Education

 

2014 Online Teaching Certificate 

Sloan C Online Learning Consortium

Specialization: Online Learners, Online Design

 

2005  MFA, Digital Filmmaking and Art

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia

Research Interests: Digital Filmmaking, Black portrayals in cinema & TV, elearning, 

Black French cinema

 

1992  BA, Communication, Emphasis in Journalism and Broadcast News, Minor in Theater 

Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 

Special Interests: Documentary filmmaking, Writing for stage and screen

 

 

Teaching

 

2006 – 2022 Interim Chair, Associate Professor of Film & TV, Clark Atlanta University, Division of Communication Arts, Department of Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2004 – 2005 Telecommunication Production I, Teaching Assistant, Georgia State 

University, Department of Communication.

 

University Service

2020 - 2021 Chair, Faculty Assembly, Clark Atlanta University

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2016 - 2020 Chair, University Curriculum Committee, Clark Atlanta University

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2018 - 2019 Faculty Coordinator for Digital Learning, Clark Atlanta University

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Professional Experience

 

2000 - 2022  OWNER/MANAGING MEMBER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

                   Sunsum, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia. Facilitate the development and production of intellectual properties and moving image concepts from concept to finished product. Develop & produce feature length and short form films, and media, corporate industrials, commercials, public service announcements, documentaries, electronic press kits, music videos, and interactive media. Provides production and directorial services. Clients include:

 

*Turner Broadcasting System

*Black Entertainment Television (BET)

            *TV One Network

            *Motown Records

*JVC Japan Recordings

*Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation

 

1997 - 2001 OWNER/MANAGING MEMBER/PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

Strange Fruit Films, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia. Developed & produced long and short form films, corporate industrials, commercials (TV & Internet), public service announcements, documentaries, electronic press kits, films, music videos, and interactive media. Conceptualized marketing campaigns. Clients include:

 

*Black Entertainment Television (BET)

*Ventura Home Distribution

*MTV Network

*BMG Music

 

1994 -1997  OWNER/MANAGING MEMBER/PRODUCER

Film Noire Group, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. Managed day-to-day operations of the production company. Managed and facilitated the procurement of directorial talent. Developed & produced long and short form media, corporate industrials, commercials, public service announcements, documentaries, electronic press kits and music videos. Conceptualized marketing campaigns. Clients include:

 

*LaFace Records/Warner Bros. Records/Motown Records

*Burrell Advertising

*Sony/Columbia Records

 

Courses Taught

 

2017-   Media Arts Studies: Black Invisibility in France, Clark Atlanta University, 

2022   3 credits, semester system, Mass Media Arts. 

 

 

2007-   Media Seminar (Film & Television), Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits,

2022    semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2006-   African American Images in the Media, Clark Atlanta University, 3

2022    credits, semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2006-   Fundamentals of Film & Television Production, Clark Atlanta University,

2021    3 credits, semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2016-   History of American Cinema since 1954, Atlanta Metropolitan College, 3 credits,

2017    semester system, Mass Communication.

 

 

2016-   History of American Cinema to 1954, Atlanta Metropolitan College, 3 credits, 

2017   semester system, Mass Communication. 

 

 

2014-   Reality Television Production, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits, semester system,

2021    Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2016   Digital Narrative & Storytelling, Atlanta Metropolitan College, 3 credits, semester 

           system, Digital Humanities. 
 

2009-   Internship, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits, semester system,

2017    Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2008-   History & Criticism of Film, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits,

2015    semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

 

2011-   Mass Communication Research, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits,

2014    semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

2009-   The Films of Spike Lee, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits, semester

2012    system, Mass Media Arts.

 

2007-    Survey of Mass Media & Society, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits,

2009     semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

2006-    Screenwriting, Clark Atlanta University, 3 credits,

2008     semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

2007-    Introduction to Radio/Television/Film, Clark Atlanta University, 3

2008     credits, semester system, Mass Media Arts.

 

 

 

Invited Scholarly Presentations

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2018     Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, Connecting the Dots: Active Learning

            Techniques that Deepen Classroom Learning, Scholarly Research Presentation, Orlando, 

             Florida, 2019.

                 

2017     6th Afroeuropeans: Black Cultures and Identities in Europe, Geographies of Blackness:        

             Performing Africanness Through Art and Activism in Europe, Invisible Identities of the African

             Diaspora: #BlackFrenchCinemaMatters, Scholarly Research Presentation, Tampere, Finland,

              July 6-8, 2017. 

 

2017     15th Annual Conference on Communication and Mass Media, Deconstructing Mise-en-Scene:

             Visual Rhetoric in Depictions of African American Women in Reality TV, Scholarly

             Research Presentation, Athens, Greece, May 8-10, 2017. 

 

 

2017     MedCom: 3th World Conference on Media & Mass Communication, Deconstructing 

                Mise-en-Scene:Visual Rhetoric in Depictions of African American Women in Reality TV, Scholarly

             Research Presentation, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 20-22, 2017.          

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2017     National Council for Black Studies 41st Annual Conference, Le Cinema de L'Exclusion: 

               #BlackFrenchCinemaMatters and the Impact of Transatlantic Slaving on African Diasporic

             Representations in French and African Francophone Cinema, Scholarly Research

             Paper Presentation, Houston, Tx, March 12-18th, 2017. 

 

 

2016     NYU, Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, Teaching a New Generation, Successful

             Teaching and Engagement Using Technology, Scholarly Research Presentation, 

             Atlanta, GA, November 18-19, 2016. 

 

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2015     NYU, Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, Advancing Social Justice From Classroom 

             to Community, Good Teaching for Good Citizens: Calls to Action for Teaching Social Justice, 

             Scholarly Presentation, Washington, D.C., November 21-22, 2015. 

 

2015     UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference, Interrogating the French Empire: Exploring the Historical

             and Contemporary African Diasporic Engagement and Experience in France, Scholarly 

              Research Panel, Atlanta, GA, October 8-10, 2015.         

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2015     2015 18th Annual AHECTA Conference, Teaching Reality Television Production: The New        

             Gateway into Television Careers for Millennial Media Studies Students, Providence, RI, June 23-

             26, 2015. 

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2015     21st Century Academic Forum Conference at Harvard University, Social Media that 

             Transforms the Blended Classroom: Enhancing Student Engagement & Interaction, Scholarly

             Research Paper Presentation, Boston, MA, March 8-10, 2015.

 

2015     International Conference on Creativity and Visual Literacy, Deconstructing Mise-en-Scene: 

             Visual Rhetoric in Depictions of Black Women in Reality Television, Scholarly Research

             Paper Presentation, Lisbon, Portugal, March 22-24, 2015.

 

2014     International Conference on 21st Century Education, Social Media that Transforms the

             Blended Classroom: Enhancing Student Engagement & Interaction, Scholarly Research

             Paper Presentation, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 13 -15, 2014.

   

2014     NYU, Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, Global Imperative for Higher Education:

             Global Education, A Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Scholarly Research Paper Presentation,

             San Juan, Puerto Rico, November 21 – 22, 2014.

 

2014     International Conference on New Horizons in Education, Beyond the Literal: Teaching Visual

             Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom, Scholarly Research Paper Presentation, Paris, 

             France, June 25 – 28, 2014.

 

2013    NYU, Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, Reinventing Liberal Education, Paradox of

            Liberal Education: Interfacing Technology w/ Student-Centered and Student- Led Learning,

            Scholarly Research Paper Presentation, Miami, FL, November 2013.

 

2013     Association for Teacher Education in Europe Conference, Social Media As A Tool That

             Transforms the Collegiate Classroom, Scholarly Research Paper Presentation, Genoa, Italy

             March 2013.

 

2012     NYU, Faculty Resource Network National Symposium, What’s Old Is New: Using Real-World

             Experiences to Engage and Meet the Expectations of 21st Century Students, Scholarly

             Research Panel, New Orleans, LA, November 2012.

 

2012     International Communication, Media, Technology & Design Conference, Moving Images in

             Social Media, Scholarly Research Paper Presentation, Istanbul, Turkey, May 2012.

   

2012    Hawaii International Conference on Humanities, Moving Images in Social Media, Scholarly

            Research Paper Presentation, Honolulu, HI, January 2012.

  

2008    Communication and Social Change: Advancing of Civil & Human Rights Through Media and

            Communication Arts Conference, The Independent Television & Film Media Market, Panelist,

            Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, February 6, 2008.

 

2007    Communication and Social Change: Advancing of Civil & Human Rights Through Media &

            Communication Arts Conference, The Politics of Black Female Sexuality in Film, Scholarly

            Research Paper Presentation, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA, February 6, 2007

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Publications 

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2019     A New Method of Using Student Self-Assessment: Bridging Gaps Between Teaching Content 

             and Student Learning, Communication Teacher, Spring 2019.  

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2018     Caught Between a Thot and a Hard Place: The Politics of Black Female Sexuality at the 

             Intersection of Cinema and Reality Television, The Black Scholar: Journal of Black

             Studies and Research, Spring 2018. 

 

2017     Successful Teaching and Engagement Using Technology, New York University/Network:

             A Journal of Faculty Development, Teaching a New Generation of Students, A National

             Symposium, Proceedings, Fall 2016. (first author)

 

2015     Global Education: A Bridge Over Troubled Water, New York University/Network: A Journal

             of Faculty Development, The Global Imperative for Higher Education, A National 

             Symposium, Proceedings, Fall 2014. (co-author)

 

2014     Beyond the Literal: Teaching Visual Literacy in the 21st Century Classroom, Procedia Journal

             of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Elsevier Ltd., 2014. (peer reviewed) (first author)

 

2013     Paradox of a Liberal Education: Interfacing Technology with Student-Centered and Student-

             Led Learning, New York University/Network: A Journal of Faculty Development: Reinventing

             Liberal Education, A National Symposium, Proceedings, Fall 2013. (co-author)

                       

2013     Social Media As a Tool That Transforms the Classroom, Association for Teacher Education in

             Europe: Learning and Teaching with Media and Technology Conference

             Proceedings, Genoa, Italy, November 2013. (co-author)

 

2012     What’s Old is New: Using Real-World Experiences to Engage and Meet Expectations of 21st

             Century Students, New York University/Network: A Journal of Faculty Development: New

             Faces, New Expectations, A National Symposium, Proceedings, Fall 2012. (co-author)

 

2012     The Moving Image and Social Media: The Changing Power Relationship Between Creator

             and Spectator, International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology & Design

             Conference Proceedings, Istanbul, Turkey, May 2012. (co-author)

 

2007     The Politics of Black Female Sexuality in Film, Communication Arts Forum, DigitalCommons

             @ Robert W.Woodruff Library, Atlanta University Center, 2007. (peer reviewed) 

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Production / Broadcast / Distribution / Exhibition

 

2018     Writer/Producer/Director, 50 Watts from Noon 'til Midnight (documentary), ATLANTA STUDIES: 

             EMORY CENTER FOR DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP EXHIBITION. 2018.

 

2017     Writer/Producer/Director, 50 Watts from Noon 'til Midnight (documentary), ROBERT W. 

             WOODRUFF GALLERY EXHIBITION. 2017. 

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2015     Co-producer, Line Producer, The Last Punch (feature film), PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL

             PREMIER. 2016.

 

2011-    Executive Producer, Director, Next Level (reality series), THE FAMILY CHANNEL/MY FAMILY

2013    TV NETWORK. Broadcast 1st run spring 2011.

 

2009     Story Producer, Keith Sweat’s Platinum House (reality series), TURNER BROADCASTING/

             CENTRIC TV NETWORK. Broadcast 1st run summer 2010. 

 

2005     Director, Being Bobby Brown (reality series), BRAVO TV NETWORK. Broadcast 1st run 

             summer 2005. 

 

2004     Managing Member, The Book of Love (feature film), BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV (BET).

             Broadcast1st run February 2006. 

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