Liz O'Brien serves as residential faculty in Communication and Director of the Honors Program at Phoenix College, one of the Maricopa Community Colleges. She earned a B.A. in communication from the University of Arizona and an M.A in communication from the University of Maryland. With nearly twenty-five years of experience in the college classroom, she continues to enjoy the interaction with her diverse, urban student population. She received her campus' Distinguished Teaching Award in 2000, was named Educator of the Year by the Arizona Communication Association in 2009–2010, and has been honored with several national awards for teaching excellence. Additionally, she is a professional watercolor artist, avid traveler, scuba diver, yoga enthusiast, and wedding officiant. Liz lives in a historic home in Phoenix with her husband Steve Emrick, cats Masala and Haggis, a garden full of plants, and a pond full of fish.