SOFIA BREWER-BERRES
Sofia Brewer-Berres earned her B.A. in Media Studies from Penn State University, where she also minored in Women’s Studies and Political Science. Sofia is
interested primarily in media representation and popular culture. She is currently
working on her final project in order to earn her M.A. in Women’s and Gender
Studies, a documentary film focusing on the normalization of rape culture
through popular movies. She plans to graduate in December 2015.
CHRISTINE COOK
Christine Cook received a BA in English Literature from Princeton and a
Masters of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College. She has written
four novels and two memoirs, and is a colonel in the US Army Reserves. Her
current interests include the history of women in the military. Her final project for
her Masters in Women’s and Gender Studies is a novel about gender relations in
a military family. After retirement from the Army and completion of this
Master’s degree in 2016, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Women’s and Gender
Studies or Women’s Military History.
RACHEL DICK
Rachel Dick received a BS from EMU with a major in Women’s and Gender
Studies and a minor in Human Sexuality. She traveled to Morocco to study
Women and Democracy, worked as the Program Assistant for the Keys to Degrees Single Parent Program, and is the Treasurer for the national Women’s and
Gender Studies Triota Honor Society chapter here at EMU. Rachel’s interests focus on sexual health education and ways to create healthy relationships utilizing
education and communication.
MARK DOEBLER III
Mark Doebler III received a BA in Social Relations and Policy at Michigan State
University, where they Chaired The Alliance of Queer and Ally Students,
conducted research through the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Scholars
Program, and worked with organizations such as the MSU Resource Center for
Persons with Disabilities, Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Peer
Prevention Program, MSU Hillel’s Destination Detroit, and Ask Big Questions.
Doebler is interested in critical queer and transgender theory analysis of cultural
studies, with recent research focusing on analysis of video games. Their thesis is
examining digital images of transgender subjects within video games.
SAADET DURMAZ
Saadet Durmaz is a graduate student at Eastern Michigan University pursuing an
M.A degree in Women and Gender Studies. She graduated from Ankara University
in 2009 with a B.A in Folklore. Her research interests include: Women's political
participation in Muslim cultures, gender representation in popular culture, and
LGBTQ studies. Saadet also works for an online fortune telling website. She uses
fortune telling as a tool to learn more about women's fatalism in Turkey. She is the
author of numerous popular culture articles in a Turkish website. (http://
noluyoayol.com/?s=ayol)
ASHLEY FAIRBANKS
Ashley Fairbanks received a BA from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with
dual majors in Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies. As an undergraduate
Fairbanks was the On Campus Coordinator for the student activist group, Women in
Learning and Leadership (WILL). Fairbanks interests include prison reform,
reproductive justice, workers’ rights, and comedy. Currently she is working toward
figuring it all out.
HALEY GENAW
Haley Genaw received a Bachelor of Science in Women and Gender Studies from
Grand Valley State University. Haley has spent the last three years working in the
sexual violence movement in Southeast Michigan. Haley continues her work in
sexual violence as a Graduate Assistant with Eastern Michigan University’s Women’s Resource Center. Haley is interested in queer anarcha-feminism and how this
practice can be used to heal individual and community trauma.
LZZ JOHNK
Lzz Johnk studied cultural anthropology with a minor in Asian Studies at Michigan
State University. After spending four years in Cambodia, they are now researching
and writing their Master’s thesis with a focus on philosophy and interdisciplinary
methodologies. Their academic interests include sexual violence, environmental
violence, queer theory, and disability studies. They hope to pursue a PhD in gender
studies and feminist research in the future. They are also a self-identified queer
knitter, blogger, runner, and couch surfer.
MELODY MONTGOMERY
Melody Montgomery received a BA with majors in Psychology and Women's and
Gender Studies from the University of Michigan Dearborn, where she interned at
First Step a domestic violence shelter for Women. Montgomery is interested in the
rights and changes in policy for domestic violence survivors and the equality of
the LGBTQ community. She is currently volunteering with AmeriCorps for
Athletic Angels - fund raising and grant writing for the organization.
JENNIFER RANDALL
Jennifer Randall graduated in 2013 from Indiana University South Bend with
degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST) and Anthropology as well as a
certificate in Social and Cultural Diversity. Jennifer has presented original
research at six undergraduate WGST conferences. She is involved with
community organizations such as Planned Parenthood and The Civil Rights Heritage Center (IN). Jennifer attended the National Conference for College Women
Student Leaders and was editor of the IUSB publication New V iews on Gender.
Her thesis is tentatively titled “Post-Incarcerated People: Grappling with Self-Esteem.”
JASMINE REYNOSO
Jasmine Reynoso is from New York City and graduated from Le Moyne College
(Syracuse, NY) in May 2015 with a Major in Psychology and minor in Women
and Gender Studies. She worked at Planned Parenthood since she was 16, starting
as a teen advocate in high school and continuing as an intern throughout her college career. Her goal is to become a sexuality counselor: “I believe that every
woman and gender beyond the binary should be proud of their identity so I’m interested in empowering women and genders beyond the binary of their individual
sexuality through that belief.”