Jessi Lang

Shortly after starting her PhD in 2004, Jessi began a career in journalism as a radio and TV broadcaster for Feature Story News in Washington, D.C. As a member of an international media outlet, she wrote, voiced, and produced daily stories on a variety of news beats, maintained the radio news feed, and interviewed political figures such as Colin Powell and Richard Lugar. With strong writing skills, keen editing sensibilities, and a love for public speaking, she excelled during her two years with the bureau and was offered the opportunity to host a Comcast Cable sports show. As the host of "That's What She Said" and a former player on softball, volleyball, swimming, billiards, and track teams, Jessi's able to indulge her inner tomboy while highlighting the efforts of community-based organizations dedicated to helping at-risk adolescents. Featuring programs such as The District's Boxing and Youth Center, she promotes participation in athletics and showcases the importance of physical fitness, resilience, determination, and camaraderie. Throughout the show she has had the opportunity to interview boxers Larry Holmes and Joe Frazier, as well as mixed martial artists Randy Couture, Rich Franklin, Matt Hughes, Chris Lytle, and Chris Leben. In 2009, she also began hosting car reviews for Roadfly TV and is constantly pursuing new media endeavors. Her dream is to have her *own* show on the OWN network. Attracted to all things educational, she's earned a Bachelor of Arts in English: Professional Writing from Kutztown University, a Master of Arts in English in the Teaching of Writing and Literature from George Mason University, and degrees in Radio and Television Announcing from Columbia School of Broadcasting. As a Ph.D. in Cultural Studies Candidate at George Mason University, she's researching the ways in which web-based self-representations facilitate interpersonal connections, reflect reality by engaging in the imaginary, and function as commodities that are subject to exploitation.