Steven A. Beebe is Regents' and University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University. He served as Chair of his department at Texas State for twenty-eight years and concurrently as Associate Dean for twenty-five years. Steve is the author or co-author of twelve widely used communication books, most of which have been through multiple editions (including Russian and Chinese editions), as well as numerous articles, book chapters, and conference presentations. He has been a Visiting Scholar at both Oxford University and Cambridge University in England. He made international headlines when conducting research at Oxford; he discovered a manuscript that was the partial opening chapter of a book that was to be co-authored with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis called Language and Human Nature. Steve has traveled widely in Europe and Asia, and has played a leadership role in establishing new communication curricula in Russian universities. He has received his university's highest awards for research and twice for service, has been recognized as Honors Professor of the year, and was named Outstanding Communication Professor by the National Speaker's Association. In 2013 he served as President of the National Communication Association, the largest professional communication association in the world. His passions include his family and a lifelong love of music; he is a pianist and organist and a struggling cellist.
Susan J. Beebe's professional interests and expertise encompass both oral and written communication. Sue has co-authored three books and has published a number of articles and teaching materials in both English and communication studies. She has received the Texas State University Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Service and the College of Liberal Arts Awards for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities, in Teaching, and in Service. After serving as Director of Lower-Division Studies in English for eleven years, Sue retired in 2014 from the Department of English at Texas State. An active volunteer in the community of San Marcos, Texas, Sue was the founding coordinator of the San Marcos Volunteers in Public Schools Program and has served on the San Marcos School Board and the Education Foundation Board. In 1993 she was named the statewide Friend of Education by the Texas Classroom Teachers' Association; in 2000 the San Marcos school district presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Sue enjoys reading, traveling, and caring for the Beebe family pets. Sue and Steve have two adult sons: Mark, who works in marketing in the Dallas area; and Matt, who teaches middle school in Austin.
Diana K. Ivy, Ph.D., has been a Professor of Communication for over 35 years, 24 of which have been spent at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she has taught primarily undergraduate and graduate courses in nonverbal, interpersonal, and gender communication. Her master's and Ph.D. in communication are from the University of Oklahoma; her Bachelor's degree is in speech and theatre from Texas Wesleyan University in her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Her first faculty appointment was at Texas State University, where Steve Beebe hired her as Basic Course Director.
Ivy is author/co-author of three communication textbooks (
GenderSpeak, 6/e;
Nonverbal Communication for a Lifetime, 2/e;
Communication: Principles for a Lifetime, 7/e) and a recent book chapter entitled "College Students' Sexual Safety: The Verbal and Nonverbal Communication of Consent," included in
Contemporary Studies of Sexuality and Communication. She has published articles in
Communication Education,
Southern Communication Journal, and
Women & Language and has held multiple offices in the National Communication Association and Western States Communication Association. In 2012, she received NCA's Teachers on Teaching distinction. She has served as Speaker of the TAMUCC Faculty Senate, Director of the university's Women's Center for Education and Service, Internship Coordinator for the Department of Communication and Media, and President of the Corpus Christi Chorale. In 2006, she received both the College of Liberal Arts and the University's Outstanding Service Award. In 2002, she was named Gender Scholar of the Year by the Southern Communication Association. She also hosted a call-in radio show, "Call Me Ivy," and has pursued post-doctoral coursework at Oxford University, studying C. S. Lewis and communication. She was granted a sabbatical for the academic year of 2015-2016, with a research focus on the communication of consent in sexual settings. Her sabbatical projects include guest teaching, presentations, and interviews with faculty and staff associated with student sexual safety, both at U.S. and Australian universities.
Her primary non-academic interests include choral singing and making floral creations from her studio in her home, using unique materials such as antlers, feathers, berries, seashells, and other natural materials found in the South Texas area.
