetry. In his spare time, he writes and publishes fiction and poetry, and spends time with his wife and St. Bernard mix, Barney.
Tim Robbins teaches courses in first-year composition and literary studies at Kirkwood’s campus in Cedar Rapids. A first-generation college student, he received his Bachelor’s degree in English from the City University of New York-Hunter College before transplanting to the Midwest to earn his M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Iowa. Tim’s literary research focuses on 19th-American poetry and social movements, and his teaching scholarship is in the field of Open Pedagogy, particularly around the development of Open Educational Resources (OER). Tim and his wife Jessie are delighted to return to eastern Iowa to raise their children, frequent the farmers’ markets, and cheer on the Hawkeyes!
Dr. Renée Schlueter earned a Ph.D. in Nineteenth-Century British Literature with an emphasis in gender and culture from Saint Louis University. Her research and curricular focus on international women writers, gender and teaching, and the Grand Tour reflect this lifelong interest in global citizenship and women’s rights. Dr. Schlueter has developed a variety of face-to-face and online literature and composition courses and regularly teaches a two-week Rome Study Abroad class in Italy. As an educator, she believes that reading and traveling are immersive experiences with the power to awaken student global perspectives and help them live meaningful lives.
Kevin teaches Fundamentals of Oral Communication and some humanities courses, including Popular Culture. His academic interests include popular film and television, comedy, and rhetoric. When Kevin isn’t working, he enjoys reading (primarily nonfiction) and cheering for Arsenal FC.
B.A.; Southwest Baptist M.A.; University of Central Missouri
Bio:
Clark teaches Fundamentals of Oral Communication, Public Speaking, and Encounters in Humanities. Clark believes in keeping communication skills sharp by participating in his area of interest. He regularly appears as a speaker and actor at local arts events.
B.A.; Boise State University M.A.; Oregon State University
Bio:
Heather is a proud Kirkwood alum (AA). She received her B.A. in English, with a focus on literature, and her M.A. in English and American literature. She is particularly interested in how race, gender, and class interact in American literature. Heather teaches Composition I, Integrated Composition, Forms of Lit.: Fiction, Literature and Culture: American Dreams, and African-American Lit. In her free time, she loves to read, travel, hike, cook, and practice yoga. She also loves horror movies.
Steve Wolcott was growing up a few blocks from the Ohio’s Cuyahoga River when it famously caught fire in 1969. Despite this fiery beginning, he loves hiking and biking through river valleys. After earning two master’s degrees at Indiana University, he moved to Iowa where he’s been teaching writing and children’s literature at Kirkwood since 2010.
