Research Interests 

Communicated sense-making, meaning making, everyday storytelling, decision making, adoptive families 

Manuscripts Under Review

Warner, C., Jordan, E., Richards, S., & Miller-Day, M. (Under 2nd review). Children are (Still) 

Communicators Too: Assessing and Advocating for Youth Representation in Communication Scholarship. Submitted to Communication Studies.

Taladay-Carter, C., Nabi, A., Richards, S., Hornberger, B., Shadoan, S., Smith, H., Szelag, R., Stahl, H., Wahed, K. H., & Kaur-Gill, S. (Under 1st review). The graduate classroom as a site for critical reflexivity in (un)learning culture in health communication: A collaborative autoethnography. Submitted to Communication Education.

Conference Presentations

Taladay-Carter, C., Nabi, A., Richards, S., Hornberger, B., Shadoan, S., Smith, H., Szelag, R., Stahl, H., Wahed, K. H., & Kaur-Gill, S. (2025, November 20–23). The graduate classroom as a site for critical reflexivity in (un)learning culture in health communication: A collaborative autoethnography [Paper presentation]. National Communication Association 111th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Top Paper Award, Instructional Development Division.

Koenig Kellas, J., Taladay-Carter, C., Maisano, T., Kauer, T., Richards, S., Eslinger, E. How Do Strong Families Tell Stories? Investigating the Links between Storytelling Content, Process, and Family Strengths in a U.S. Sample. National Communication Association 111th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Top Paper Award, Family Communication Division.

Richards, S. & Nabi, A. (2024). Investigating the Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Women: A Systematic Review. Paper to be presented to the Disability Issues Caucus at the 110th National Communication Association Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Richards, S. (2024). Exploring Everyday Talk and Relational Satisfaction in Open Adoptive Relationships. Extended abstract to be presented to the Family Communication Division at the 110th National Communication Association Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Richards, S. & Nabi, A. (2024). Investigating the Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Women: A Systematic Review. Poster presented to the MHDI Health Equity Conference, Lincoln, NE.