Debra Baker

Related People
Sandy Hanson
Melody Dixon
Staci Kuntzman
Timothy Horne
Carol Leeman

Debbie_Web_Profile_2012Areas of Interest

  • Public Speaking
  • Small Group Communication
  • Business Communication
  • Interpersonal Communication Contexts

Bio
Professor Baker is an UNC Charlotte alumna and senior lecturer who has facilitated undergraduate courses in business communication, small group, interpersonal communication contexts, and public speaking – including Freshman Learning Community sections – at UNC-Charlotte since 2001. Having earned licensure in education with graduate work in communication theory and teaching effectiveness, she specializes in creating diverse, engaging learning opportunities to help students be inspired, challenged and successful learners. “Walk by my classroom and you might hear laughter flowing freely, the ‘Olympics Fanfare’ medley resonating when teams proudly accept their medals or complete silence as students work intently on an exercise,” she says.  “I proudly hang in my office a 2011 student-designed faculty award which states ‘Most Eccentric’ for my teaching style because it acknowledges the different pedagogical and andragogical research for which I value.” Another notable achievement includes being a part of the departmental team, which received the 2013 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Outside of the classroom, mentoring has been integral part of Baker’s professional engagement.   She  has earned a certificate in “Train the Trainer” from the American Society of Training & Development (ASTD) for Human Resources Corporate Training and is a prolific public speaker.  She frequently presents best practices at national and regional conferences and to organizations, which have included Wells Fargo Banking, SEED20, TELOS, The Diversity Summer Institute, TEDXUNCC, S.A.F.E, University Center of Academic Excellence, The Center for Graduate Life, OASES, Academic Advising Center, Preceptors, UPIP, Prospect for Success, and Communication Across the Curriculum’s Designated Communication Consultants and Faculty Lunch & Learn series. Baker was appointed to serve as the first Communication Across the Curriculum Fellow, a faculty development initiative which supported departments in integrating oral communication instructional strategies for academic excellence. In 2016, she became the founding director for the University Speaking Center, which earned two nationally competitive awards.  UNC Charlotte received the 2017 and 2019 National Association of Communication Center’s Most Outstanding Undergraduate Consultant awards.  Departmentally, Baker currently serves as Comm 1101 Public Speaking Faculty Coordinator, Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advisor and the Communication Studies Scholarships Committee Chair.

Education

  • B.A., University of North Carolina – Charlotte, 1993
  • M.A., University of North Carolina – Greensboro, 1999