Steph C. Iasiello, PhD
Educator | Coach | Consultant
Steph C. Iasiello
PhD in English Literature
JD Candidate
Location: Atlanta, GA
Email: sciasiello@gmail.com
About
BACKGROUND
Steph received their Ph.D. in English from Emory University. They served as a Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow and Director of Information and Education at the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. Prior to their appointment at the Alliance, they served as President of the Board of Directors for Reforming Arts, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that provides a theater-infused liberal arts higher education to the individuals incarcerated at women's prisons across the state of Georgia.
Steph's research interests include contemporary literature of the African Diaspora, slavery, neo-slavery, mass incarceration, criminal justice reform, critical race theory, postcolonial theory, and queer theory.
Currently, Steph is pursuing a JD at Georgia State University College of Law. In addition to working as a graduate assistant for the Georgia State University Prison Education Project, they have also helped to develop GSU's Street Law program as a means to continue their social justice & advocacy work.
Education
2019 - 2023 (Anticipated)
Georgia State University College of Law
Juris Doctor
Certificate in Public Interest Law (pending)
2012 - 2018
Emory University, Laney Graduate School
MA, PhD in English Literature
Areas of Research: Literatures of the African Diaspora, Critical Race Theory, Slavery, Neo Slavery
2008 - 2012
State University of New York College at Geneseo
BA in English Literature and Black Studies
Experience
August 2021 - Present
Georgia State University Prison Education Project
April 2020- Present
Apogee College Prep
Coach
August 2020- October 2021
Alliance for Higher Education in Prison
Director of Information and Education
Associate Editor, Journal of Higher Education in Prison
American Council of Learned Societies/Mellon Foundation Public Fellow
January 2017 - July 2020
Reforming Arts, President of the Board of Directors
September 2016 - July 2020
Reforming Arts, Instructor
English Literature & Composition
June 2017 - May 2018
Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, Emory University
Digital Publishing Fellow
February 2014 - July 2018
Woodruff Library, Emory University
Still Image Processing Assistant
Skills & Services
Research
Prison Studies & Abolitionism, Queer Theory, Pedagogy, Literature of the African Diaspora, Legal Research
Writing
Academic Essays, Grants, Book Indexing
Tutoring
High School & College
English, Writing, Grammar, Literary Analysis, College Admissions, & College Prep
Open Access &
Digital Publishing
Website Design & Management, Curating Digital Content
Awards & Distinctions
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2020 - 2022 Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow
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2019 recipient of the “30 Under 30” Non-Profit Leader Award, Young Non-Profit Professionals Network of Atlanta
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Member of Phi Beta Kappa
Interests
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Prison Abolition
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Higher Education in Prison
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Literature of the African Diaspora
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Critical Race Theory
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Arts-Based Education
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Queer Feminist Pedagogy
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Decriminalizing Homelessness
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LGBTQ Advocacy
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Public Interest Law