Elizabeth Pass

Dr. Elizabeth Pass is an Associate Professor at James Madison University (JMU) in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication, where she has served since 1997. She holds a Ph.D. in English (Texas Tech University, 1998), M.A. in Speech Communication (Texas Tech, 1989), and B.A. in Speech Communication (Texas A&M, 1987). Her research focuses on usability, accessibility of technical communication, hypertext theory, social media, web design, digital storytelling, and emerging technologies like augmented reality. She actively consults on accessibility tools, web design, and digital projects for organizations such as the National Zoological Park and academic journals like Kairos.

Dr. Pass has presented at international conferences (e.g., International Conference on The Image) and published in peer-reviewed journals and books. She co-founded and co-edited Kairos, a pioneering journal in digital rhetoric. Her recent work includes advising on accessibility tours for naturalist programs and contributing to technical communication education initiatives. Her professional activities emphasize bridging theory and practice in digital environments.

Her consulting engagements include projects with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Maison Platine, and Emmanuel Episcopal Church. She has also led workshops on topics like accessibility in digital spaces and web design pedagogy.