Bailey Oliver Blackburn, Ph.D.
Graduate Coordinator; Associate Professor
Bio
Bailey Oliver Blackburn, PhD is an associate professor and the graduate coordinator for the online MA in Applied Communication and the Conflict Management Graduate Certificate programs within the Department of Applied Communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She holds a PhD in Human Communication, with a focus in restructured family communication. She is a published researcher, professor, and certified group facilitator in the fields of conflict transformation and family resilience. She teaches mostly graduate courses across negotiation, conflict analysis and intervention, and mediation, and undergraduate courses in family communication, conflict management, and rhetoric. Her publications focus on cultivating positive and resilient stepfamily relationships and civil community listening. Her facilitation and public speaking experience primarily focuses on conflict management, emotional intelligence, leadership skills, and promoting more collaborative work environments.
Professional Website: baileyoliverblackburn.com
Education
Ph.D., Arizona State University, Hugh Downs School of Human Communication
M.A., University of Alabama, College of Communication & Information Sciences
B.A., University of Alabama, Telecommunication & Film
Certified Group Facilitator Certificate, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, School of Public Affairs
Certified Mediator Certificate, Mediate University
Publications
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M., Chatham-Carpenter, A., & Thompson, C. (2025). Community Listening: The Nexus of & Listening within Civic Communities. In Community Listening: Stories, Hauntings, and Possibilities (2025 Outstanding Book Award for the Coalition for Community Writing). WAC Clearinghouse. DOI: 10.37514/PER-B.2025.2531
Mirivel, J. C. & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2024). How Positive Communication Creates Peak Communicative Moments. In C. L. Fisher, C. Fowler, J. Krieger, M. J. Pitts, A. K. Worthington, & J. F. NussBaum (Eds.), Health Communication, Language, and Social Action Across the Lifespan. https://doi.org/10.3726/b21965
Braithwaite, D. O. & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2024). Communicating to Create Healthy and Resilient Family Relationships. Family Focus, Issue FF101. https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2024). Half-Sibling Relationships and Family Communication. In Matthew Powers (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/
Braithwaite, D. O., & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2024). Intimacy in blended families: Close relationships with parents, siblings, and extended members of the family. In M. Hojjat & A. Moyer (Eds.). Modern relationships: The evolution of romance, friendship, and family (pp. 291-308). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2024). How communication is key to building resilience. Featured article on the Human Performance & Resources by CHAMP website, a website for U.S. military service members and family.
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2023). “Stepping in & Stepping Beyond: Negotiating Fatherhood in Discourse Dependent Families”. In Communicating Fatherhood: New Direction in Theory, Research, and Education. Peter Lang International. DOI: 10.3726/b18244
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2023). Stepchild-Stepparent Relationships and Resilience. In Matthew Powers (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2023). Developmental stages in stepfamilies. Marriage and Divorce in America: Issues, Trends, & Controversies. ABC-CLIO: Santa Barbara, CA.
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2023). Half siblings, stepsiblings, & divorce. Marriage and Divorce in America: Issues, Trends, & Controversies. ABC-CLIO: Santa Barbara, CA.
Braithwaite, D. O., Schrodt, P., & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2022). Becoming a Real Family: Turning Points and Competing Discourses in Stepfamilies. In Casing Interpersonal Communication: Case Studies in Personal and Social Relationships, 3rd edition. Kendall-Hunt. https://he.kendallhunt.com/
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. & Chatham-Carpenter, A. (2022). “But I Don’t Know if I Want to Talk to You”: Strategies to Foster Conversational Receptiveness across the United States’ Political Divide. Journal of Applied Communication Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. & Chatham-Carpenter, A. (2022). “Locating & Dispelling Inaccurate Attributions amongst the Political Divide: A Case Study of Braver Angels’ Activities”. In Casing Conflict Communication. Kendall Hunt Publishing. https://he.kendallhunt.com/
Oliver-Blackburn, B. M., Braithwaite, D. O., Waldron, V. R., Hall, R., Hackenburg, L., Worman, B. (2022). Protector and friend: Turning points and discursive construction of the stepparent role. Family Relations, 71(3), 1266-1285. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.
Waldron, V. R., Braithwaite, D. O., Oliver-Blackburn, B. M., Avalos, B. L. (2021). Paths to Positivity: Relational Trajectories and Interaction in Positive Stepparent-Stepchild Dyads. Journal of Family Communication, 21(1), 33-54. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Braithwaite, D. O., Schrodt, P., & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2021). Stepfamilies as developed and enacted in communication. In Routledge Handbook of Family Communication, 3rd edition. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/
Mongeau, P. A., Henningsen, M. L. M., & Oliver-Blackburn, B. M. (2021). Uncertainty, Stage Model, and Turning Point Approaches to Relationships’ Lifespan. In D. O. Braithwaite & P. Schrodt (Eds.), Engaging Theories in Interpersonal Communication: Multiple Perspectives (pp. 328-341). Taylor & Francis. DOI: 10.4324/9781003195511-29
Waldron, V. R., Braithwaite, D. O., Oliver, B. M., Kloeber, D. N., Marsh, J. (2018). Discourses of Forgiveness and Resilience in Stepchild-Stepparent Relationships. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 46(5), 561-582. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Braithwaite, D. O., Waldron, V. R., Allen, J., Oliver, B. M., Berquist, G., Brockhage, K., Marsh, J., Swords, N., Tschampl-Diesing, C. (2018). “Feeling warmth and close to her”: Communication and resilience reflected in turning points in positive adult stepchild-stepparent relationships. Journal of Family Communication, 18(2), 92-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/
Oliver, B. M. (2013). Professional presentations & technology. In Bennett, B. (Eds.), Public Speaking. Online Access. Dubuque, IA: Great River Technologies.
Awards and Honors
Metro Little Rock Guide Magazine Featured Citizen, 2025. https://digital.abpg.com/
Annette Shelby Endowed Speaker. “Resilient Family Relationships: Healthy Communication Practices for Couples, Parents & Stepfamilies”. Chosen as the 2025 speaker by University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Communication Studies, 2025.
Rising Faculty Award for Excellence Winner, College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences & Education. UA Little Rock, 2023. https://ualr.edu/news/2023/03/
Teaching Fellow Award. Awarded by the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE). UA Little Rock, 2021.
Professional Development Certificate. Awarded by the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence (ATLE). UA Little Rock, 2020.
Sandra Petronio Dissertation Excellence Award. Awarded by the Family Communication Division at the National Communication Association Conference, 2019.
Teaching
Undergraduate Courses:
COMM 42373 Family Communication
COMM 32373 Conflict Management
COMM 31673 Interviewing
HNRS 100H3 Rhetoric Communication (first year experience course for the Donaghey Scholars Program)
Graduate Courses:
COMM 72903/PADM 72903 Mediation
COMM 72473 Negotiation
COMM 72373 Conflict Analysis & Intervention
COMM 52373 Family Communication
Memberships
International Association of Relationship Research
National Communication Association
Western States Communication Association
Service
Public/Discipline Service
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Family Transitions
Reviewer for Journal of Family Communication, Western Journal of Communication, Family Relations, Journal of Family Issues, Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, Journal of Family Transitions (formerly the Journal of Divorce & Remarriage)
Paper Reader, Family Communication Division, National Communication Association
Featured Researcher/Podcast Guest, “Stepmums: Why do they get such a hard time?”. Ladies We Need to Talk Podcast. Sponsored by Australian Broadcast Company
Featured Researcher/Podcast Guest, RedRocks Relationship Podcast. Sponsored by Utah Tech University
Research Expert and Speaker, Stepfamily Magazine & the annual Stepmom Summit
Research Expert & Developer, Utah Marriage Commission & State of Utah’s Stepfamily READY. https://extension.usu.edu/
University Service
Graduate Council, Elected Member
Graduate Curriculum Committee, Member
Donaghey Scholars Program Policy Council, Member
Undergraduate Council, Former Elected Member
Committee on Committees, Former Member
Online Campus Advisory Board, Former Elected Member
College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences & Education Service
CHASSE Graduate Curriculum Committee
Awards Committee, Former Member
Departmental Service
Conflict Management Graduate Certificate Program Assessment Committee, Member
Student Success & Curriculum Committee, Member