The Speakers
Our speakers, who hold Masters or Doctoral degrees in the Humanities and related Social Sciences, are working in non-profit organizations, corporate environments, publishing, or academic areas other than teaching. They have been invited to share their experiences, advice about their fields, and the stories of their career paths, particularly how their experiences in graduate study have contributed to their success. Several of the scheduled speakers are URI alumni, and are thus especially well prepared to speak to graduate students in our community.
Featured Speaker Donna Bickford earned her PhD in English from the University of Rhode Island. She is Associate Director of the Office for Undergraduate Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature. Donna directed the Carolina Women’s Center at UNC-CH from 2006-2011, and also helped create the North Carolina Coalition against Human Trafficking, serving on its Executive Board for several years. Prior to her arrival at Carolina in 2006, she taught for six years as a Lecturer in the Women’s Studies Program at the University of Rhode Island. In 2003 she received a Fulbright Scholar Grant and taught during the Fall 2003 semester at Abo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. She was recently profiled on the URI Department of English graduate student blog and has published articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education on the roles of administrator-scholars in academic institutions: "Building a Corps of Administrator-Scholars" and "A Move to Bring Staff Scholars Out of the Shadows."
Workshop Facilitator Heidi Giusto is a consultant, editor, and writer who owns Career Path Writing Solutions, a business dedicated to helping individuals and companies with their professional writing needs. Heidi specializes in working with PhDs and non-native speakers. She earned her PhD in History from Duke University in 2012 and launched Career Path shortly thereafter. She has been featured in US News & World Report, PhD Career Guide, What Are All the PhDs?, and Integrative Academic Solutions. She is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, a Certified Employment Interview Professional, a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches, and a Career Thought Leaders Associate.
Nathan Arndt is Curator of Museums and Collections at the University of Northern Iowa. He currently oversees a major project designed to refine the museum's mission and collections and to promote the use of material culture in student and classroom research. Prior to his position at UNI, Nathan was Assistant Curator at the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology at Brown University. He holds a Master's Degree in History from the University of Rhode Island with a focus on utilizing material culture within his research. Nathan received his Bachelor's Degree in American History from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Daniel Facchinetti is an Instructional Designer in the Education Technology and Interactive Media Office at Framingham State University. His work focuses primarily on supporting faculty with the design and development of the online components of courses (whether fully online, blended, or web-enhanced), assessing the effectiveness of courses and materials, and leading programs and workshops for faculty. Dan was formerly the Assistant Director of Instructional Design at Charter Oak State College in New Britain, CT, and he holds a Master’s Degree in English from the University of New Hampshire.
Elizabeth Francis earned her PhD in American Studies at Brown University and is the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities where she works with the board of directors, government, higher education, and cultural organizations. Overseeing the Council's relationship with the National Endowment for the Humanities, Elizabeth helps to position the Council's work more broadly as well as to build public-private partnerships. Appointed to the board of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation in 2013, Elizabeth participates in the state's economic development planning and has co-authored a strategic plan for Rhode Island's creative and cultural economy. Prior to this position, she served as the director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Brown University.
Katherine McGwin worked as a graduate student instructor while earning her Master's Degree in Communication Studies at the University of Rhode Island. Since 2014, she has worked as a Grant Writer in Corporate & Foundation Relations at the URI Foundation. Katie previously worked in marketing for Providence startups JumpOffCampus and EdTrips, and in development at Newbury College in Brookline, MA. She earned her Bachelor’s from URI in 2011, majoring in Art and Communication Studies and minoring in Business Administration while she served as a student assistant for the URI Foundation.
Jody Alves, is Senior Proposal Writing Specialist at GTECH Corporation and has been affiliated with its Business Proposals Department for 19 years. In her current position she writes Executive Summaries and strategically important proposal sections. She has worked on special projects, including a writer guidebook, experiential education opportunities, foundation content management, the department's intern program, and the initiation of a talent pipeline through local university collaboration. Previously the manager of the department's proposal writers, her experience also includes 25+ years in marketing communications in the insurance, banking, automotive, and healthcare industries. She did her graduate work at Bryant University and earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the University of Rhode Island.
Ronald Haley is the Manager of Marketing Analytics at Staples Headquarters in Framingham, MA, where he has also served as Senior Communications Analyst and a Project Manager for Business Intelligence. In addition, he teaches courses in the Department of Communications as an adjunct instructor. Ron graduated summa cum laude from URI in 2011 with his Bachelor's Degree and earned his Master of Arts in Communication Studies there in 2013.
Laura Wind earned her MA in English at the University of Rhode Island and has been working in academic publishing ever since. She is the Editorial Program Director at Macmillan Education in Boston, MA.
Our speakers, who hold Masters or Doctoral degrees in the Humanities and related Social Sciences, are working in non-profit organizations, corporate environments, publishing, or academic areas other than teaching. They have been invited to share their experiences, advice about their fields, and the stories of their career paths, particularly how their experiences in graduate study have contributed to their success. Several of the scheduled speakers are URI alumni, and are thus especially well prepared to speak to graduate students in our community.
Featured Speaker Donna Bickford earned her PhD in English from the University of Rhode Island. She is Associate Director of the Office for Undergraduate Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature. Donna directed the Carolina Women’s Center at UNC-CH from 2006-2011, and also helped create the North Carolina Coalition against Human Trafficking, serving on its Executive Board for several years. Prior to her arrival at Carolina in 2006, she taught for six years as a Lecturer in the Women’s Studies Program at the University of Rhode Island. In 2003 she received a Fulbright Scholar Grant and taught during the Fall 2003 semester at Abo Akademi University in Turku, Finland. She was recently profiled on the URI Department of English graduate student blog and has published articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education on the roles of administrator-scholars in academic institutions: "Building a Corps of Administrator-Scholars" and "A Move to Bring Staff Scholars Out of the Shadows."
Workshop Facilitator Heidi Giusto is a consultant, editor, and writer who owns Career Path Writing Solutions, a business dedicated to helping individuals and companies with their professional writing needs. Heidi specializes in working with PhDs and non-native speakers. She earned her PhD in History from Duke University in 2012 and launched Career Path shortly thereafter. She has been featured in US News & World Report, PhD Career Guide, What Are All the PhDs?, and Integrative Academic Solutions. She is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, a Certified Employment Interview Professional, a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches, and a Career Thought Leaders Associate.
Nathan Arndt is Curator of Museums and Collections at the University of Northern Iowa. He currently oversees a major project designed to refine the museum's mission and collections and to promote the use of material culture in student and classroom research. Prior to his position at UNI, Nathan was Assistant Curator at the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology at Brown University. He holds a Master's Degree in History from the University of Rhode Island with a focus on utilizing material culture within his research. Nathan received his Bachelor's Degree in American History from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa.
Daniel Facchinetti is an Instructional Designer in the Education Technology and Interactive Media Office at Framingham State University. His work focuses primarily on supporting faculty with the design and development of the online components of courses (whether fully online, blended, or web-enhanced), assessing the effectiveness of courses and materials, and leading programs and workshops for faculty. Dan was formerly the Assistant Director of Instructional Design at Charter Oak State College in New Britain, CT, and he holds a Master’s Degree in English from the University of New Hampshire.
Elizabeth Francis earned her PhD in American Studies at Brown University and is the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities where she works with the board of directors, government, higher education, and cultural organizations. Overseeing the Council's relationship with the National Endowment for the Humanities, Elizabeth helps to position the Council's work more broadly as well as to build public-private partnerships. Appointed to the board of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation in 2013, Elizabeth participates in the state's economic development planning and has co-authored a strategic plan for Rhode Island's creative and cultural economy. Prior to this position, she served as the director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Brown University.
Katherine McGwin worked as a graduate student instructor while earning her Master's Degree in Communication Studies at the University of Rhode Island. Since 2014, she has worked as a Grant Writer in Corporate & Foundation Relations at the URI Foundation. Katie previously worked in marketing for Providence startups JumpOffCampus and EdTrips, and in development at Newbury College in Brookline, MA. She earned her Bachelor’s from URI in 2011, majoring in Art and Communication Studies and minoring in Business Administration while she served as a student assistant for the URI Foundation.
Jody Alves, is Senior Proposal Writing Specialist at GTECH Corporation and has been affiliated with its Business Proposals Department for 19 years. In her current position she writes Executive Summaries and strategically important proposal sections. She has worked on special projects, including a writer guidebook, experiential education opportunities, foundation content management, the department's intern program, and the initiation of a talent pipeline through local university collaboration. Previously the manager of the department's proposal writers, her experience also includes 25+ years in marketing communications in the insurance, banking, automotive, and healthcare industries. She did her graduate work at Bryant University and earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at the University of Rhode Island.
Ronald Haley is the Manager of Marketing Analytics at Staples Headquarters in Framingham, MA, where he has also served as Senior Communications Analyst and a Project Manager for Business Intelligence. In addition, he teaches courses in the Department of Communications as an adjunct instructor. Ron graduated summa cum laude from URI in 2011 with his Bachelor's Degree and earned his Master of Arts in Communication Studies there in 2013.
Laura Wind earned her MA in English at the University of Rhode Island and has been working in academic publishing ever since. She is the Editorial Program Director at Macmillan Education in Boston, MA.