Faculty & Staff

Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Biography

Lisa Mills is an Associate 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 12 shorts.  Her films have won national awards and screened in film festivals all over the world. The Committee, made in her 2011-12 Honors Documentary Workshop class is in national distribution with the American Public Television Exchange.  She serves as a board member of the Global Peace Film Festival and coordinates “Education Day” for the Sanford Love Your Shorts Film Festival.  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 history and theory
  • Media effects
  • Political communication
  • Creative self-efficacy

Recent Research Activities

New feature length documentary film in production entitled Marching Forward.  Release date early 2018.

Awards

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

Member University Film and Video Association and Broadcast Educators Association