Elizabeth S. Parks, PhD

Elizabeth S. Parks, Ph.D., 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.

Currently Dissertation in Practice Chair in the EdD of Interdisciplinary Leadership at Creighton University and Affiliate Associate Professor in Journalism & Media Communication at Colorado State University (CSU), Dr. Parks also previously held a tenured associate professor role in Communication Studies at CSU. She has taught nearly 100 courses across nine colleges and universities, influencing over 1,000 students with her inclusive, trauma-informed approach to learning and transformation.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Parks has served in key leadership roles including Associate Dean at Colorado Mountain College and Assistant Director at CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation. 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 50 peer-reviewed publications, and participatory research in 16 countries including as a Fulbright Specialist. Recognized with 14 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.

As Founder of Sage Consulting, LLC and a certified professional coach, Dr. Parks advises organizations and individuals on communication strategy, leadership development, and cultural competency. 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

Academic Positions:

2025 - Present Creighton University. EdD in Interdisciplinary Leadership. Dissertation in Practice Chair.

2024 - Present International Journal of Listening. Editor-in-Chief.

2024 - Present Colorado State University, Department of Journalism and Media Communication. Affiliate Associate Professor.

2024 - Present University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Department of Communication Studies. Instructor

2019 – 2024 Colorado School of Public Health, Department of Community and Behavioral Health. Affiliate Faculty (2022-2024); Adjunct Assistant Professor (2019-2022).

2021 – 2023 Colorado Mountain College, Leadville. Associate Dean of Academic & Student Services.

2018 – 2022 Colorado State University, Department of Communication Studies. Associate Professor (2022); Assistant Professor (2018-2022)

2018 – 2021 Center for Public Deliberation, Colorado State University. Dialogue and Diversity Specialist (2019-2021); Assistant Director (2018-2019).

2017 - 2018 University of Minnesota Duluth, Department of Communication. Assistant Professor of Communication.

2014 - 2016 Central Oregon Community College, Department of Fine Arts and Communication. Assistant Professor of Speech Communication (2014-2016); Adjunct Instructor (2014-2015)

2012 - 2016 University of Washington, Department of Communication. Instructor of Record, Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant.

2013 Seattle Pacific University, Communication, Journalism, and Film Department. Adjunct Instructor.

2006 - 2012 SIL International. Americas Area Sign Language Assessment Research Coordinator.

2006 - 2009 University of North Dakota – Summer Institute of Linguistics. Adjunct Instructor, Teaching Assistant.

Awards and honors:

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.