I have a Masters of English from Oregon State University, with a focus on rhetoric and writing. My academic education was interspersed with time spent gaining writing, teaching, and conferencing experience; I worked at the Writing Desk at Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) in Albany, Oregon, since before I returned to school and also worked two terms at the Oregon State University Writing Center. I also taught writing at LBCC. (My resume is available on this site.) I have a lot of experience working with people—both experienced and less experienced writers—on writing.

My philosophy is similar to that of many writing centers: when working with people on their writing, my goal is to help them to think like writers (while turning in a good paper). Writing is a process, and my aim is to help people understand this process—and their individual writing processes—and to know where and how to find assistance. Assistance comes in all sorts of forms: handbooks, friends, tutors, journals; sometimes just talking about what you are writing allows you to understand it more deeply and to write more fully.

In addition, writing is developmental; it is not a gift we either have or don't have. I was not a good writer until late in high school (had someone told me that it would become my passion and that I would get an advanced degree in it, I would have been very skeptical!). Practice and assistance and positive feedback worked together to improve both my confidence and my writing skill. I have tried all sorts of writing: journaling, school papers, journal articles, poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, technical writing, and a Masters thesis. Some of my poems and articles have been published (as indicated on my resume) and various writing samples are available on this site.

My background is in clinical social work; I have a Masters in Social Work and worked in the field for a number of years. Although therapy and writing may seem very different, they require many of the same skills in working with people. (I published an article in The Writing Lab Newsletter in January 2005 called "The Use of Social Work Skills in a Writing Center.") I listen well—both to what you are saying and to what you might be saying, helping you to write more deeply. I also encourage you to examine your topic from different points of view (often as a way of anticipating the ways in which readers might disagree with you). I can help you find words to express yourself and to discover your ideas, thoughts, feelings and biases.

As a writer, writing assistant, and instructor, I am used to looking over written work (my own and others') and ferreting out errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and more. I am also experienced in the larger order issues of content, organization, and style.