Faculty & Staff

A director and an associate director run the WILL Program and is supported by an administrative coordinator. The director and associate director teach required Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies courses, facilitate an annual speaker series, oversee WILL student advising, advise the WILL student organization, and serve as Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty members.

Director

Holly Blake, Ph.D., is director of the WILL program, Associate Dean of Women’s Education and Development, and a member of the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty. She received her doctorate in U.S. women’s history from Binghamton University, New York. Her dissertation, “Dependency is Not Charming:” Marie Howland on Women, Class, and Community, 1836–1921” focused on the life and work of Marie Howland, a 19th century writer and activist who mounted an inspired challenge to separate spheres and the prevailing domestic ideology. Blake has served as the director of the WILL program since 1992. She also has taught at Binghamton University, earned an M.A. in history and sociology from Binghamton University, worked as a community organizer in Texas and as an outdoor educator in Michigan.

 

Associate Director

Melissa Ooten, Ph.D., is associate director of the WILL program and a member of the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty. She received her doctorate in history from The College of William & Mary. Her dissertation, “Screen Strife: Race, Gender, and Movie Censorship in the New South, 1922–1965,” examines how issues of race, gender, class and sexuality have historically influenced governmental film censorship decisions in the United States. Ooten completed her undergraduate work at Carson Newman College in Tennessee and also has an M.A. in history from The College of William & Mary. Her areas of research include women’s history, African American history, media studies and Virginia history.

Administrative Coordinator

Karren O’Connell is the administrative coordinator of the WILL program.

WILL students also interact with Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty members from a range of academic departments.

In addition to the jointly appointed faculty listed below, the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program draws from a dynamic group of affiliated faculty across a wide range of disciplines.

Ms. Mallory Duncan
Coordinator of Interdisciplinary Programs
(804) 287-6693

Dr. Jane Geaney
WGSS Coordinator
Associate Professor of Religion
(804) 289-8330

Dr. Elisabeth Gruner
Associate Professor of English
(804) 289-8298

Dr. Dorothy Holland
Associate Professor of Theatre
(804) 287-6662

Dr. Suzanne Jones
Chair, Department of English
Professor of English
(804) 289-8307

Dr. Ladelle McWhorter
Professor of Philosophy
(804) 289-8423

Dr. Jennifer Nourse
Associate Professor of Anthropology
(804) 289-8965

Dr. Carol Wharton
Associate Professor of Sociology
(804) 289-8075

Affiliated Faculty

Dr. Holly Blake, Director, WILL Program
Dr. Thomas Bonfiglio, Professor of Comparative Literature & Linguistics
Dr. Kathrin Bower, Associate Professor of German
Dr. Susan Brewer, Adjunct Instructor WGSS
Dr. Jennifer Cable, Associate Professor of Music
Lee Carleton, Instructor of English Composition
Dr. Abigail Cheever, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Daryl Dance, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Jennifer Erkulwater, Assistant Professor of Political Science
Dr. Deborah Hanson, Visiting Professor of Theatre and Dance
Dr. Kathy Hewett-Smith, Associate Professor of English
Dr. Dona Hickey, Professor of English
Dr. Dorothy Holland, Associate Professor of Theatre
Dr. Woody Holton, Associate Professor of History
Dr. Crystal Hoyt, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies
Dr. Roni Kingsley, Associate Professor of Biology
Dr. Kevin Kuswa, Director of Debate
Dr. Julie Laskaris, Associate Professor of Classics
Dr. Ruth Longobardi, Assistant Professor of Music
Dr. KimMarie McGoldrick, Associate Professor of Economics
Dr. Marilee Mifsud, Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Communication Studies
Dr. Ana Mitric, Assistant Professor, Jepson School of Leadership Studies
Dr. Oli Mohammadi, Visiting Professor of Rhetoric and Communication Studies
Dr. Melissa Ooten, Associate Director, WILL Program
Dr. John Pagan, Professor of Law, T.C. Williams School of Law
Dr. Jeffrey Riehl, Associate Professor of Music
Dr. Miranda Shaw, Associate Professor of Religion
Dr. Andrea Simpson, Associate Professor of Political Science
Dr. Carol Summers, Professor of History
Dr. Sydney Watts, Associate Professor of History
Dr. Doug Winiarski, Associate Professor of Religion
Dr. Yucel Yanikdag, Assistant Professor of History
Dr. Karen Zivi, Assistant Professor of Leadership