Appointment-Based Writing Tutor Bios
Learn about our appointment-based writing tutors and their specialties.
Lecturers
Mutallip Anwar
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Rhetoric and composition studies, language education, discourse analysis, and translation
Angela-Becerra Vidergar
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
20th-21st century narrative in the Americas, multimodal composition, multimedia storytelling and digital narrative modes, radio and podcasting, graphic narratives, and cultural studies.
Read more about Angela
Shay Brawn
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Rhetoric of science and technology, science communication, publishing as process and institution, social science, literature
Enjoys coaching:
Revision strategies
Nissa Cannon
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
American Literature, Periodical Studies, Modernist Literature
Writing expertise:
Argumentative essays, arts reviews, research proposals
Enjoys:
sharing techniques for drafting and revising!
Tara Diener
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Anthropology, History, Bioethics, Nursing
Writing expertise:
Creative non-fiction, storytelling, academic (humanities and social sciences), PR
Enjoys:
helping students achieve the goals they set for themselves
Kevin DiPirro
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Theater and creative writing
Writing expertise:
Grant applications and personal statements
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, argument revision, introductions and conclusions
Erik Ellis
Lecturer & Digital Media Consultant
Academic specialties:
Multimodal composition, visual rhetoric, the essay, style, picture books, creative writing, journalism, rhetoric and composition
Writing expertise:
Applications, personal statements, and multimodal composition
Enjoys coaching:
Writing productivity, brainstorming, and revision strategies
Norah Fahim
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Rhetoric and composition, TESOL, second language writing
Writing expertise:
Conference proposal abstracts, scholarly articles, cover letters, personal statements
Enjoys coaching:
Qualitative research methods, brainstorming, organization, revision, reading for writing
Lindsey Felt
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, science and technology studies, cultural studies
Writing expertise:
Research articles and dissertations, personal statements, cover letters, grant and fellowship applications, journalism
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, analysis, organization, revision
Megan Formato
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities, history, science and technology studies
Writing expertise:
Personal statements for graduate school applications, grant and fellowship applications
Enjoys coaching:
Strategies for overcoming writer's block, brainstorming, revision
Mark Gardiner
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Anthropology, social sciences, science and technology studies, environmental studies, politics and organizations
Writing expertise:
Research papers, essays, personal statements, grant proposals, ethnographic writing
Enjoys:
Getting to know students and working outside my subject areas. Brainstorming, getting past writer's block, revising overall structure and coherence, building narrative, fine-tuning sentences
Arturo Heredia
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, ethnic studies, music and social sciences
Writing expertise:
Lab reports, personal statements, grant applications
Enjoys:
Brainstorming and revision
Shannon Hervey
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, grant applications, dissertation chapters
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming and organization
Harriett Jernigan
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities, second language acquisition, English as a foreign language (EFL), public speaking, project-based instruction, creative writing
Writing expertise:
Literature, sciences, translation, creative non-fiction, storytelling
Enjoys:
Brainstorming with people, helping people create a research and writing plan that works for them
Jennifer Johnson
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Social sciences, cultural studies and qualitative research methodologies
Writing expertise:
Abstracts, proposals, personal statements, and honors theses and social science dissertations
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, argument development and revision strategies
Chris Kamrath
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Political Science/International Relations, history, literature and communications
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, grant applications, and writing for publication
Enjoys coaching:
argument development and style
Hayden Kantor
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities, social sciences, anthropology, history
Writing expertise:
Research essays, personal statements, proposals and grant applications, cover letters & resumes, ethnographic writing and creative non-fiction, articles and presentations for non-academic audiences
Enjoys:
Brainstorming, developing arguments, organization, and revision
Valerie Kinsey
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities, creative writing
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, proposals
Enjoys coaching:
Getting started and idea development
Raechel Lee
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, cultural studies
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, dissertation, creative writing, translation
Enjoys coaching:
Idea generation, revision, style
Sangeeta Mediratta
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Rhetoric, Writing, Literature, Cinema
Writing expertise:
Rhetorical Analysis, Close Reading, Comparative essay, Texts in Conversatoon, Research Based Argument
Enjoys:
The opportunity to have focused dialogue around a piece of writing and help see it grow.
Kevin Moore
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Rhetoric, STEM Professional Writing, and American Literature
Writing expertise:
Research papers, rhetorical analysis, as well as personal statements and resumes
Enjoys coaching:
Everything! In particular, helping students see what is already amazing about their writing and thinking.
Gabrielle Moyer
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, art history, philosophy and comparative literature
Writing expertise:
Journal articles, dissertation and thesis chapters
Enjoys coaching:
Writer's block, revision strategies, organization and style
Eldon Pei
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Film and Media Studies, Art and Art History, East Asian Studies, Asian-American Studies, Literary Studies, Creative Writing
Writing expertise:
Critical Essay, Research Paper, Graduate Thesis, Fiction
Enjoys coaching:
rhetorical invention and arrangement
John Peterson
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Cultural criticism, social sciences, literature, interdisciplinary studies
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, dissertations, articles for publication
Enjoys coaching:
Getting started, analysis, and revision strategies
Sarah Pittock
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Humanities and education
Writing expertise:
Research statements, personal statements, abstracts, honors theses and dissertations
Enjoys coaching:
Invention, argument, style
Emily Polk
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Social science; journalism; creative writing; earth, energy, and environmental sciences
Writing expertise:
All genres
Enjoys coaching:
Goal setting, brainstorming, revision strategies, writing for publication
Becky Richardson
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, creative writing
Writing expertise:
Abstracts, cover letters, personal statements
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, organization, revision strategies
Katherine Rothschild
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
STEM writing; feminist rhetorics, writerly identity
Writing expertise:
Academic, research, fiction (novels) poetry, novels in verse, academic science writing
Enjoys:
Seeing what other teachers are teaching and how students approach their identities as writers in their fields!
Kim Savelson
Lecturer
Tesla Schaeffer
Lecturer & Associate Director of the Hume Center
Academic specialties:
Humanities
Genre expertise:
Articles for publication, application documents, essays and research papers
Enjoys coaching:
Idea generation, structure, and sentence-level considerations
Ruth Starkman
Lecturer & Digital Media Consultant
Academic specialties:
Ethics, classical rhetoric, computer science, biomedical education, women, first gens, minorities in higher education and STEM fields, machine learning, logic, political philosophy
Writing expertise:
Academic journal articles, webtexts, and personal narratives
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, organization, revision
Jennifer Stonaker
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Biology, genetics
Writing expertise:
Lab reports, personal statements, and dissertations
Enjoys coaching:
Writing productivity, brainstorming, and revision strategies
Kathleen Tarr
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Law, media advocacy, performing arts, genetics, math
Writing expertise:
Legal writing, grant applications, personal statements, cover letters, creative non-fiction, press releases
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, time management, revision strategies
Cassie Wright
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Writing studies, international policy, sociology
Writing expertise:
Literature reviews, personal statements
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, revision
Roberta Wolfson
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature, ethnic studies, critical mixed race studies, cultural studies
Writing expertise:
Close reading, literary analysis, research papers, argumentative essays, resumes, personal statements, dissertations, scholarly articles
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, outlining, thesis creation, argument development, revision
Irena Yamboliev
Lecturer
Academic specialties:
Literature and science
Writing expertise:
Literary essays, scientific journal articles, abstracts, conference papers, poster presentations, personal essay, public criticism, writing about visual art, dissertations
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, organization, revision strategies, oral presentation
Students
Caroline Bailey
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties:
Humanities
Writing expertise:
Personal statements, creative writing
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, structure
Chloé Brault
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties:
Humanities, literature, and proficiency-based learning
Writing expertise:
Research essays, dissertations, and grant and fellowship applications
Enjoys coaching:
Revision strategies, and writing for introductions, conclusions, and abstracts
Can also tutor in French
Ethan Cheng
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: Natural sciences (neuroscience), literature, computer science
Writing expertise: Personal statements, science writing (lab reports, scientific papers/rebuttals), grant/fellowship applications (e.g., NSF GFRP), and blog/informal, academic, professional (resumes/cover letters), & satirical writing
Enjoys coaching: Brainstorming new ideas, drafting/outlining, editing
Danielle Adair
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: Humanities; Theater and Performance Studies; Film and Media Studies; Art History; English Literature; STS
Writing expertise: Applications, Personal Statements, Artist Statements, Journal Articles, Creative Writing
Enjoys coaching: Brainstorming, Honing Arguments, Structuring and Organization, Writing Plans
Phoebus Cotsapas
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties:
Humanities
Writing expertise:
Journal articles, term papers, dissertation chapters, job application material
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, revising
Can also tutor in French
Sariel Golomb
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties:
Humanities; Theater & Performance Studies; Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies; English Literature
Writing expertise:
Applications, resumes, personal statements, grant proposals, artist statements
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, honing arguments, revision techniques, writing for publication
Shantanu Nevrekar
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: Social Sciences; Anthropology; Development Studies
Writing expertise: Term papers; Grant/fellowship applications; Personal statements; Research papers; Dissertation chapters
Enjoys coaching: Brainstorming; Writing habits and routines; Structuring and organizing; Genres and styles of writing
Isabel Salovaara
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: Social sciences, humanities
Writing expertise: Personal statements, scholarship applications
Enjoys coaching: Brainstorming, outlining, thesis development
Jonas Tai
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: humanities
Writing expertise: personal statements, abstracts
Enjoys coaching: brainstorming, organizing, proofreading, grammar
Adin Walker
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties:
Humanities; Performance Studies; Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Literature, Film, and Art History
Writing expertise:
Research Papers focusing on literature and art, Close Reading, Personal Statements, Grant and Fellowship Applications, Artist Statements
Enjoys coaching:
Brainstorming, Organizing/Outlining, Determining next steps after the first draft, Exploring processes and writing rituals
Xuanyu Zhou
Graduate Writing Tutor
Academic specialties: natural sciences
Writing expertise: lab reports, personal statements, science papers
Enjoys coaching: organizing/structuring