ARemembranceofSr.ElizabethThomanElizabethThomanJune18,1943–December22,2016SisterElizabethThoman,CHM,diedDecember22,2016atBishopDrummRetirementCenterinJohnston,Iowa.ElizabethJeanneThomanwasborntoJohnArthurandGertrudeRobersonandgrewupinNashville,Tennessee.SheenteredtheCongregationoftheHumilityofMaryin1964,professingvowsin1966.ShegraduatedwithaB.A.fromMarycrestCollegeandearnedaMastersdegreefromtheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia,AnnenbergSchoolofCommunicationsandalsofromImmaculateHeartCollegeinLosAngeles.LizThomanspentherlifeadvocatingformedialiteracyeducation,helpingtoadvancethegrowthofthenationalmedialiteracymovementintheUnitedStates.ShebeganhercareerteachingEnglishatLinehanHighSchoolinMarshalltown,Iowafrom1967-1969whereshedevelopedaninterestincommunicationeducation.From1970-1975,sheservedasstaffphotographerfortheFranciscanCommunicationsCenterwhereshehelpedmakeshortfilmsdesignedtopromoteclassroomdiscussioninreligiouseducation.Toadvancethecommunicationsministry,LizfoundedandledtheNationalSistersCommunicationsServiceinLosAngelesfrom1975to1983.Thisnetworkprovidedprofessionalcommunicationresourcesforwomenreligiouscommunitiesnationwide.Communicationswasseenasthekeytochangingthetraditionalpublicimageofnunsandhelpingpeopleunderstandandvaluethesisters'newrolesinavarietyofministries.ItwasthroughthisworkthatLizmetNormanLear,atelevisionproducerwhocreated“AllintheFamily,”whosoughtheradviceonatelevisionshowthatwouldfeaturethechangingrolesofCatholicnuns.WhenElizabethThomanfoundedMedia&ValuesMagazinein1977,itwasanextensionofaclassprojectthatshedevelopedasastudentatUSC,workingunderProfessorRichardByrne.Themagazinewasimaginedasonethatwould“explorethevaluesquestionsraisedbythetransitionfromtheIndustrialAgetothecomingInformationAge.”Workingsoloandlaterwithatalentededitorialteam,themagazineranfor16years(63issues),tacklingsuchissuesasmediaandwar,genderstereotypesandracisminthemedia,mediaregulation,childrenandmediaandmore.Themagazinefeaturedshortarticleswhichtranslatedkeyideasfromcurrentacademicresearchandcommunicationpolicytoinformageneralreadershipincludingparentsandteachers.Ascirculationreached10,000,LizwasmotivatedtocreatetheCenterforMediaLiteracyin1989,developingawebsiteandcreatingcurriculummaterialsincluding“BeyondBlame:ChallengingViolenceintheMedia,”whichofferedlessonplans,videoclipsandreadingsdesignedtohelpstudentsofallagesdevelopcriticalthinkingskillsinrespondingtomediaviolence.Knownasanarticulateandpassionatespeaker,ElizabethThomantestifiedbeforeCongressandwasoneof50mediaandeducationalleadersintheU.S.invitedbyPresidentandMrs.ClintontotheWhiteHouseSummitonChildren'sTelevision.ShehaskeynotedconferencesintheUSandCanada,includingtheNationalAssociationforScience,TechnologyandSociety,NationalCatholicEducationalAssociation,KentuckySchoolBoardsAssociation,theSouthernCaliforniaPsychiatricSocietyandothers.Shepresentedhundredsofmedialiteracytrainingsandworkshopstoeducatorsandparentsinmorethan25states.ElizabethThomanwasfrequentlyaskedtocommentonissuesrelatedtochildren,mediaandeducation,andwasinterviewedbyBillMoyersfor

Frontline,NBCNightlyNews,NationalPublicRadio,CNN,Time,TheLosAngelesTimes,NationalCatholicReporter,AssociatedPress,TheTodayShow,WashingtonPostandtheWallStreetJournalamongothers.WhenLizattendedaCanadianmedialiteracyconferenceinGuelph,OntarioandaUNESCOsponsored-conferenceonmediaeducationinToulouse,Francein1989,shewasinspiredtohelpcoordinateAmericaneducatorsatthenationalleveltoadvancethedevelopmentofamedialiteracymovement.SheworkedwithCharlesFirestoneoftheAspenInstitutetodeveloptheNationalLeadershipConferenceonMediaLiteracy,whichwasheldin1992.Atthismeeting,thedefinitionofmedialiteracywasestablishedasthe“abilitytoaccess,analyze,evaluateandcreatemediainawidevarietyofforms.”AfterhostingasuccessfulmedialiteracyconferenceinLosAngelesin1996,ElizabethThomanco-foundedthePartnershipforMediaEducationtopromotecontinuedprofessionaldevelopmentinthefield.In2001PMEevolvedintotheAllianceforaMediaLiterateAmerica(AMLA),whichwasrenamedtheNationalAssociationforMediaLiteracyEducation(NAMLE)astheofficialmembershiporganizationforthefield,withover3,500membersasof2016.ElizabethThomanreceivedanumberofawardsandrecognitionforherleadingroleinmedialiteracyeducation.In2003,ThomanreceivedtheDanielJ.KaneLifetimeAchievementAwardfromtheUniversityofDayton,Ohio.In2006,Lizreceivedthe“LeadersinLearningAward”fromtheNationalParentTeacherAssociation(PTA)andCableintheClassroominWashington,D.C.tohonoralifetimeofleadershipinmedialiteracyeducation.Heralmamater,MarycrestInternationalUniversity,honoredherin1990withtheHendersonMedalinrecognitionofheroutstandingcontributionstothefieldofeducation.Uponherretirement,LizcontinuedtodevelopherskillsasaprofessionalphotographerbyestablishingHealingPetals,acollectionofuniquephotographstostimulatemeditation,reflectionandprayerinaprocessthatisgroundedinfeministspirituality,Buddhistphilosophy,Christiantheologyandholistichealth.In2010,SaintThomasHospitalinNashville,Tennessee,commissionedacollectionofherphotographstobeinstalledineachofnearly300patientrooms.ElizabethThomanwasamemberoftheCongregationoftheHumilityofMary,acontemporaryreligiouscommunitywhichwelcomedLiz'smissiontobringmedialiteracytotheworld.AfterretirementtoHumilityofMaryCenterin2013,sheservedintheCHMMembershipDevelopmentoffice.ShemovedtoBishopDrummin2016wheresheremaineduntilherdeath.SheissurvivedbybrothersJames,Lawrence(Beth)andJohnJr.,sistersPatriciaYoungandMaryLynnThoman,aswellasnieces,nephewsandmembersofherreligiouscommunity.Shewasprecededindeathbyherparents.ServicesatBishopDrumm’sOurLadyofPeaceChapelinJohnston,Iowawereheld4pm,Monday,December26.ServicesattheHumilityofMaryCenterinDavenportwereonTuesday,December27,withRosary-Visitationat4pmandVigilat7pm.ThefuneralmasswasheldonDecember28at11:00am,withburialatMt.CalvaryCemetery.AmemorialgatheringwasheldinElizabethThoman’shonorinLosAngelesonSunday,February12,from2-4PMatSt.Augustine’sParishHall.FeaturedspeakersincludedmedialiteracyleadersReneeHobbs,TessaJolls,ErinReilly,RosePacatte,HenryJenkins,BobbieEisenstock,JeffShare,FrankDawson,HowardRosenberg,MichaelRobb-GriecoandMichaelDanielson.Co-hostswereTessaJolls,CenterforMediaLiteracy,Sr.RosePacatte,PaulineCenterforMediaStudies,andMichaelDanielson,SeattlePreparatorySchool.MemorialsmaybemadetotheCongregationoftheHumilityofMary,820WCentralParkAve,Davenport,IA52804.