Laurie Edwards

Laurie Edwards is a Teaching Professor and Online Pedagogy Coordinator in the English Department at Northeastern University’s College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH). She specializes in Advanced Writing for Health Professions and Writing to Heal, focusing on narrative medicine, online/hybrid pedagogy, and diversity in education. Edwards holds an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Emerson College and has authored two books on chronic illness: Life Disrupted (2008) and In the Kingdom of the Sick (2013), recognized as Library Journal’s Best Consumer Health Book and a Booklist Editor’s Choice, respectively.

Her research bridges healthcare and education, emphasizing patient narratives and the role of writing in health advocacy. Edwards frequently contributes to public discourse on chronic illness, gender bias in healthcare, and virtual teaching innovation via essays in The New York Times, WBUR’s Cognoscenti, and appearances on NPR and Fresh Air. She coordinates Northeastern’s Writing Program, integrating digital tools and empathy-driven pedagogy to engage students in global health communication and critical inquiry.

Edwards’ work challenges societal stigmas around chronic illness, as seen in her analysis of Yolanda Hadid’s Lyme disease portrayal in Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and advocates for equitable healthcare access through rare disease advocacy. She also explores generational teaching dynamics and the ethical dimensions of online education, emphasizing meaningful student-faculty interaction in virtual classrooms.