Carly Buxton, PhD

I’m an author, researcher, and speaker who helps people communicate with clarity and human presence in an AI-shaped world. My work blends communication science, cross-cultural research, and practical teaching tools to support leaders navigating unstable communication environments.

I study how trust is formed, how audiences interpret signals online and in-person, and how people express judgment and voice across digital and AI-mediated contexts. My forthcoming book, Magnetic Communication, offers a research-backed approach to speaking and writing with professional impact.

Before focusing on communication research, I earned my PhD in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, with training in Japanese and Mandarin and a specialization in the psychology of propaganda efficacy. I’ve worked as a flight attendant, a postpartum doula, a startup founder, a UX researcher, a film & stage performer, and an artist. These experiences shape the way I teach: attentive to context, grounded in lived realities, and oriented toward human connection.

Across my workshops and teaching, I aim to make communication clearer and empathy-driven. I believe that strong communication comes from curiosity, well-structured thinking, and the courage to find your voice (and then sound like yourself!)

Always learning. Fiercely curious. Listener first, storyteller second.

education