Biography
Lisa Mills is a Professor of Film, Documentary, at the University of Central Florida. She was born in Jacksonville and received her BA in English from Jacksonville University (1983), her MA in Mass Communication from the University of Central Florida (1999) and her PhD in Political Communication from the University of Florida (2005). Before entering academia in 1999 she was a broadcast journalist for 25 years at several television stations in the Southeast. Dr. Mills has directed or co-directed four feature length documentaries and 14 shorts. Her films have won national awards and screened in film festivals all over the world. The Committee(2015), and Marching Forward (2019) are in national distribution with the American Public Television Exchange. When not making films or teaching, Dr. Mills enjoys reading, fabric and yarn crafting, and enjoying the Florida outdoors on her bicycle.
Education
- Ph.D. in Political Communication from University of Florida (2005)
- M.A. in Mass Communication, Media Effects from University of Central Florida (1999)
- B.A. in English, Humanities Minor from Jacksonville University (1983)
Research Interests
- Documentary production
- Documentary history and theory
- Media effects
- Political communication
- Creative self-efficacy
Recent Research Activities
- Connections (2022) short documentary commissioned by Lions Clubs International, Inc.
- Jewel of Parramore: The WellsBuilt Hotel (2022) short museum orientation documentary commissioned by the WellsBuilt Museum of African American History and Culture.
- Both of the above documentaries were produced with Film and Honors students and won top Student Production Awards from the Suncoast Regional Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences.
Awards
2023 College of Sciences Nominee, Excellence in Faculty Advising Award; 2021 UCF Luminary Award; 2020 Induction into UCF Quill and Scroll Society; 2019 Sabbatical Type 1A Award; 2019 Nicholson School of Communication Outstanding Creative Activity Award; 2018 UCF Research Incentive Award; 2015 Center for Success of Women Faculty and Life at UCF Faculty Excellence in Inclusivity and Diversity Award; 2012 College of Arts and Humanities Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award; 2012 UCF Office of Academic Affairs Teaching Incentive Program Award; 2005 Nicholson School of Communication Grasty Award for Outstanding Teaching; 2004 UCF Office of Academic Affairs Teaching Incentive Program Award
Activities
Education Council Chair and Executive Board Member, Film Florida, Inc.