About Us

Prior to becoming Vice Provost for Academic Leadership and Faculty Affairs (AL-FA) in 2023, Payne served as the Assistant Provost for AL-FA from 2018 to 2023. From 2006 to 2018 she served as Chair of the (then) English Department, overseeing the largest academic department on campus with 120 faculty. Before that, she served as the Assistant Director (1998-2003) and then the Director of the First-Year Writing Program (2003-2006).

She is the author of Bodily Discourses: When Students Write About Abuse and Eating Disorders (Portsmouth: Boyton/Cook, Heinemann, March 2000); The Curious Reader: Exploring Academic and Personal Inquiry (New York: Pearson Longman, 2005) with Bruce Ballenger; as well as co-author of The Curious Writer (2022) (with Bruce Ballenger and Kelly Myers) and The Instructor’s Manual to Accompany The Curious Writer (2022), in addition to various articles and book chapters.

She teaches courses in writing arguments, theories of rhetoric and composition, nonfiction writing, the teaching of writing, and special topics courses in literacy and faith-centered students. Payne earned a Ph.D. in English, Composition, and Literature from the University of New Hampshire in 1997. She has an M.A. in Composition and Rhetoric from Florida State University, and a B.A. in English Literature, with a minor in Creative Writing, from Miami University in Ohio.

Prior to her role as a project coordinator at Boise State, Stephanie was an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the College of Western Idaho for 12 years, where she was the founding faculty member of the Criminal Justice program. While at CWI, Stephanie also served four years as the faculty senate president. This role sparked a passion for supporting and advocating for faculty, which prompted her transition to Boise State. Stephanie holds a M.A. in Criminal Justice Administration from Boise State and a B.S. in Crime and Justice Studies from the University of Idaho. She has also sought out additional education in civil mediation, leading with diversity, equity, and inclusion, and project management. Stephanie is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Public Policy and Administration.

After teaching mathematics and visual arts in various schools across the country, Melissa worked as a Quality Data Analyst, verifying complex bond calculations and as a Learning and Development Lead and has experience communicating complex technical information to non-technical users as well as creating training programs. In addition, Melissa has experience with educational policy and advocacy work, having analyzed and reported data on education for policymakers to inform education-related legislation. Most recently, she was an educational specialist for the TRIO Teacher Prep program at Boise State.

Melissa earned her BA in Mathematics with minors in Art Studio and Education Studies from Colorado College, her MAT in Art Education from Columbia College of the Arts, and a User Experience Research Certificate from BSU.