Elizabeth S. Parks, PhD
Elizabeth S. Parks, PhD, is a globally recognized scholar, educator, and leader whose career spans over 25 years in international nonprofit organizations, higher education, global research, and public engagement. With a deep-rooted passion for ethical leadership and intercultural dialogue, she has dedicated her work to building bridges across diverse communities and empowering others through listening, education, and mentorship.
Dr. Parks has served as a tenured associate professor of Communication Studies, an associate dean of academic and student services, and an assistant director for a center for public deliberation in the United States, as well as on the faculty at a US university located in the Republic of Korea. She has taught over 100 courses across 10 colleges and universities globally, influencing undergraduate and graduate students with her inclusive, trauma-informed approach to learning and transformation. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Listening, a board member of the International Listening Association, Director of Ethical Listening at the Global Listening Centre, and lifelong member of the National Communication Association. Her academic contributions include two books (“Listening: The Key Concepts” (2025) and “The Ethics of Listening: Creating Space for Sustainable Dialogue" (2018)), more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, and participatory research in 16 countries including as a Fulbright Specialist. Recognized with 15 research awards and five honors for teaching and coaching, she is a multilingual education and thought leader in listening, leadership, social justice pedagogy, linguistics of signed languages, and research ethics. She was the 2026 inductee into the International Listening Association’s Hall of Fame.
As Founder of Sage Leadership Consulting, LLC and a certified professional coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation, Dr. Parks advises organizations and individuals on communication strategy, leadership development, and cultural competency. She also works at the nexus of research, coaching, facilitation, learning & development, and professional editing, combining any and all of these tools and skillsets for the benefit of her clients. Through her consulting work, she has mentored multiple educators and leaders nationwide, supporting their growth with empathy, accountability, and purpose. At the heart of her career is a belief in the power of listening—not just as a skill, but as a foundation for equity, connection, and transformative change.
advanced degrees:
2017 PhD, Communication; University of Washington
2017 Graduate Certificate, Values in Society; University of Washington
2013 MA, Communication, University of Washington
2006 MA, Deaf Studies: Cultural Studies, Gallaudet University
2003 BA, Communication Studies, Creighton University
2001 AAS, Sign Language Interpreting, Iowa Western Community College
Awards and honors:
2026. Listening Hall of Fame. International Listening Association.
2025. Presidential Citation for Service. Inaugural Virtual Learning Opportunity. National Communication Association.
2024. Synergist Research Award. International Listening Association.
2024. Convention Top Paper Award for Sustaining a Radical Listening Ethic in Liminal Times. International Listening Association.
2023. Outstanding Coach Award. National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.
2023. J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award. United States Department of Education.
2022. Top Paper (Language and Social Interaction Division) for A Transcription System for Nonverbal Listening Behavior. Western States Communication Association.
2021. Presidential Citation for Service. NCA Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Council. National Communication Association.
2021. Top Paper (International and Intercultural Division) for Bimodal multilingual education: Recognizing the linguistic resources of a diverse deaf world. National Communication Association.
2021. Top Paper (Instructional and Developmental Communication Division) for A bridge for communication: Negotiating intergenerational listening expectations in face-to-face interactions and digital platforms.” National Communication Association.
2020. Presidential Citation for Service. NCA Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Council. National Communication Association.
2020. Ann Gill Faculty Development Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity. College of Liberal Arts, Colorado State University.
2018. Top Paper (Communication Ethics Division) for Ethical listening across difference: Inviting hope for sustainable hospitality. National Communication Association.
2018. Top Paper (Language and Social Interaction Division) for Responses to third-party complaints in opinion formulations about others’ technology use. National Communication Association.
2018. Top Paper (Feminist Scholarship Division) for Are you my mother? Perpetuating gender inequality through listening expectations and relational roles. International Communication Association.
2017. Best PhD Dissertation: Faculty Awards for Outstanding Completed Research. Department of Communication. University of Washington.
2015. Top Paper (Asian/Pacific American Caucus) for Hybridized heads: A critical analytic autoethnography of mixed Asian American and disability identities. National Communication Association.
2015. Top Paper (Ethnicity and Race Group) for Extinction, genealogy, and institutionalization: Challenging normative values in popular endangered language discourse. International Communication Association.