DAVID RHEAMS

EDUCATION

2018 Ph.D. Cultural Studies • George Mason University • Fairfax, VA Dissertation Title: Constructing Groundwater: An Analysis of Groundwater Knowledge Infrastructures in Texas Fields of specialization: Political Economy of the Natural Environment, Digital Media Theory, Ethnography

2008 M.A. Liberal Arts • Louisiana State University - Shreveport • Shreveport, LA

2004 B.A. Journalism; History (minor) • Louisiana Tech University • Ruston, LA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Business Architect

Atlassian, Inc. | Aug 2021 – Present

• Developed and executed transformational long-term business strategies and technologies for Atlassian’s Customer Support and Service teams. Most recently, I’ve been focused on an AI project to improve access and comprehension of complex textual information.

Lecturer in Critical Media Studies

The University of Texas at Dallas — Aug 2018 – Present

Head of Influencer Growth Services

LTK (formerly rewardStyle ) | 2017 – 2021

Grew and scaled Customer Operations team and led turnaround of Influencer Growth Services that contributed to triple-digit growth in adoption as a member of Senior Leadership Team reporting to GM of this influencer marketing SaaS firm.

Director of Customer Success

BirdEye, Inc.  | 2016 – 2017

Reduced issue response time from 4 days to 1 by through process mapping and eventual streamlining on our Salesforce Cloud instance. Directed 17-member Customer Service team and 10-person offshore team for this early-stage SaaS startup.

Director of Software Services

ReachLocal, Inc. (Gannett) | 2007 – 2015

Repeatedly recruited to build, scale and revitalize teams, products and services for this digital marketing solutions startup. Designed training and built Support and Operations teams key to expansion from 5 to 40+ U.S. offices with a Global Support team and worldwide clients. I was promoted early and often in this early-stage startup that exited with an IPO.

Conference Presentations

Upcoming Presentations

“From efficiency to Empathy: Ethnographic Perepseictic on AI Chatbots in Customer Support to be presented at the Ethenography Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC), Santa Barbara, August 18-21, 2024.

Presentations

“#Insta-Environment: Measuring the Effects of Instagram’s Algorithm on Climate Change Communication” presented at the Society of Social Studies of Science Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA September 4 – 7, 2019

“Consent, Privacy and the Ethics of Digital Advertising” presented at the 20th annual Convention of the Media Ecology Association, Toronto, June 27-30, 2019.

“Hiding in Plain Sight” presented at the 18th Annual Cultural Studies Association Conference, New Orleans, LA May 30 – June 1, 2019.

“Imagining Environmental Justice in Texas Groundwater Images” presented at the 16th Annual Cultural Studies Association Conference, Pittsburg, PA, May 31 – June 2, 2018

“The Establishment of Influencer Networks within Digital Journalism” presented at the 14th Annual Cultural Studies Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA, June 2-5, 2016

“Mapping Groundwater Conflict: Using Digital Content Analysis to Identify Authoritative Voices within Environmental Communications in Texas” presented at the 2015 Conference on Communication and Environment, Boulder, CO, June 11-14, 2015

“The Everyday Life of Digital Ecology” presented at the Chesapeake American Studies Association Conference, Baltimore, MD, March 28, 2013

“Constructing Data: An Examination of the Obama for America App” presented at the Critiquing Culture Conference, Fairfax, VA, September 9-10, 2012

WORKSHOPS CHAIRED

• “Workshop for the Study of Social Media” at the 18th Annual Cultural Studies Association Conference, New Orleans, LA May 30 – June 1, 2019.

RESEARCH LABS

• Public Interactives Research Lab member from 2019 - 2022

ACADEMIC SERVICE

• 2019 - Present. Mentor, Power of Two Mentor Program at UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Business                                        
• 2018 – 2020. Co-Chair, Cultural Policy Working Group, Cultural Studies Association.
• 2018 – 2020. Technology Coordinator, Cultural Studies Association.
• 2015 – 2017 Director of Digital Outreach, International Environmental Communications Association