Core MLC Faculty
![Dr. Alexandra Johnston](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-21-at-2.07.42-PM.png)
Alexandra Johnston
MLC Director
Interests: Discourse analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, intercultural (mis)communication, gender and workplace discourse, gatekeeping encounters, using applied sociolinguistics in career paths in business, government, academia
![Dr. Cynthia Gordon](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-21-at-2.07.25-PM.png)
Cynthia Gordon
Associate Professor
Vice-Chair, Department of Linguistics
Director, Sociolinguistics Concentration
Interests: Discourse analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, theories of framing and intertextuality, linguistic construction of relationships and identities, digital/online discourse.
![](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2021/02/fond_ling_photo-edited.jpg)
Marissa Fond
Assistant Teaching Professor
Interests: Discourse analysis; management of knowledge, beliefs, and emotions in language and interaction; metaphor and frame analysis; research interviewing and other qualitative research methods.
![Dr. Heidi Hamilton](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-21-at-2.07.35-PM.png)
Heidi E. Hamilton
Professor
Interests: Discourse analysis, intertextuality, institutional discourse, health discourse, language and Alzheimer’s disease
![Dr. Jennifer Nycz](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-21-at-2.07.58-PM.png)
Jennifer Nycz
Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Interests: Phonological variation, sociolinguistics, (socio)phonetics, phonological theory, dialect contact, change over the lifespan, vowel systems, accommodation & style-shifting, individual differences in language variation, research methods in phonetics
![Dr. Natalie Schilling](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2019/10/Screen-Shot-2019-10-21-at-2.08.22-PM.png)
Natalie Schilling
Professor
Interests: Language variation and change, stylistic variation, sociolinguistic field methods, forensic linguistics
![](https://mlc.linguistics.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/249/2021/02/deb_tannen-edited.jpg)
Deborah Tannen
University Professor
Interests: Discourse analysis; analyzing everyday conversation, including conversations over social media; family interaction; cross-cultural communication; language and gender