Tianna L. Cobb

Tianna L. Cobb

Tianna L. Cobb

Postdoctoral R & T Fellow

Health Communication, Organizational Communication, Mental Health, Gender and Race, Black Studies

Dr. Tianna L. Cobb is a Post-Doctoral Research and Teaching Fellow in the Department of Communication with joint appointments with African and African American Studies and Women and Gender Studies. Dr. Cobb received her B.S. in Sport Management and Coaching from the University of Texas at Austin; her M.A. in Communication from Texas State University; and her Ph.D. in Organizational and Health Communication from the University of Oklahoma.

Current Research

Dr. Tianna Cobb's program of research broadly aims to eliminate health inequities affecting Black communities through a critical and intersectional lens. More specifically, Dr. Cobb’s work seeks to equip Black populations with knowledge and tools to break generational stigmas and develop evidence-based mental health interventions and clinical services. The aim of her work is to centralize Black experiences and voices. Dr. Cobb's most recent work is examining the impacts of pseudo-therapy via social media on perceptions of and practices enacting boundaries as a protection mechanism for mental wellness.

Selected Publications

Cobb, T. L. (Forthcoming). Black women’s leadership in destigmatizing mental health. In B. Van Gilder, J. Austin, & J. Bishop (Eds.). Communication and Organizational Changemaking for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Case Studies Approach. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-022-00332-3

Riddick, B., Natarajan, S., Cobb, T., Warren, J. R. (2022) Implications of the Strong Black Woman Stereotype for Maternal and Perinatal Health: A Short Note. Integrative Gynecology and Obsterics Journal.1-2.

Holder-Dixon, A., Adams, O. R. Cobb, T. L., Goldberg, A. J, Fikslin, R. A. Reinka, M. A., Gesselman, A. N. & Price, D. M. (2022). Is COVID a great equalizer? Decreasing medical avoidance amongst multiple Stigmatized Identities. Journal of Behavioral Medicine. https://dio.org/10.1007/s10865-022-003322-3

Cobb, T. L. (2022). Destigmatizing black mental health: A black gay woman’s experience. In C. Molloy & L. Melonçon (Eds.). Mental health rhetoric research: Toward strategic interventions. (pp. 130-149). Routledge. DOI: https://dio.org/10.4324/9781003144854

Expanded Publication List

Cobb, T. L. (2022). Representation is coming. In J. Austin, M. Orbe, & J. Sims (Eds.). Communication Theory: Racially Diverse and Inclusive Perspectives. (pp. 155-158). Cognella.

Cobb, T. L., Austin, J., & Williams, G. (2021). Are you listening? Overcoming barriers in difficult conversations on social justice. Communication Teacher, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2021.1930084

Austin, J., Cobb, T. L., (2021). Red table talk: Discussion on social marginality. Communication Teacher. https://doi.org/10.1080/17404622.2021.1983188

Courses Taught

COMM 305: Foundations of Intercultural Communication

WMST 330: Feminist Theories of Gender, Sexuality, and Race

Education

Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 2021 - Health and Organizational Communication

M.A., Texas State University, 2017 - Communication Studies                                      

B.S., University of Texas, 2015 - Sport Management and Coaching  

Recent Presentations

Cobb, T., (2022, November). Black women leaders combatting mental health stigma within Black churches. Competitive Paper Presentation in the Health Communication Division at the National Communication Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Huerta, S., Cherubin, R., Cobb, T. L., Doetsch-Kiddler, S., Ma’at, A. (2022, September). Co-creating belongingness: Affirming student voice and ways of knowing. Interactive Panel Presentation at the Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference, Fairfax, VA.

Cobb, T. L., Hannah-Prater, K. J., Nakayama, T. K., Townsend, R. M., Williams, G. (2022, April). The Personal Is Political: Towards a Strategic Rhetoric of Whiteness and Personal Choice in the Covid-19 Mask Mandate Protests. Panel Presentation at the Eastern Communication Association Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Cobb, T. L., Myers, B. W., Dunn, T. R., Niess, L. C., Pyatovskaya, E., Hill, M. H. W. “No need to wear masks. We’re family! Right?...”: Merging autoethnography with communication theory to transform family communication in times of uncertainty. Panel Presentation at the National Communication Association Conference, Seattle, Washington. November, 2021.

Riddick, B., Cobb, T. L., Mhonde, R. D., Alleyne, K. “They won’t listen to me, anyway”: Analyzing the impacts of race and communication on maternal health care disparities. Panel Presentation at the International Association of Maternal Action and Scholarship Conference, Virtual. September, 2021.