Lisa A. Ford-Brown is a writer and educator dedicated to the field of human communication. Her books include the DK Guide to Public Speaking and the DK Speaker. She earned her B.S. and M.A. from Indiana State University in Speech Communication with minors in English, the Visual Arts, and Women Studies.  She holds a PhD in Speech Communication from Southern ... Read moreIllinois University—Carbondale.  She currently teaches at Columbia College. From 2003-2005, Dr. Ford-Brown chaired the Columbia College Humanities Department and served as a member of their Board of Trustees from 2008-2010. Prior to her current position, she taught at Indiana State University and the University of Dubuque. She has received several performance and teaching awards.  Most notably, she was named advisor of the year at Columbia College and Faculty of the year at Columbia College and the University of Dubuque. She is a long-standing member of the National Communication Association, Central States Speech Association, and the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Dr. Ford-Brown and her partner, Bruce, live on a small 20-acre farm with their two golden retrievers (Zelda and Pucc) and two cats (Sadie and Falstaff).  They enjoy traveling, camping, fishing, gardening, wood-working, pottery-making, raising chickens, and watching the grass grow. Show Less