Susan Haigler, Ph.D.
I’ve been a Speech Communication instructor at Portland Community College for the past 25 years (notwithstanding a 2-year leave of absence when I lived in England). I earned my Master’s degree at The University of Georgia, and my doctoral degree at The University of Washington. My general academic focus in each of these programs was Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. However, my interest in Communication spans many areas, and as a result, my doctoral dissertation focused on Healthcare Communication, specifically on the interplay between gender, patient compliance, and the use of therapeutic touch. In 1999, my former colleague, Doris Werkman, and I developed the first online Communication classes at PCC, and since then I’ve enjoyed the flexibility to facilitate student learning while accommodating our unique schedules.
Now that you know my academic credentials, let me give you a brief idea of the “real” me: I’m a Southerner (North Carolina), born and bred, who’s married to a Norwegian (equally born and bred), and we have three kids (Anja, 21, Mia, 20, and Finn, 18). We visit Norway during Summer breaks (with visits to Denmark to see family), and we enjoy road trips, hiking, and biking throughout the US, when we’re stateside.
