Contact Information
Director of the Women's Center
Susanne B. Dietzel, Ph.D.
dietzel@ohio.edu | (resume) (136KB PDF)
Pronouns: She/Her
Susanne B. Dietzel is the Director of the Women's Center at Ohio University, joining the university in August 2007. A citizen of Germany, Susanne was born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany. She came to the United States as an exchange student in 1984 to study Southern and African American literature, as well as women's studies at the University of Mississippi. Susanne earned her PhD in American Studies and Feminist Studies from the University of Minnesota in 1996.
Her research and teaching interests include interdisciplinary women's studies, the history and institutionalization of women's studies, feminist theory and activism, and literary and cultural studies.
Before coming to Ohio University, she was a Visiting Assistant Professor of women's studies at Tulane University, and the Director of the Women's Resource Center at Loyola University in New Orleans. In New Orleans, she was active in the battered women's movement, sexual assault prevention services, and the re-building of feminist and women's institutions after Hurricane Katrina. She is a co-founder of Katrina Warriors, an expanding feminist network that seeks to end all forms of violence against women and girls in New Orleans as well as the New Orleans diaspora. She also worked with the V-Day Organization on organizing the 10th anniversary of The Vagina Monologues held in New Orleans in April 2008.
Survivor Adcocacy Program Coordinator
Brenda Strickland
Program Coordinator
Virginia Martin
Pronouns: She/Her
Virginia comes to Ohio University all the way from Oregon State University where she is finishing up her Master's degree in Women's Studies and Counselor Education. She received a BA in Women's Studies & Human Sexuality from Portland State University. She has a special place in her heart for non-profits. She has worked for Planned Parenthood, The Sexual Assault Resource Center, The Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center, and Human Dignity Coalition. Virginia's feminist praxis includes working for reproductive justice, empowering LGBTQ youth who live in rural settings, sex worker advocacy, anti-racist organizing in LGBTQ communities, social justice theater, and building alliances between religious organizations and LGBTQ organizations. Virginia is thrilled to be at Ohio University working as the Program Coordinator for both the Women's Center and LGBT Center. Come by and say hi!
Graduate Student
Monisha Mukhija
Pronouns: She/Her
Hello Bobcats! I'm Monisha Mukhija, the Graduate Assistant here at the Women's Center. I am from Bombay, India, I but came to the States in 2007 for my undergraduate education at Denison University. So this is my first year at OU and I'm here to pursue my Master's in Media Arts and Studies. My interest in women's issues came from not understanding social dynamics and power hierarchies. Even though I grew up in a very conservative culture, I never really understood the double standards that were consistently being drilled in my ears. But I was hesitant to say anything because I thought that I was probably the only one in the world who thought that way. Clearly, I was wrong. For me, feminism is not just about the notion that women are people and should be treated as such. Feminism gives me the inspiration to acknowledge that every human being - black, white, brown, male, female, straight, gay, transgender, rich, or poor - should be treated with equality and should be entitled to individual civil rights. We should be able to create our own realities and not have our freedom be defined by something that we are born into because that's so totally absurd. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that the Women's Center is awesome for all the work that they do and the support that they provide. Please stop by to study, chat, or even just for coffee. We are located in Baker 403. I'd love to meet you guys.
Student Outreach Coordinator
Sara Lowenstein
Pronouns: She/Her
Sara is a junior studying journalism/public relations with a specialization in sociology and community health. She has been working at the Women's Center as a student outreach coordinator for about a year and has loved every minute of it. In addition to working at the Center, Sara is a local news reporter for The Post, an account executive for the Amanda J. Cunningham Leadership Center's ImPRessions Account – the student-run PR firm on campus and as an active member of Scripps Public Relations Student Society of America. In her spare time, Sara enjoys watching reality television, shopping and hanging out with her friends.
Student Outreach Coordinator
Jess Miller
Hello all! My name is Jess Miller and I'm a junior studying journalism, political science, and women's and gender studies. I'm very excited to introduce myself as one of the student coordinators for the OU Women's Center this year!
To tell you a bit about myself, I grew up near Canton, Ohio, in a very small town called Sugarcreek. After high school, I applied and was accepted in the Scripps School of Journalism, and since I've moved to Athens, I haven't looked back! Growing up in such a conservative town where most women are housewives and mothers really motivated me to go on to college and further my education. I've been a passionate advocate of women's rights since I was a teenager, and now I'm glad to finally be putting this passion to good use here at the Women's Center.
Another passion of mine, and something I could literally spend all day discussing, is politics. I've also had strong political opinions from a fairly young age, so coming to OU, where diverse opinions abound, was wonderful. I had the amazing experience this summer of being an intern in Washington D.C. I wrote for the Almanac of American Politics, interviewed Congressmen, attended site briefings at the State made after doing a brief project on the center for my Learning Community class. After finding out information about the center and the programs associated with it, I personally wanted to help out! I am a pretty easy-going, so I am able to basically do whatever is needed to be done around the center. Helping out with the Love Your Body Day and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes are some of the more recent projects that I have been able to participate in. I am looking forward to volunteering and participating in the events with the Women's Center for my next four years here!
Student Worker
Lindsey Spanner
Lindsey is a junior studying Communication Studies and Spanish with a minor in Linguistics. This is her first year as a student worker at the Women's Center, although she worked as Publication Assistant for the Survivor Advocacy Program last year. She still volunteers at the Survivor Advocacy Program each week as a peer advocate for victims of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. Lindsey is also involved on campus as a peer mentor for an international learning community and as Vice President of the OU chapter of the National Communication Association Student Club. When she's not busy with class or her other activities, she can usually be found keeping up with the Kardashians or watching Sex and the City reruns.
Web Coordinator
Alexis Bleau
Interns, and Volunteers
Jillian Prusa
Pronouns: She/Her
I'm Jillian Prusa and I am an office volunteer at the Women's Center. I volunteer at the Women's Center because I've previously worked with women's organizations and I wanted to continue being involved when I came to Athens. I'm originally from Cleveland and currently I'm a first year graduate student in the Geography Department, where I'm studying urban environments and planning!
We are always looking for volunteers to help us run the Women's Center. Please come by or send us an email (womenscenter@ohio.edu) if you are interested in dedicating some of your time.
The mission of the Ohio University Women's Center is to act as a catalyst to promote awareness, education, and advocacy about women, gender, and diversity, among faculty, staff, and students at Ohio University and its surrounding communities.
