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Oral Communication Program Team

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Doree Allen

Doree Allen

Doree Allen is a Senior Lecturer and the founding director of Stanford’s Oral Communication Program.  She earned a B.A. in English from Mills College, and went on to receive her M.A. in Film and her Ph.D. in English from Stanford University,

In addition to offering individual consultations to students and faculty throughout the university, she teaches a variety of courses and workshops on public speaking and oral interpretation, including The Art of Public Speaking, From the Page to the Stage, Leading Out Loud, and The TED Commandments.  Her research interests include the poetics of the performed text and Carol Gilligan and Kristin Linklater's innovative work on voice and gender. Currently, she is developing a project that involves the writing and performance of poetry in museum and gallery settings. She can be found most weekends hiking the coastal trails of West Marin. 

Thomas Freeland

Thomas Freeland

Thomas Freeland is a lecturer in the Oral Communication Program, leading workshops and providing individual coaching in vocal technique, public speaking and interview preparation. He has a Ph.D. in Drama from Stanford, and has both directed and appeared in many local stage productions. He also teaches CTL 115: Voice Workshop, CTL 219: Public Speaking for Graduate Students, and CTL 177: The Performance of Power (which satisfies the WR-2 requirement).

Helen Lie

Helen Lie

Helen Lie, Ed.D. is a Lecturer in the Oral Communication Program, facilitating workshops and providing one-to-one consulting on presentation skills at the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking.  Prior to this position, Helen taught public speaking courses at the University of San Francisco.  Her background includes advanced studies in Learning and Instruction, and experience in non-profit advocacy and leadership training.  She is also a Stanford alumna with a B.A. in English.  She enjoys meeting with students to build their confidence and help them plan and deliver a message that is both clear and memorable. She lives in Millbrae with her two children.