About us
The CxC team is comprised of a dynamic group of professionals dedicated to supporting
high-impact teaching that transforms students’ learning and their communication skills.
Whether you're looking for assistance with teaching a C-I course, have questions about
CxC's student recognition programs, or want more information about CxC studio services,
we're here to help. Not sure where to start? Reach out to the CxC team member dedicated
to your college.
Open Full-time Positions
Rebecca Burdette, Ph.D.
Director
B8 Coates Hall
rburdette@lsu.edu
225-578-7791
Rebecca holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in communication and doctorate in organizational
development. As director of CxC, she leads institutional efforts to advance teaching
and learning of communication skills for undergraduates of all majors. Rebecca joined
the CxC team in 2008 and in 2010, CxC was nationally recognized by the Conference
on College Composition and Communication for innovation and commended as a dynamic
program “to which other universities should aspire.” Prior to joining CxC, Rebecca
spent 15 years blending strategic planning and communication to deliver high-impact
results for organizations within the public and private sectors of tourism, healthcare,
and higher education. She is a founding member of the
U.S. Wikipedia Education Foundation and a co-curator of
TEDx Talks at LSU. Both in and outside the classroom, Rebecca enjoys connecting people and projects
to make incredible things come to life for students, faculty, LSU, and the Baton Rouge
community. She is a member of the LSU E.J. Ourso College of Business faculty where
she teaches advanced business communication, and she serves as an executive coach
and consultant for strategic planning, interpersonal communication, and team dynamics.
Jennifer Baumgartner, Ph.D.
Faculty Chair
101 Peabody Hall
jbaum@lsu.edu
225-578-7791
Jennifer holds a bachelor’s in psychology and both a master’s and a Ph.D. in human
development and family studies, all from the University of Illinois, Urbana. Her role
as CxC’s faculty chair allows her to demonstrate her strong commitment to faculty
development and communication-intensive teaching and learning. An associate professor
in the School of Education, Jennifer has more than a decade of experience teaching
communication-intensive courses and has mentored several students through the Distinguished
Communicator program. Her research directly correlates to her work in faculty teacher
development, particularly around how philosophies and/or knowledge are translated
into practice, stressing support among teachers. You can read some of Jennifer’s work
in several journals, including Journal of Health Psychology, Early Child Development
and Care, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education and Young Children. Jennifer
is currently on sabbatical through Spring 2023.
Boz Bowles, M.F.A.
CxC College of Engineering Representative
Assistant Director, Chevron Center for Engineering Education
1269-C Patrick F. Taylor Hall
dbowles@lsu.edu
225-578-9952
Boz holds a bachelor’s degree in English and an MFA in Creative Writing from Virginia
Commonwealth University. He is assistant director of Academic Affairs for the LSU
College of Engineering, where he coordinates the Communication across the Curriculum
program for the College and manages the Communication Studio in the Chevron Center
for Engineering Education. In addition to teaching English classes, Boz has a hand
in approximately 65 engineering courses a year and teaches an online course with the
Encounter Engineering in Europe (E3) program. As a part of the team in CxC and the
Chevron Center for Engineering Education, he has published and presented numerous
works related to communication-intensive instruction, and his creative works have
appeared in a variety of journals and magazines, including
Copper Sails and
Red Rock Review. His hobbies include drumming and martial arts.
Becky Carmichael, Ph.D. 
College of Science Representative
College of Coast & Environment Representative
151 Coates Hall
bcarmi1@lsu.edu
225-578-7817
Becky holds a B.S. from Purdue University, with a focus on conservation biology, and
Ph.D. from LSU, with an emphasis on disturbance ecology, both in Biological Sciences.
In addition to serving as the CxC Science Coordinator, she teaches in the LSU Ogden
Honors College and the LSU College of Science, where she regularly employs innovative,
communication-intensive teaching strategies to engage students in contemporary science
issues. Becky also serves as a Wiki Education faculty ambassador and a TEDxLSU speaker
coach, and recently collaborated with colleagues across the country to study how science
is perceived, creating the #ScientistsWhoSelfie community on Instagram and Twitter.
She is passionate about sharing the stories of researchers at LSU, leading to the
creation of LSU Experimental, a student-driven podcast recorded in CxC’s Studio 151.
Outside of the classroom, Becky shares her backyard ecology and other science happenings
on Instagram at @beakerbjc.

Kevin DiBenedetto, B.A.
College of Humanities and Social Sciences - Studio 151 Manager
CxC Business and Technology Manager
B10 Coates Hall
kdibene@lsu.edu
225-578-7811
Kevin earned his BA in Mass Communication from LSU with a concentration in Electronic
Media. He has spent the last 16 years at LSU working in a variety of roles, but at
the heart of his skill set he is passionate about helping students, faculty and staff
master the skills necessary to produce the best possible video and audio products.
He has spent the last few years identifying new technologies and trends in higher
education related to further enhancing the communication skills of students. This
expertise also comes in handy as he currently serves as the executive producer and
production manager for TEDxLSU. He is an avid film buff and is proud of the film
collection that he has helped to put together and manage in Studio 151.
Annemarie Galeucia, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
B6 Coates Hall
agaleu1@lsu.edu
225-578-7843
Annemarie earned her BA in English Literature from Wagner College, her MA in Religious
Studies (American Public Cultures) from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and
her Ph.D. in Geography & Anthropology from LSU. In addition to her ten+ years of teaching
and research experience in various academic programs and under the auspices of organizations
such as the Lilly Endowment and Bureau for Ocean Energy Management, Annemarie co-organizes
TEDxLSU and was also named a 2016 AAC&U K. Patricia Cross Scholar for her commitment
to higher education. Annemarie enjoys applying her training as a social scientist
to enhance connections between academic research, public knowledge, and engaged community
for students, faculty and Baton Rouge as a whole. When Annemarie isn’t collaborating
via her CxC role you can find her reading crime novels, researching and writing on
material and public cultures, and convincing people that everywhere is walking distance
if you have time.
Josef Horáček, Ph.D.
College of Art + Design Studio Representative
215 Julian T. White Hall
jhoracek@lsu.edu
225-578-1197
Josef Horáček oversees the Communication across the Curriculum (CxC) Studio in the
College of Art & Design. His responsibilities include developing the writing, speaking,
visual, and technological communication skills of undergraduates, supporting faculty
in the design and teaching of communication-intensive courses, training peer writing
and speaking mentors, coaching Distinguished Communicator Medal candidates, and providing
access to studio resources and technologies. Josef also directs LSU in the Heart of
Europe, a summer abroad program in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. He earned
his Ph.D. in translation studies from Emory University and started at LSU as an English
instructor in 2010 before joining the CxC Art & Design Studio in 2019. He is from
the Czech Republic.
Brandi Simmons, B.A.
Program and Communications Coordinator
B6 Coates Hall
brandisimmons@lsu.edu
225-578-7614