Traci Zimmerman, professor in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication (WRTC), came to JMU in 2000.  She earned her Ph.D. in English from Case Western Reserve University, and is a CAL Alum, earning her M.A. and B.A. in English from James Madison University.  In 2017, she completed a Master of Science in Jurisprudence (MSJ) from Seton Hall School of Law with a concentration in intellectual property.  She had the honor of serving WRTC as its Academic Unit Head for seven years before moving into the Associate Dean role. Her research focuses on authorship, intellectual property, and digital literacies and is informed by her interest in privacy, technology, and the public domain. She was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia and loves living and working in the Commonwealth.  She enjoys spending time with her family, especially with her rescue pup, Sophie.

As associate dean, Traci oversees faculty and staff relations in the college.