Meet the Faculty & Staff

Faculty

  • Barbara Harville, Department Chair
     

    Barbara Harville, Ph.D.

    Professor
    baharville@alaska.edu
    SSB 219-D
    907-786-4950

    I am a Professor of Communication and currently serving as Chair of the Department of Communication. My primary teaching focus is on Interpersonal Communication. I also teach Communication in the Workplace and Communication and Leadership. One of my goals in all of my classes is to help students connect the theories and understanding of communication to the experiences of communication that we all have in our relationships.

  • Teresa Barton
    A headshot of Teresa standing in front of the Prince William Sound College sign

    Teresa Barton, Ph.D.

    tabarton@alaska.edu
    Prince William Sound College, Office 161
    907-834-1671

    Dr. Teresa Barton earned a BA in Advertising/Public Relations from Pennsylvania State University, an MA in Rhetoric and Philosophy of Communication from Duquesne University, and a PhD in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Barton teaches communication courses at UAA's Prince William Sound College in Valdez. Her courses often incorporate communication practices in outdoor recreation and themes particular to living and working in Alaska. 

     

  • Victoria McDermott
    a headshot of Tori standing in front of trees and smiling

    Victoria McDermott, Ph.D.

    Assistant Professor
    vmmcdermott@alaska.edu

    Dr. Victoria (Tori) McDermott (her/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She earned her PhD at the University of Maryland and her MA at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Victoria’s primary teaching and research take a critical approach to understanding communication and power. She teaches a variety of courses including communication theory, research methods, organizational/strategic communication, gender communication, and oral foundations of communication. In her courses, Victoria seeks to find the intersection of theory and practice to support students’ direct application of course content to strengthen their communication competence. Victoria has been teaching in Alaska since 2017. 

  • Christina Paxman
    A headshot of Christina Paxman

    Christina Paxman, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor
    907-262-0367
    cgpaxman@alaska.edu

    Dr. Christina Paxman is an Associate Professor of Communication at Kenai Peninsula College and, as part of her role there, also teaches online upper-division courses for the UAA Department of Communication. Her teaching and research focuses include Interpersonal Communication, Relational Communication, and Health Communication. Before moving to Alaska, Christina completed her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa, M.A. at California State University Long Beach, and B.A. at Western Washington University.

     

  • Michelle Scaman
    Michelle Scaman

    Michelle Scaman

    Instructor
    mlscaman@alaska.edu
    SSB 214-A
    907-786-1024

    Michelle Scaman, Instructor, has taught at UAA since 2010, and previously taught at UAF and at the Tanana Valley campus in Fairbanks. She teaches a range of GER Communication and upper division courses, including some distance/online sections. Her research interests include information literacy and public speaking. She enjoys serving as the UAA Commencement speaker coach, working with the students on their presentations.

  • Sarah Smith
    Sarah Smith

    Sarah Smith

    Instructor
    smsmith16@alaska.edu
    SSB 214-C
    907-786-6856

    "I have been teaching in the UA system since 2011 when I started my graduate program at UAF. I believe that the best way for students to learn and retain material is through discussion and practice. Through our class discussions, students get to practice oral and written communication on a variety of topics. It is important to me that students get to utilize the skills they read about in their textbook. I usually teach COMM 111 – Fundamentals of Oral Communication and COMM 235 – Small Group Communication. I enjoy both courses as they give students a great foundation in oral communication as they continue on in their academic and professional careers. I currently teach as an adjunct instructor because my other job is a full time stay at home mom to two small children. I enjoy spending time outside hiking, biking, skiing, skating, camping, and fishing. When I am not outside, I am usually baking with my children, or trying to read a few pages of a good book!"

     BA in English Education from Carroll College in Helena, MT

    MA in Communication from UAF in Fairbanks, AK

  • Pik-ha Soo
    Pik-ha Soo

    Pik-ha Soo, MA

    Adjunct Professor
    psoo@alaska.edu
    907-786-6856

    Pik-ha is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Communication. She graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a Master’s Degree in Professional Communication. Pik-ha has been teaching Communication classes since she was offered a teaching assistantship in the graduate school. Her master’s thesis focused on intercultural communication. This research interest stemmed from many fascinating experiences she had with people from different cultural backgrounds.

    Pik-ha has also earned a BA in Business Studies from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She moved from Hong Kong to Alaska in October 2002. Her love of nature and diversity such as mountains, glaciers, trees, birds, and people, keep her in Alaska!

    Currently, Pik-ha is working as training specialist of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Her responsibilities focus on employee educational development so that employees can help Alaskans with disabilities obtain and keep good jobs, and advance their careers.  

  • Robert Stise
     

    Robert Stise, Ph.D.

    Assistant Professor
    rwstise@alaska.edu
    SSB 214-D

    Dr. Robert Stise earned his BA and MA in Communication from the University of Northern Colorado (go Bears) and his PHD in Communication from the University of Delaware (go Blue Hens) before joining UAA as an Assistant Professor (go Seawolves). Robert’s primary research and teaching focuses are health communication, political communication, communication theory, and empirical research methods.

  • Amber Worthington
    A head shot of Amber Worthington

    Amber Worthington, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor and Department Chair
    akworthington@alaska.edu

    Dr. Amber Worthington is Associate Professor and Department Chair of Communication at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She earned her PhD and MA in Communication Arts and Sciences from Penn State University and her BS in Health and Exercise Science from Wake Forest University. Amber's primary teaching and research areas include interpersonal communication, public speaking, small group communication, health communication, and communication research methods. 

 Staff