TEACHING/WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE

Helping students empower themselves through writing is my primary interest and passion. Below is a truncated list of my achievements in academia.  For a more complete list, please see my academic c.v.  

Writing Program Administration:

Director, Odegaard Writing and Research Center, Seattle WA (2006-2008)

• Increased student attendance by 340% in 2006-07 and 52% in Autumn 2007-08.  Under my tenure, the OWRC became the second largest writing center in the Pacific Northwest.
• Responsible for transforming the center from a staff of 3 to a staff of 25 and the number of sessions conducted from 1,000 in 2005-06 to 6,048 in 2007-08.
• Created a student-centered and participant oriented environment which assisted students from over 150 departments and/or departmental units.
• Utilized effective methods for instructing students in writing, critical thinking and research. Worked with students to review subject material, identify problem-solving strategies, assess learning and writing styles and recommended ways to improve their evaluation processes. 
• Directed tutoring functions as well as hired, trained and supervised all tutors.  Handled administrative responsibilities, such as managing the budget, scheduling, and completing quarterly reports. Interfaced with library professionals to strategically plan for incorporating research information into the writing and tutorial process. 
• Increased revenues by writing effective grant proposals, including a $20,000 technology fee grant and $500 in free books and supplies. 
• Ensured productive and efficient operations by developing a tutoring methodology and comprehensive tutor training program.
• Developed a student-friendly website which provides center service information as well as questions/testimonials, resources, and an online appointment system that organizes student data into a customized database.
• Planned, created, and executed a comprehensive marketing campaign.
• Compiled workshops for faculty and students covering writing-related topics, including Working with Multilingual Students, Graduate Writing 101, Research Writing 101, How to Avoid Unintentional Plagiarism and Effective Assignment Design. 
• Further discussed improvement in staff and student competency by collaborating with Library administrators, the Director of Arts & Sciences College Writing Program and other university administrators.
• Member of the Writing Across the Curriculum and Writing Center Administrator’s Committee.

Writing Center Manager, Center For Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment, Seattle WA

• Promoted to Manager from tutor within twelve months of employment.

• Successfully interfaced with the Director to develop a tutoring methodology. 

• Created effective organizational policies in addition to assisting with the hiring, training and supervision of all tutors. 

• Communicated with the tutors to monitor rates of success and conducted individual meetings to ensure they were operating effectively in their positions.

Teaching Positions:

Bellevue Community College, Bellevue WA
New tenure-track faculty member!  More info coming soon! Courses to be taught include:

• ENGL 101: Introduction to Composition
• ENGL 201: Research Writing

Edmonds Community College, Lynnwood WA
Taught a diverse range of students including first-generation college students, re-entry professionals, international students, and Running Start participants. Structured teaching around student needs rather than the demands of a particular concept or text utilizing innovative technology, such as wikis, the internet, discussion boards, online chat rooms, virtual office hours, group conference calls, Google documents, and in-class collaborative assignments to enhance the learning process. Validated students pre-existing knowledge and abilities to encourage autonomous learning.  Designed student-centered assignments to assist in the examination of critical thinking, analysis, information research and writing. Courses taught included:

• HUM 106 Film Genres

  • Examined cinema as an institution of cultural affirmation and contestation within modern society. Focused on genre films and on genre criticism, specifically on Hollywood films from 1980 through present day in order to highlight how mainstream cinema supports but potentially also challenges dominant ideologies of our society.

• HUM 105: Introduction to Film
  • This course taught students how to identify basic film terms, understand the fundamentals of film analysis, identify major film theories, and the characteristics of a director’s style.  Students were also taught how to write well organized film analysis papers, make effective oral presentations, and work collaboratively in groups.
• ENGL 205: Research Writing

  • Instructed students on the research writing process. Utilized group work, discussion, lecture, and sequential assignments to help students improve his/her analytical reading, discussion, writing, and research skills.  Taught a section focusing on the action genre in film and television.   

• ENGL 105: Analytic Writing

  • Taught on-campus, hybrid and online versions of this course. Instructed students how to closely read and analyze texts and to write effectively across disciplines. Further, this course challenged students to master the fundamentals of academic writing, including thesis development, organization, quote integration, and MLA-style formatting and citation techniques.

• EAP 121: Composition for College
  • Instructed second language students in paper and paragraph structure as well as grammar, punctuation and stylistic issues.  Special attention was paid to meanings of difference across select literary and journalistic works.

University of Washington, Seattle WA
Taught a variety of courses within the areas of Composition and English. Worked with students to see critical thinking and writing as a process of engagement and re-engagement with a text, idea, or problem through the use of discussion, small group work, peer-editing, and frequent revision. Conducted student conferences and commented on student drafts.  Created class listserves and websites, and asked students to post weekly entries to prepare for in-class discussion.  The courses I have taught are:  

• ENGL 281: Intermediate Expository Writing (Female Action Figures in Television and Film)
• ENGL 131: Composition/Exposition (American Constructions of Race, Sex, and Gender)
• ENGL 105: Introductory Composition (The Age of Satire & Wit)
• ENGL 104: Introductory Composition (Mass Media & Society)

Workshops:

"Writing Centers: The Hidden Curriculum," Symposium on Teaching and Learning, University of Washington, 2008

"Working with Multilingual Students: Reinforcing Learning Through the Use of Metaphors and Images," Pacific Northwest Writing Center Conference, Everett WA, 2008

"WAC and Writing Centers: Working Together in Collaboration," 4x4 Program, University of Washington, 2008

"Research Writing 101," Department of English, University of Washington, 2007

"Helping Students Do the Right Thing: Preventing Plagiarism Through Assignment Design," UW Faculty Teaching Academy, 2007-08

"Graduate Writing Workshop," Odegaard Writing & Research Center, 2007

"Working With ESL Students: A Tutor Training Workshop" Odegaard Writing & Research Center, 2007

"How Do I Cite This? Avoiding Unintentional Plagiarism" Learn@Odegaard Workshop Series, 2006-2007

"Resume and Cover Letter Workshop," Claremont McKenna College, Claremont CA, 2000

Panelist:

"Careers in Writing and Editing"
Other Panelists: Cheryl Cain, Kris Fulsaas, Kyla Meyers, Michelle Goodman, and Pat Tanumihardja
University of Washington, Seattle WA, 2008

"The Logline Tells Your Story"
Other Panelists: Brian McDonald, Andy Spletzer, John Kiester, and Jen Peel
Screenwriter's Salon, Seattle WA, 2008

"Centering Our Writing Instruction Across the Curriculum: Creative Ways to Work Campus Writing Centers into Course Assignments and Student Assessments"
Other Panelists: TBA
University of Washington, Seattle WA, 2008

"Hollywood or Bust"
Other Panelists: Kris Kristensen, Todd Licea, Amy Vanderbeck, and Tracy Dethlefs
Screenwriter's Salon, Seattle WA, 2007

"Careers in the Entertainment Industry"
Other Panelists: Warren Etheredge, Gary Tucker, Travis Senger, Ben Dobyns, David Shulman, and Kevin Inouye
University of Washington Career Fair, Seattle WA, 2007

"Teacher/Screenwriter Q&A"
Other Panelists: Geoff Miller, Mark Handley, Brian McDonald, and Andy Spletzer
Screenwriter's Salon, Seattle WA, 2006

"Writing Worlds: A Panel Discussion on Writing Across Disciplines"
Practical Pedagogy Consortium, Seattle WA, 2006

"Careers in the Entertainment Industry"
Other Panelists: Gary Tucker, James Keblas, and John Jacobsen.
University of Washington Career Fair, Seattle WA, 2006

"Careers in the Entertainment Industry"
Other Panelists: Jennifer Roth, John Helde, Laura Bobovski, and Stacy Jones
University of Washington Career Fair, Seattle WA, 2005

"Risky Business: How to Obtain an Internship in the Entertainment Industry"
Other Panelists: Warren Etheredge, Brian McDonald, David Shulman
University of Washington Career Fair, Seattle WA, 2004

Community Service:

Moderator, UW Writing Center Administrators Online Discussion Board, 2008
Moderator, UW Writing Center Administrators Listserv, 2008
Reviewer, UW Library Research Award for Undergraduates, 2007-08
UW Writing Across the Curriculum Five Year Plan Sub-Committee, 2007
Chair, UW Writing Center Administrators Tutor Training Committee, 2007-08
Odegaard Undergraduate Library Walk-In Workshops Committee, 2006
UW Writing Across the Curriculum Committee, 2006-08
UW Writing Center Administrators Committee, 2005-08
Moderator, UW Film Colloquium Listserve, 2003-2005
Moderator, UW English Graduate Listserve, 2003-08
Student Chair, CMC Faculty Curriculum Committee, 1999-2000
Co Chair, Associated Students of CMC Academic Affairs Committee, 1998-1999
Vice President, Associated Students of Ventura College, 1997
Vice President, Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society, 1997
Student Chair, Ventura College Curriculum Committee, 1996-1997