Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments

Dr. Kristen Nacole LeBlanc Farris

  • Chair - Associate Professor - Department of Communication Studies
Portrait of Dr. Kristen Nacole LeBlanc Farris

Biography and education

Dr. Kristen Farris is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Communication Studies at Texas State University. She graduated with her PhD in interpersonal communication from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. Prior to that, she earned a MA in communication studies from Texas State University and a BA in speech communication from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • Burns, Michael Edward, Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc, Burney, Marsha N. TEDxTexasStateUniversity, Common Experience, Texas State University, $1000. (Funded: December 2018). Grant.
  • Houser, Marian L (Principal), Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc (Co-Principal), Burke, Patricia Jean (Co-Principal). Assessment of the Caregiver Communication Competence Scale, Texas State University, Texas State University, $16000. (Submitted: October 1, 2022, Funded: January 1, 2023 - May 31, 2024). Grant.
  • Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc (Principal), Burns, Michael Edward (Co-Principal), Paz, Mark A (Supporting), Ngondo, Prisca (Supporting). TEDx Texas State University, Common Experience, Texas State University, $1000. (Submitted: September 2022, Funded: September 2022 - Present). Grant.
  • Dailey, Stephanie Layne (Principal), Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc (Co-Principal). Memorable Messages of First-Generation College Students, Research Enhancement Grant, Texas State University, $14900. (Funded: 2019 - 2020). Grant.
  • DeMuynck, Jacqueline Patrice (Principal), Head, Katherine Michelle (Co-Principal), Galarza, Jason Lee (Co-Principal), Farris, Kristen Nacole LeBlanc (Supporting), Burns, Michael Edward (Supporting), Paz, Mark A (Supporting), LeClair, Cassandra Fay (Supporting), Frei, Seth Steven (Supporting). TEDx Texas State University, Common Experience, Texas State University, $1000. (Submitted: September 2019). Grant.
View all grants
  • Farris, K. N. L., DeGroot, J. M., Burke, T. J., & Mellow, A. J. (2026). “It’s going to take hard work”: An exploratory analysis of parent-caregivers’ labor across their child’s illness trajectory. Western Journal of Communication, 90(3), 417–441. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2025.2601506
  • Dailey, S. L., Farris, K. N. L., Howard, K. J., & Burke, T. J. (2025). "It’s a Roller Coaster of Emotions!’: Investigating the Paradoxes of Childcare App Use and Work Engagement. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 53(3), 198–220. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2025.2477032
  • Worley, T. R., Scheinfeld, E., & Farris, K. N. L. (2024). Relational turbulence in the context of families: A lifespan perspective and roadmap for future research. Annals of the International Communication Association. https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2024.2380298
  • Burke, T. J., DeGroot, J. M., Farris, K. N. L., & Mellow, A. (2024). ‘The Rare Life’: Examining parents’ grief associated with caring for their medically complex children. Health Communication. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2330130
  • Farris, K. N. L., Houser, M. L., & Timmerman, C. E. (2023). Pandemic pedagogy and turbulence in the teacher-student relationship. Texas Speech Communication Journal, 47(1), 52–70.
View all scholarly/creative works
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Top Paper Award, Training and Development Division of the National Communication Association. November 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Top Paper Panel Award, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Division of the National Communication Association. November 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Top Paper Award, Instructional Development Division of the Southern States Communication Association. April 2022
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Top Paper Panel Award, Instructional Development Division of the National Communication Association. November 2021
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Texas State University Chapter of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. 2020
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  1. Member

    Student Evaluation of Teaching/Course Evaluation Working Group

  2. Reviewer / Referee

    Southern Communication Journal

  3. University Mentor

    Department of Communication Studies

  4. Member

    Basic Course Curriculum Committee

  5. Reviewer / Referee

    Health Communication

  6. Reviewer / Referee

    Basic Communication Course Annual

  7. View all activities