Dr. Stephens grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for both her B.A. in Professional & Technical Writing and her graduate degree in Communication. Her Communication Master's degree focused on Training and Development, emphasizing the study of Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. While obtaining her undergraduate and graduate degree, she worked in Public Administration for a retirement system as a communications manager. In this role, Dr. Stephens gave public presentations about the retirement system, updated the organization's website, organized retirement meetings, conducted training for the office staff, and performed other communication-related job duties. In 2005, Dr. Stephens made the decision to obtain her Ph.D. and was accepted into the Communication studies graduate school at the University of Memphis. Her area of specialty is health communication, with a focus on patient-provider care. 

Dr. Stephens also holds several certificates in online teaching through Quality Matters and LERN. 

Outside of her career, Dr. Stephens enjoys her time with her family and her extended family of three dogs. She is an avid swimmer, reader, and coffee drinker.  

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Stephens, E. Creating Dialectical Tensions: “Instructor” or “Online Tech-Savvy” Instructor? Panel: Reframing the Narrative of Online Education: Social Presence as a Path to Engagement & Experimentation. Southern States Communication Association. Instructional Development Division. Montgomery, AL (April, 2018).

Joy V. Goldsmith, J.V., Brockman, K., Young, A.J., Stephens, E. Phillips, O. Long Acting Removable Contraception Resistance in Postpartum Adolescent Girls: The Interplay of Perspective, Motivation, and Health Literacy. Southern States Communication Association. Instructional Development Division. Montgomery, AL (April, 2018).  

Stephens, E. I am my son’s Voice: Mothers’ responses to fatal police shootings. Panel: They have a difficult job: Policing in America. National Communication Association Conference. Black Caucus Division. Dallas, TX. (November, 2017).

Young, A., Stephens, E., & Goldsmith, J. Family caregiver communication and health literacy in the ICU. Southern States    Communication Association Conference. Applied Communication Division. (April, 2017). Greenville, SC. Top Paper Panel for the Applied Division.

Young, A.J., Stephens, E. & Goldsmith, J.V. Family caregiver communication and health literacy in the ICU. 8th Annual Health Literacy Research Conference. Bethesda, MD. (October, 2016). Competitive poster.  

Stephens, E. Letting go and holding on: An autoethnography of grief. Southern States Communication Association Conference. Ethnography Division Top Paper Award Austin, TX. (April, 2016).

Young, A.J. & Stephens, E. Family communication in the intensive care unit: Addressing boundary ambiguity with rhetorical agency. Kentucky Conference on Health Communication Conference. Lexington, KY. (April, 2016). Competitive poster.   

Young, A.J., Schaffer, T., Stephens, E., Communication Strategies, Barriers and Boundaries in the Intensive Care Unit.  National Communication Association Conference. Health Communication Division.  Chicago, IL. (November, 2014).

Stephens, E. Coaching and mentoring our online students: An exploratory study of online students.  Tennessee Communication Association Conference. Murfreesboro, TN. (September, 2013).  

Stephens, E. America’s P.R.ID.E.: Entertainment education as a health communication intervention strategy for middle-school and high school students. National Communication Association Conference. Research in progress paper. Chicago, IL. (November, 2009).

Stephens, E.  Messages about tobacco: The Tobacco Free Memphis intervention with middle school and high school students. Southern States Communication Association Conference. Health Communication Division. Savannah, GA. (April, 2008).

Stephens, E. Job Corps: Smoking intervention using social cognitive theory. National Communication Association Conference. Training and Development Division. Chicago, IL. (November, 2007).

Stephens, E.   An analysis of medical team communication in the Bristol Royal Infirmary case. National Communication Association Conference. Competitive poster. San Antonio, TX. (November, 2006).  

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2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020: MTSU Letter of Recognition as Instructor Who Makes a Difference 

2017    Top Paper Panel, Applied Communication Division. The southern States Communication Association Conference. Young, A., Stephens, E., & Goldsmith, J. Family caregiver communication and health literacy in the ICU.

2016    Top Paper Award, Ethnography Division. The southern States Communication Association Conference. Stephens, E.  Letting go and holding on: An autoethnography of grief. 

2014    Emerging Leader Horizon Award, Tennessee Communication Association.

2009    The John Angus Campbell Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of Memphis, Communication Department.

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