Stories that wonder. Stories that matter.
I love stories and the power of imagination to create new and different worlds in all of their traditional and emerging forms. I'm in love with the generous elasticity of language.
In my B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., I focused primarily on the study of poetry, the literature of HIV/AIDS, contemporary multicultural American literature, Latinx literature, & Latin American and Caribbean Area studies.
When I arrived at LaGuardia Community College—City University of New York, I had a unique opportunity to explore the intersections of composition, pedagogy, and technology, something that has defined my teaching career. I share my ideas about writing and technology in composition, kidlit, the capstone seminar for Liberal Arts majors, the new student seminar for Liberal Arts majors, and creative writing courses. I am particularly interested in the role of technology and how it is changing how and what we write (and read!).
This is what I teach my students: what you say matters, whether you're writing an exam, an essay, a blog, a novel, a script, or your magnum opus. Writing is always a political act. And today, with emerging technologies, how you say it and in what medium, matters as well. Stories matter. I aim to write stories that matter.
I am one of the Writing Program Administrators for the Department of English and the past coordinator of the Accelerated Learning Program for English 101.
I am currently co-chairing the college’s Online Learning Committee, which is focused on thinking about how online learning moves forward, post-pandemic.
I have been part of LaGuardia’s award-winning ePortfolio Team since 2002, serving as a member of the original ePortfolio Research Team, as Interim ePortfolio Director, and as part of the Connect to Learning (C2L) Research Team.
I regularly lead professional development seminars at the college on technology, curriculum, ePortfolios, and integrative learning. Outside of LaGuardia, I’m a regular speaker and workshop leader on ePortfolios, writing & technology, reflective writing, integrative learning, and project-based learning.
I'm a published poet and have written articles on subjects such as ePortfolios, writing pedagogy, pedagogy and technology, digital rhetoric, assessment, women's studies, the poetry of HIV/AIDS and NBC's The West Wing. I am the copy editor for the International Journal of ePortfolio and I am a reviewer for TETYC.
I am a past national co-chair of the Council on Basic Writing and a past member of the editorial boards of College Composition and Communication, Change, and Radical Teacher.
Areas of Practice
Writing
I’m an active writer from the practical to the theoretical to the imaginative. Writing curriculum or writing new worlds: I aim to put the best words in the best order.
Leadership
Building consensus and working collaboratively are hallmarks of my leadership style. I like to build strong, healthy groups who problem-solve and innovate together.
REflection
How do students make meaning of what they learn? Reflective writing is a space for both synthesis and meaning making and it’s critical to the learning process.
Teaching
Teaching is at the heart of everything I do whether it’s English 101, Introduction to Kidlit, scuba diving or pandemic teaching 1st grade science over Zoom.
Writing program administration
The WPA team at LaGuardia takes the lead on curriculum, assessment, pedagogy workshops, and administrative tasks in the Department of English.
Learning mindsets
I work hard to establish a sense of belonging in my classes and to embed growth mindsets in my courses and assignments.
Technology
Much of my research and teaching explore the connections between emerging technologies and writing, considering how technology shapes the written word.
Integrative Learning
I believe that we learn best when we make connections between areas of study, personal experiences, professional experiences, and our passions.
scuba diving
Scuba Diving combines my love of writing, teaching, science, & technology all in one place. I’m a passionate environmentalist striving to do my part to save the ocean.
“I’m very conscious of the fact the directing career has taken some odd turns. Maybe there’s enough bulk where I’m now pigeonholed in the ‘eclectic box.’”