Patricia Childress

Patricia Childress is an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University's Charlotte campus, where she has served as full-time faculty since 2004—the inaugural year of the campus. She teaches courses including Introduction to Food Writing, Rhetoric & Composition, Communication Skills, Contemporary Classical & World Myth, and Science Fiction.

Her educational background features:

• M.A. in English from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte
• B.A. in Anthropology and English from Randolph-Macon Women's College

Dr. Childress's expertise bridges food writing, cultural anthropology, and literary studies. With over 1,000 food-related articles published in Creative Loafing (1995-2016), she brings extensive industry experience to the classroom. Her anthropological fieldwork includes immersive exploration of Egyptian mythology in Egypt, Native American mythology in Oklahoma, and Mayan/Incan cultures at Chichen Itza and Machu Picchu. She frequently shares this knowledge as a guest speaker on food/wine topics across radio, universities, and cultural institutions.

She also leads the Ancient Greek History and Modern Greek Culture course through JWU's Study Abroad program in Greece, demonstrating her commitment to experiential education.