Biography
Dr. Kisiel holds an MA in Interdisciplinary Arts (Columbia College Chicago), an MRes in Humanities and Cultural Studies (Birkbeck College, University of London), and a PhD in Literature (University of Essex, UK). Her background includes work in the fields of immigration law, training and development, creative writing, and improvisational storytelling and movement. Integrating the arts with workplace, cultural, and identity concerns, she aims to cultivate onsite and online classrooms that enable adult learners to express themselves deeply and authentically. A travel writing scholar with a focus on Illinois and Ohio Valley history and early American culture, her research and writing explores intersections between travel, culture and creativity, and perceptions of early nineteenth-century British travelers about slavery. Dr. Kisiel is also an
Illinois Humanities Road Scholar who presents and writes about the struggle to keep Illinois from becoming a slave state during the early years of statehood.