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Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Heather Voorhees

Associate Professor

Contact

Office
LA 356
Email
heather.voorhees@umt.edu
Office Hours

You can find me in my office throughout the week, but particularly Thursdays, 2-4 p.m. I am also available by appointment via Zoom -- email me to set something up. 

Website
Curriculum Vitae
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Heather Voorhees

Personal Summary

After earning my bachelor's degree in Mass Communication (print journalism) from Minnesota State University Moorhead, I enjoyed a career as a local newspaper reporter, photographer and editor. Then, for more than seven years, I worked on the internal communication team for Fairview Health Services, the largest healthcare system in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. I earned my master's degree in Strategic Communication from the University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, then spent a year as an internal communication manager for Technology and Operating Systems at the U.S. Bank corporate office. In 2019,I earned my Ph.D. in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, then was a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Health Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. 

Education

  • Post-doctoral Fellowship, Center for Health Communication; University of Texas at Austin (2019-2020)
  • Ph.D., Communication Studies; University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2019)
  • M.A., Strategic Communication; University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (2015)
  • B.A., Print Journalism; Minnesota State University, Moorhead (2003)

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (COMX 115)
  • Health Communication (COMX 480)
  • Health & Family Communication (COMX 486)
  • Health Misinformation (COMX 391)
  • Interpersonal Health Communication (Grad Seminar)
  • Qualitative Research Methods (Grad Seminar AND undergraduate course)

Teaching Experience

  • Assistant Director, COMM 286: Business and Professional Communication. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE. (August 2017-May 2019)
  • Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE (August 2016-May 2019)

Research Interests

  • chronic illness
  • illness identity
  • social support during chronic illness
  • patient-provider communication
  • mental health communication

Field of Study

Interpersonal health communication; chronic illness; illness identity; social support during chronic illness; illness disclosure

Selected Publications

Voorhees, H.L., Koenig Kellas, J., Palmer-Wackerly, A.L., Gunning, J.N., Marsh, J.S., & Baker, J. (2023). Making sense of memorable messages about fertility problems: Examining message valence by theme and sender. Health Communication.  

Voorhees, H. L., Makos, S., Babu, S., Taniguchi鈥怐orios, E., & Thompson, C. M. (2023). People who help people: A needs assessment of those who provide interpersonal support to individuals with chronic illnesses. Personal Relationships, 30(3),1072-1095.

Taniguchi-Dorios, E., Voorhees, H.L., & Donovan, E. (2022). Mental illness disclosure from confidants’ perspective within romantic relationships: Validation and extension of the disclosure quality model. Communication Monographs, 90(1), 112-135. .

Voorhees, H.L. (2022). “I was literally just not myself”: How chronic pain changes multiple layers of identity. Health Communication, 38(8), 1641-1653.

Palmer-Wackerly, A. L., Voorhees, H. L., Koenig Kellas, J., Marsh, J. S., Baker, J. T., Housh, B. C., Luc, M.-L. T., & Hall, R. D. (2022). How individuals use metaphors to negotiate fertility treatment decision-making with their romantic partners. Health Communication. 1-11.    

Voorhees, H.L., and Mackert, M. (2020). Helping future providers talk about mental health. The Clinical Teacher, 17(5).

Affiliations

  • Western States Communication Assocation (member since 2020)
    • Health Communication Division secretary (2022-current)
    • Executive Committee Member (2023-current)
  • Society for Health Communication (member since 2020)
  • National Communication Association (member since 2016)

Professional Experience

  • Corporate Communications Manager, U.S. Bank, Minneapolis Minn.  (April 2015-July 2016)         
  • Internal Communications Consultant, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis, Minn.  (October 2008-April 2015)
  • Community Editor, American Community Newspapers, Eden Prairie, Minn.  (May 2006-October 2008)

Honors / Awards

  • Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award – University of Nebraska-Lincoln Communication Studies Department (2019)