Urbana-Champaign Area
I am a PhD student in Media and Cinema Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where my research examines how media shapes systems of power, representation, and cultural memory. My work sits at the intersection of film studies, sociology, and critical theory, with a particular focus on how images—both cinematic and digital—mediate political and social meaning. My current research explores the politics of visibility in mediated spaces, including how institutional structures, authorship, and framing practices influence whose stories are told, how they are told, and for whom. I am especially interested in media as a site of negotiation—where dominant narratives are reinforced, contested, and reimagined. Alongside my academic work, I produce videographic criticism through my series Tom Talks Film, where I use the moving image as both object and method of analysis. This practice-based approach allows me to engage scholarly questions through form, bringing together theory, editing, and visual argumentation. I currently serve as the Graduate Student Representative for the Society for Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS), where I advocate for graduate student interests and contribute to broader conversations around the future of the field. Before entering academia, I spent over a decade as a project manager in the retail merchandising and construction industry, leading large-scale operations across the United States. That experience continues to inform my approach to research, teaching, and media production—particularly in how I think about systems, labor, and coordination at scale. My work is driven by a central question: not just what media shows us, but what it does—how it organizes attention, shapes belief, and structures the conditions under which meaning is made.
Support undergraduate instruction in media and cinema studies courses focused on film analysis, television, and film production. Lead discussion sections, facilitate production-based learning activities, and provide written feedback on analytical and creative assignments. Courses: - MACS 100: Introduction to Popular TV & Movies (Prof. Jonathan Knipp) - MACS 260: Film Production (Prof. Victor Font) Responsibilities include: - guiding critical analysis and media interpretation - supporting production workflows and technical instruction - mentoring students through creative and analytical development - holding office hours and providing individualized feedback
-Selected for a competitive 8-week research fellowship - Conducted faculty-mentored research and presented findings at ISRS and SCMS
- Represent graduate student interests at the organizational level - Contribute to governance, conference planning, and professional development initiatives. - Lead outreach efforts to strengthen graduate student engagement and communication
Led weekly discussion sections and supported undergraduate instruction in cinema and television studies courses across multiple semesters. Facilitated historical, theoretical, and analytical engagement with film and media texts while providing feedback on written assignments and examinations. Courses: - CTCS 191: Introduction to Television and Video (Prof. Nitin Govil) - CTCS 190: Introduction to Cinema (Prof. George Carstocea) - CTCS 469: Billy Wilder’s Hollywood (Prof. Lucy Marzola) Responsibilities included: - leading classroom discussions - evaluating student writing and exams - supporting media analysis and historical interpretation - mentoring students during office hours
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