Annalisa Toccara-Jones (she/her)

School of Journalism, Media and Communication

PhD Student

Annalisa Toccara-Jones
Profile picture of Annalisa Toccara-Jones
atoccarajones@sheffield.ac.uk

Full contact details

Annalisa Toccara-Jones
School of Journalism, Media and Communication
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
91̽»¨
S10 2AH
Profile

Annalisa’s research focuses on public communication and adoption, exploring its societal impact, racial disparities, adoptee identity, media narratives, social media discourse, and the legacies of colonial adoption practices in the UK. She is supervised by Dr Maria Tomlinson and Dr Stefania Vicari.

Annalisa is an award-winning producer, communications strategist, and director of Family Narratives, an anti-racist educational consultancy. She also founded the non-profit Our Mel, which promoted cultural identity through workshops and events. Annalisa is passionate about using communication to promote equality and dismantle structural inequalities

Qualifications

Annalisa has a BA in Theology (University of Wales) and an MA in International Public and Political Communication (University of 91̽»¨ where she explored the experiences of Black women in British Journalism pre-pandemic.

Research interests

Annalisa is an award-winning cultural producer, freelance journalist, and doctoral researcher completing a full-time PhD in the Journalism department at 91̽»¨. Her work as a PhD researcher tackles and deconstructs the effects of the global adoption system on societal narratives, exploring racial disparities, trauma-informed approaches to child welfare, and the lifelong aspects of adoption.

Annalisa has a BA Hons degree in Theology and a MA in International Public and Political Communication from 91̽»¨ and is the Chief Executive Officer of Adoptee Futures, a mental health organisation centred on the lives and life-long experiences of adopted children and adults. Annalisa's research interests include race, gender, structural inequalities, adoption narratives, and digital communication.

Grants
  • 91̽»¨ 100+ Scholarship, 91̽»¨ (2018 - 2020)
Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
  • Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing