Ryan Fisher, Ph.D., is the interim dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, and Acting Director of the UofM Institute for Arts and Health and professor of music education. This is his eighth year at the University of Memphis. Dr. Fisher recently served as the music education coordinator and associate director of Choral Activities in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. Before coming to the UofM, Dr. Fisher was assistant professor of music education at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where he received the College of Fine Arts and Communication Faculty Excellence in Research award. Choirs under his direction have been featured at the Arkansas Music Educators Association conference and Tennessee Music Education Association conference and have made frequent guest appearances with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Conway Symphony Orchestra. He also served as the president-elect of the Arkansas Music Educators Association and was a member of the National Association for Music Education-Choral Council. He currently serves on the Tennessee Music Education Association state board, Tennessee American Choral Directors Association state board, and the Update: Applications of Research in Music Education editorial committee. Dr. Fisher is an active choral clinician and researcher. He earned a BME from Lee University, an MM in choral conducting and a PhD in music education from the University of North Texas. In 2016, he was named the Lee University School of Music Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

 

Jonathan Schallert, PhD Music Education, has taught for 10 years in middle and high schools in Memphis, TN where he guided students to numerous awards including top placements in all-region, all-state, and all-national youth orchestras and jazz bands.  In addition to his current work as a post-doctoral fellow for the College of Communication and Fine Arts’ Arts and Health Institute at the University of Memphis, Dr. Schallert serves as the artistic director and conductor of the GPAC Youth Symphony Program and has taught conducting, music education, research and statistics, and orchestra courses at the University of Memphis and Rhodes College. In 2020, Dr. Schallert received the Graduate Assistant Meritorious Teaching Award from the University of Memphis for instructing courses in rehearsal techniques, instrumental methods, conducting, and graduate courses in descriptive and experimental research in music and the Graduate Student Outstanding Research award from the College of Communications and Fine Arts at the University of Memphis for his continuing research into the biomechanics of conducting.  Dr. Schallert has presented research at state, regional, and national conventions specifically focused on the pedagogy, biomechanics, and self-efficacy of conducting.

 

Susan Elswick, Ph.D., obtained her Master of Social Work at University of Tennessee in 2006 and her Doctor of Education in Instructional and Curriculum leadership with a specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Memphis in 2011. She served as assistant professor and BA Program Director from 2015-2019 at the University of Memphis Department of Social Work. She is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and has over 15 years of clinical mental health experience that includes community mental health, case management, integrated behavioral health, infant mental health, and home-based services. Her research interests include assessment and intervention for children with both academic and behavioral difficulties, the use of tiered level supports in multiple settings, improving outcomes for students through effective teacher training and supports, the use of evidence-based interventions and services to correct maladaptive behaviors in order to improve outcomes for children and families, the use of expressive art therapies/ experiential therapies, and the use of informatics and technology in the field of social work. 

 

Jennifer “Jenna” Thompson is an associate professor in the Department of Architecture and a LEED accredited professional (LEED AP BD+C, ID+C). She earned a Master of Architecture Degree from the University of Memphis and both a Bachelor of Architecture degree and a Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree from Auburn University. Central to her research is the synthesis between sustainability and systems thinking. Her passion for creating awareness and action to social issues of environmental stewardship permeates her philosophy of design, adult education and teaching methodology.

 

Peter Abell is the President and CEO of Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Mid-South’s resident professional orchestra. MSO employs 80+ musicians and arts professionals, and presents Masterworks, Classic Accents and Pops subscription concerts, as well as multiple special concerts a year. It is the largest performing arts institution in the Memphis region, and the orchestra for a myriad of other arts organizations, including Opera Memphis and Ballet Memphis.

 

Rachael Arnwine, MS, is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance. A Memphis native and graduate of the University of Memphis, she holds an MS in Exercise, Sport, & Movement Sciences, a BFA in Theater Performance with a concentration in Dance, and a BS in Exercise, Sport, & Movement Sciences. Rachael has performed with Opera Memphis, Hot Foot Honeys, Racine + Southern Dance Exchange, the Moscow Ballet, and Carnival Cruise Lines, and has performed in music videos for artists such as Julien Baker and Brennan Villines. She is a certified member of the Southern Association of Dance Masters as well as the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science where she has published research within the field of Dance Science in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. In addition to being an Adjunct Professor, she is a dance instructor at local dance studios in the Memphis community. 

 

ArtsMemphis sustains Memphis’ world-renowned cultural vitality and strengthens local communities through the arts. The organization has achieved this by investing more than $22 million into local arts and culture in the past 10 years. The groups and programs supported  by ArtsMemphis reach more than 2.5 million audience members in every zip code in Shelby County.

 

The Art Museum of the University of Memphis (AMUM) presents a yearly program of changing exhibitions focusing on the art of our own time. The museum also houses permanent collections of Egyptian antiquities, tradition-based African art and works on paper. AMUM hosts innovative temporary exhibitions of contemporary art and culture alongside selections from our permanent collections. UM graduate and undergraduate students exhibit work in the MFA Thesis and the Juried Student Exhibition. Educational public programs are developed to engage the University and greater Memphis communities.

 

Jared Boyd is the program manager at WYXR 91.7 FM,  a non-commercial radio partnership between UofM, The Daily Memphian and Crosstown Concourse. WYXR has reimagined UofM’s long-running WUMR as a a brand-new station aimed at amplifying the voices of individuals in the Mid-South.

 

Richard Bloomer, Ph.D. joined the faculty of the University of Memphis as an assistant professor in the Department of Health and Sport Sciences in 2004, having held prior positions at Duke University Medical Center and Wake Forest University. He currently serves as dean of the College of Health Sciences and the R. Brad Martin Student Wellness Center. He holds the rank of professor and directs both the Cardiorespiratory/Metabolic Laboratory and the Center for Nutraceutical and Dietary Supplement Research. He has specific expertise in the area of oxidative stress and antioxidant therapy, as well as in the use of dietary ingredients for purposes of improving cardio-metabolic health. He has served as a consultant to a variety of nutraceutical and dietary supplement companies and has been an invited guest on radio programs nationwide to discuss his research.  

 

The Center for Health Literacy & Health Communication was created under the direction of Dr. Joy Goldsmith and Dr. Sachiko Terui, Core Faculty, and an Advisory Board, the CHLHC is committed to developing health literacy and health communication interventions, resources, and networks for providers, patients, family caregivers, health systems, and community organizations. The CHLHC tests and pilots interdisciplinary communication interventions, disseminates communication approaches and tools, and researches outcomes associated with health literacy and health communication across health contexts and populations.

 

Crosstown Arts is a contemporary arts organization dedicated to further cultivating the creative community in Memphis. Managing five types of spaces that integrate varying components of exhibition, performance, production, education and retail, Crosstown Arts supports multidisciplinary and collaborative projects that interconnect people and organizations.

 

Celeste Douglas, MT-BC, is a music therapist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Celeste studied at Illinois State University and completed her music therapy internship at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. Currently, she works with the Leukemia/Lymphoma and Hematology teams and supervises interns as part of the music therapy internship. She also serves on the Integrative Medicine and bone marrow transplant caregiver support working groups. Celeste helps orient and educate new nurses about music therapy, child life services, and child development. She also creates developmentally appropriate experiences for school-age and preteen patients. She takes an integrative approach to music therapy, utilizing primarily the humanistic and biomedical orientations to best care for the needs of her patients and families.

 

Joy V. Goldsmith, PhD, conducts research about communication and illness, specifically in the context of serious and chronic illness. Her numerous books and articles in clinical as well as communication journals address health literacy, communication pedagogy, oncology nurse communication, interprofessional communication in health care, and family caregiver communication. CommunicateComfort.com, a long-time initiative of Dr. Goldsmith, serves to house and disseminate a range of research interventions and curriculum for training and supporting healthcare providers. Joy is the Founder and Co-Director of the University of Memphis Center for Health Literacy and Health Communication. The CHLHC develops and pilots interdisciplinary communication interventions, disseminates communication approaches and tools, and researches outcomes associated with health literacy and health communication across disease contexts and populations. She also serves as an Affiliate Faculty member in the School of Public Health. 

 

The Healthy Memphis Initiative includes dozens of existing collaborations that help a wide range of populations, including children, the elderly, the impoverished, and the underserved population. Most of the partnerships work to improve the health, education, and quality of life outcomes for the Memphis community. Some of these partnerships are manifested in a variety of projects and programs which include: Faith Community Nursing Transitional Care; Culinary Medicine; Chronic Pain Assessment in Integrated Primary Care; Mid-South Congregational Church Health Needs Assessment; Diabetes Wellness, Intervention, and Prevention; and Development of a Measure for Perceived Normality of Adverse Childhood Events.

The vision of the Healthy Memphis Initiative is to develop strong partnerships and commitment within the Memphis metropolitan area, that provide improved experiences in the care, life, health, and well-being of the population by pursuing new knowledge through integrated collaborative research along with interdisciplinary study and discovery beyond our walls.

 

Robyn Jones, D.M.A., came to the University of Memphis in 2012 after spending 8 years performing as Principal Clarinet in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in New Orleans. She has performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Honolulu Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Chicago Opera Theater, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago under such conductors as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and Mstislav Rostropovich. 

 

Terris "TK" King's voice has been heard across the airwaves of the city of Memphis for the past 26 years. As an Instructor and Coordinator of student radio at the University of Memphis, TK will also serve as the liaison in the partnership between WYXR 91.7 FM and the Daily Memphian to assist them in providing maximum engagement for University of Memphis students. TK is really excited to embark on this journey of launching the online University of Memphis radio station, The ROAR, and even more excited to be a part of shaping the next generation of broadcasters.

 

Andy L. Kitsinger is first and foremost a community builder. His thirty-year career as an architect, urban designer, city planner and teacher has focused on creating authentic places that are strongly influenced by their context and have a positive impact on their community. Kitsinger chaired and served six years on the Memphis Historic Landmarks Commission and is a long-term member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is the founding Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Memphis Farmers Market. Kitsinger teaches and serves as the Director at the University of Memphis Design Collaborative in the Departments of Architecture and City & Regional Planning. He currently serves on the board of the Midtown Development Corporation (CDC) as well as active in the Urban Land Institute. He helped form and served on the Board of the Memphis Regional Design Center as well as serving on the Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Transportation Committee. 

 

Marty Lang is assistant professor of film and video production with the Department of Communication and Film. He has served on the film faculty of the University of Central Arkansas and Quinnipiac University, and worked as the Undergraduate Production Manager at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. He has guest lectured at Cal State Northridge, Chapman University, Texas Christian University and Sarah Lawrence College, among others. In addition, he created the nationally-recognized Connecticut Film Industry Training Program, a state-sponsored film workforce initiative that ran from 2008 to 2012. He continues to create and act in work that explores dysfunctional families, struggling underdogs and the working class.

 

Jennifer McGrath is Vice President of Education with the Orpheum Theatre Group. McGrath’s professional experience comprises of directing, stage management, teaching, event planning, and producing. In alignment with the Orpheum Theatre Group’s mission, she strongly believes in the power of the arts to educate, inspire, create change, and rehabilitate and is dedicated to encouraging others to find their artistic voices.

 

Virginia Murphy is the Founder and Executive Director of Playback Memphis, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the arts as a tool for therapy. Murphy earned a bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Boston College and a master’s in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Her entrepreneurial mindset and determination combined with her love of Memphis and its people have propelled Playback from an idea to a vibrant enterprise engaged in transformative work. Playback Memphis brings stories to life and life to communities in a safe space to unlock healing, transformation and joy.

 

Amy P. Nabors, M.A. CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist and clinical supervisor at the University of Memphis School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with voice and upper airway disorders, including singers and other voice professionals. In addition, she often works with patients who have neurological, degenerative, and functional voice and breathing disorders. Shortly after completing her graduate studies at the University of Memphis, she served as a singing voice qualified SLP at Bastian Voice Institute in the Chicago area. In addition to her academic and clinical training, Amy has a rich background in vocal performance. She earned a BA in Theatre and Speech from Wagner College in New York City, where she was trained as a singer in both classical and musical theatre genres. Prior to becoming a speech-language pathologist, Amy worked as a professional musical theatre performer.

 

Linley Schmidt is the Public Programs Coordinator at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens where she oversees the gallery docent program and education programming for adults. She began The Art of Living Well programs at the Dixon which includes yoga, taijiquan and meditation and oversees the museum’s art therapy programs, Teen Studio and Mosaics. Outside of the Dixon, Linley is a member of Our Own Voice, a theatre troupe focusing on mental health, and enjoys attempting to play ukulele with the Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob. Linley is the mother of two incredibly smart children who are University of Memphis students. 

 

Miriam van Mersbergen, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis where she teaches Voice Disorders and Dysphagia. She began her academic career studying music and communication arts at Calvin College. After a brief career in music she returned to academia and studied speech language pathology and vocology at The University of Iowa and continued with doctoral studies in speech language hearing sciences and psychology at the University of Minnesota. Her research investigated emotional and cognitive influences in voice production. She maintains an active clinical career specializing in voice and breathing disorders.

 

Darlene Winters, artistic director and founder of Company d, is a lifetime student of dance, with a master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She continues to provide services as a speech-language pathologist and contracts as a clinical faculty member for the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Memphis. Yet Darlene has uniquely combined her profession and her passion for the arts. Her work with the dancers focuses on developing their abilities as dance artists, and facilitating language and literacy through the performing arts. 

 

WYXR 91.7 FM is a new, non-commercial radio partnership and a collaboration between Crosstown Concourse, Daily Memphian and the University of Memphis. The call letters WYXR stand for “Your Crosstown Radio,” which serves as a nod to the station’s Crosstown Concourse home where the station produces and airs its daily broadcasts. The WYXR air room is located in the Central Atrium of Crosstown Concourse, where passersby can view inside the studio as shows are broadcast live.

 

Dr. Artina McCain, associate professor of piano, was recently profiled on a podcast produced by the BBC entitled ‘Sideways.' In the episode, host Mathew Syed focuses on musicians performing publicly through bouts of excruciating pain. Plus, he “explores the connection between the musician and their instrument and what happens when that precious relationship is severed by injury. He considers what happens when the thing we love to do most in the world begins to hurt us, and how being unable to do it can tear at the fabric of who we are.” While studying for her doctorate, Dr. McCain couldn’t open her right hand all the way. She was in constant pain – she couldn’t even play an octave, and the condition forced her to stop driving. “When a person is in a spiral of pain, it’s actually not possible to progress,” Dr. McCain said. Experiencing that pain, that loss, how can performers find new ways of understanding themselves? To listen to ‘Sideways’ with host Matthew Syed, produced on February 22nd for BBC 4 - CLICK HERE.