Wendy Atkins-Sayre

Dr. Wendy Atkins-Sayre is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication & Film at the University of Memphis. She specializes in rhetoric, focusing on how communication shapes identity, particularly through food and regional narratives. Her research explores Southern and Appalachian cultural identity, resilience, and digital activism. She holds a PhD from the University of Georgia (2005), MA (1996) and BA (1994) from Texas State University.

• Co-authored Hungry Roots: How Food Communicates Appalachia's Search for Resilience (2024) and Consuming Identity: The Role of Food in Redefining the South (2016)
• Edited volumes including City Places, Country Spaces (2020) and Communicating Advice (2015)
• Published in Western Journal of Communication, Southern Communication Journal, and Public Relations Inquiry

Her work bridges food studies, cultural rhetoric, and digital activism, examining how communities construct identity through shared narratives and practices. Ongoing projects investigate regional resilience in Appalachia and the role of food in cultural preservation.