About Lauren

About Lauren

Living and working in the space between academics and the private sector, I am consistently dedicated to excellent writing and a creative engagement with content.

I am currently employed as a Content Specialist at the Cleveland office of Fahlgren Mortine, a marketing and advertising agency based in Columbus, Ohio. I draft copy ranging from technical bylines to web pages and blogs to advertisements and more for a wide variety of B2B clients. I also work part-time at Sheetz, where I love interacting with my customers and providing "Total Customer Focus." I also freelance (mostly writing and crafting).

As an academic, I am a rhetorical critic and critical masculinities scholar. My work is primarily at the intersection of popular culture, mid-20th-century American history, and the U.S. presidency. I wrote my dissertation on American masculinity during the Nixon presidential years.

My other academic commitment is to Harry Potter Studies - though I stand with others in this community in disavowing the author's anti-trans bigotry, and I remain committed to avoiding purchases that support her financially. Harry Potter Studies is not connected to the author and is a highly interdisciplinary and inclusive area of scholarly inquiry. Currently, I have five publications in this field:

I am also the Assistant Coordinator of The Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College. You can find more about my academic work on my CV.

I am a highly organized, creative person, and I value fairness, practicality, and respect for other people's time and effort. See my resume for more on my non-academic work accomplishments.

As part of a big, Italian American family from Youngstown, Ohio, spending time with the people I love is an important part of my life. I also enjoy a good cup of tea (or glass of wine or bourbon!), creating various craft projects, a great pair of high heels, and pretty much all cats, especially my gal, Zowie (said "Zoey" but spelled like David Bowie's son). My saxophone-playing, woodworking, perspicacious fiancé, Gabe, is pretty awesome too.

An artistic representation of Lauren by Carson Legacy LLC.
©CarsonLegacyLLC
A photograph of Lauren standing near a building and smiling.
©Jason Traverse Photography
An artistic representation of Lauren by Grace Candido-Beecher. Lauren is holding a magic wand that is trailing sparks.
© Grace Candido-Beecher
chubby grey cat Zowie (said Zoey) lays on green carpeting in front of a marble fireplace as a fire crackles and pumpkins sit alongside the hearth. She is on her side with her belly facing the fire, with her head laid back so she can look at the camera. Her front legs are stretched out to the right of the photo.
Zowie
Mackerel Tabby cat sitting in a cubby on a bookshelf
the late Willow
Kreacher the brown tabby cat with a snaggletooth looks at the camera while sitting inside a pizza box next to her pizza slice catnip toy
the late Kreacher