Dr. Rebecca Peabody

Dr. Rebecca Peabody is an art historian, writer, educator, and certified life coach whose work explores the intersection of visual culture, race, and storytelling. Peabody holds a joint doctorate in the history of art and African American studies from Yale University and serves as head of research projects and academic outreach at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. Her research examines representations of race, gender, and nationality in 20th-century American art and culture. In addition to conducting scholarly research on art and its societal impact, Peabody manages large-scale programs and initiatives within the field of art history.

Peabody's publications include "Consuming Stories: Kara Walker and the Imagining of American Race," as well as five edited or co-edited volumes on art and visual culture in a global context: "Blondell Cummings: Dance as Moving Pictures," "Visualizing Empire: Africa, France, and the Politics of Representation," "Lawrence Alloway, Critic and Curator," "Pacific Standard Time: Los Angeles Art 1945–1980," and "Anglo-American Exchange in Postwar Sculpture, 1945–1975." In "Consuming Stories," Peabody analyzes the work of contemporary American artist Kara Walker, focusing on narrative depictions of race, gender, power, and desire, and considers the role of the entertainment industry and its audiences in processes of racialization.

In addition to her scholarly monographs, Peabody authored the trade book "The Unruly PhD: Doubts, Detours, Departures and Other Success Stories," a collection of first-person accounts from former graduate students discussing the challenges and decisions encountered during their doctoral journeys. Peabody specializes in graduate student professionalization, progress and completion strategies, work-life balance, and preparation for academic and non-academic job markets. Her expertise in storytelling and its influence on human psychology informs her work in higher education and coaching.

Peabody has taught at Loyola Marymount University, University of California Santa Barbara, University of Southern California, and Yale University. She has led workshops, lectures, and consulting sessions for University of Texas at Austin, University of California at Los Angeles, Irvine, and Riverside, as well as USC and Yale. Peabody works with students and institutions to support professional development, academic innovation, and the advancement of graduate education in the humanities. Her career encompasses scholarship, institutional leadership, teaching, and coaching, with a focus on art history, visual culture, and the role of narrative in education and society.