DIRECTOR AND FACULTY CHAIR

Stephanie Sadre-Orafai 
Edwards 1, Suite 1100C
sadreose@ucmail.uc.edu 
513.556.3569 

Dr. Sadre-Orafai is Director and Faculty Chair for the Taft Research Center, Associate Professor of Anthropology, and Co-Director of the Critical Visions program, a joint effort between faculty in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning and College of Arts and Sciences, aimed at teaching students how to effectively combine critical theory and social analysis with art, media, and design practice. Trained as a sociocultural and visual anthropologist, she has pursued multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and collaborative projects that blend research and creative practice, resulting in public-facing video, curatorial, and experimental design work. Her current research probes the porous boundary between human and non-human types (including fashion models, typefaces, and natural history specimens) to better understand the mutually vivifying and dehumanizing potential of becoming a type and the political stakes and unexpected possibilities of objectification. Read more about her research here.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Sean Keating-Crawford
Edwards 1, Suite 1100E
keatins@ucmail.uc.edu
513.558.7541

Sean serves as the Program Director for the Taft Research Center. Prior to this, he served as Program Manager, Program Coordinator, and a Graduate Assistant at Taft. Sean earned an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

BUSINESS MANAGER

Sally Le Yang 
Edwards 1, Suite 1100D
yang2l7@ucmail.uc.edu
513.558.7368

Sally serves as the Business Manager for the Taft Research Center. Sally formerly worked at Utah State University, where she lead operations and financial management duties, grants and contracts (in excess of $12 million), as well as other financial duties for the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Sally holds an MA in Workforce Development from the Ohio State University and has passed all the four sections of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam.

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

Rikki Reese
Edwards 1, Suite 1100J 
reeser4@ucmail.uc.edu
513.556.8571

Rikki started her marketing career in the gaming and casinos industry, previously working for PENN Entertainment in a fast-track corporate management program and Churchill Downs Incorporated as a property-level Marketing Manager. Rikki holds a BA in Strategic Communication and American Studies from Miami University of Ohio and is eager to continue her education at the University of Cincinnati in the MBA program.

INTERDISCIPLINARY HUMANITIES GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

Fatemeh  is a MFA and MA student in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She coordinates the Taft Studio, assists with thematic programming, and the Taft Colloquium. 

Jayne is a PhD candidate in Rhetoric and Composition. She coordinates writing accountability groups at the Center and facilitates workshops for the Dissertation Fellows.