I am interested in the ways cultural identity, class values, and technology shape language. My goal is to help students cultivate and appreciate their unique voices and allow those voices to guide their academic goals. I strive to develop a composition and creative writing curriculum that honors our ever-changing global society by incorporating social media and other technology into the classroom and introducing students to lesser known but culturally significant writers like Patricia Smith, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Ann Petry, James McBride, and Ayad Akhtar.

Education              

• Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, VT

MFA in Poetry, January 2018

• DePaul University, Chicago, IL

M.A. in Writing, December 2009 (with Distinction)

• Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX

B.A. in English, 2001

Training and Development

• Completed Coursework: Meeting Needs of Adult Learners, University of St. Francis, March 2012
• Training: Teaching the Two-way Interactive Course, Waubonsee Community College, January 2011
• Completed Coursework: Preparing to Teach Online, University of St. Francis, October 2010
• Training: Providing Career and Education Counseling, Joliet Job Corps, May 2004
• Certificate: Working with At-risk Students, Joliet Public Schools District 86, 2002

 

Teaching Experience

Adjunct English Instructor, 1/2011 – 5/2011 and 8/2017 – Present

Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL

Teach intro compositionTaught two-way interactive courses for English 102. Simultaneously managed on-site and off-site classrooms, guiding students through the research process for MLA and APA papers.

 Adjunct English Instructor, 8/2010 – 5/2014

University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL

Provided first-year composition instruction with a strong emphasis on the cultural, political, and socioeconomic forces that shape identity; worked collaboratively with students to structure assignments and discussion; conducted regular conferences with students to assess progress; provided grammar instruction as needed.

 Adjunct English Instructor, 1/2011 – 5/2011

Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL

Taught English 101, freshman rhetoric and composition. Pedagogy focused on enriching lessons with various types of new media and student collaboration.

 Adjunct English Instructor, 1/2010 – 5/2010

Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, IL

Taught English 100, a basic writing skills course that focuses on common academic essay structures, including description, narration, compare/contrast and argument; instructed students on grammar, style and usage while emphasizing the value of their own vernacular English and native languages with the goal of helping students understand the changing nature and situational dependence of language.

Teaching Intern, 8/2009 – 12/2009

Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, IL

Worked collaboratively with assigned teacher/mentor in the daily implementation of lesson plans for English 102; assisted small groups of students with class activities; critiqued and graded student papers; met with students individually to discuss progress; provided support and gave direction with assignments; lead lessons and prepared course materials; performed other teaching-related duties as required.

Resource Aide, 8/2001 – 6/2002

Washington Junior High School, Joliet, IL

Instructed individual students in language arts and mathematics to help achieve special education goals; modified tests and assignments according to students’ Individual Education Plans; assisted regular education teacher with lesson planning and discipline.

 Math Instructor, 11/2001 – 8/2002

Sylvan Learning Center, Joliet, IL

Taught mathematics to students at all levels up to high school level; introduced students to new skills in order to bring them up to current grade level; planned daily lessons according to students’ individual needs; provided homework support.

 Project Success Mentor/Tutor, Summer 2001

Fort Worth Independent School District, Fort Worth, TX

Tutored ethnic-minority and low-income high school students in math and reading; assisted classroom teacher with daily instruction; developed goal-setting exercises to teach students about academic and professional planning; assisted with classroom discipline.

Professional Experience      

 Lead GIS/Parcel Specialist, 10/2006 – 6/2012

Will County Supervisor of Assessments, Joliet, IL        

Develops, edits and maintains relational databases, vector files, raster images and other digital data; performs quality control assessments of spatial data and associated attribute data; produces hard copy representations of geospatial data; performs spatial queries to generate requested datasets; generates reports, tables and graphs using standard desktop tools; serves as technical lead and consultant to mapping staff and department-level GIS staff on development of GIS applications; provides training in the use of the GIS software; assists county clerk tax extension department with performing tax codes splits; plans, coordinates and reviews mapping and platting division work; assists in the design, creation and maintenance of geographic databases for the production and distribution of computerized maps for a variety of user applications.

Writer/Editor, 8/2006 – 6/2012

Will County Supervisor of Assessments, Joliet, IL        

Responsible for generating content for quarterly newsletter with duties including writing articles, designing layouts, editing stories and taking pictures; create comprehensive staff manuals to document office procedures; proofread and edit all out-going correspondence; compose office memorandums, letters and press releases; act as a contact for local media regarding press releases.

Database Specialist, 3/2006 – 10/2006

Will County Supervisor of Assessments, Joliet, IL        

Performed routine maintenance of department’s Access databases; manipulated data to generate requested query results; periodically updated department Web site; coordinated data imports with township assessors; served as the key GIS and technical support person for the Supervisor of Assessments Office; assisted Lead/GIS Parcel Specialist with quality assurance testing on data; provided technological support for office as needed.

Mapping Technician, 4/2004 – 3/2006

Will County Supervisor of Assessments, Joliet, IL        

Reviewed subdivision plats for approval, ensuring lot dimensions, boundaries, bearings and acreages were correct; drew subdivisions and parcel divisions/consolidations using ArcGIS software; assigned and voided tax PIN numbers; resolved ownership and address issues with title companies, lawyers and homeowners; meticulously corrected topology errors in base map; accurately coded deeds according to legal descriptions; researched parcel histories to determine chain of title; created assessment descriptions for parcels with inadequate legal descriptions; rectified and georeferenced scanned images to coincide with base map; continuously updated mapping databases.

 Editorial Assistant, 9/2002 – 3/2004

Publications International, Ltd., Lincolnwood, IL                      

Proofread and edited general editorial projects for style and grammar; performed thorough Internet and library research for book projects; fact checked text, picture captions and timelines to ensure accuracy; monitored and updated weekly publishing schedules; prepared dummies for book reprints; created detailed indexes; performed reference art searches and cataloged art for editorial projects; updated and maintained editorial databases; distributed books to editors and authors.

Advanced Placement Institute Representative, Summer 2001

TCU Office of Extended Education, Fort Worth, TX     

Provided classroom support for AP instructors, distributing classroom materials and setting up equipment; acted as a campus guide for visiting teachers; assisted with various clerical duties as assigned by AP teachers.

Opinion Editor/Copy Editor/Columnist, 2/1999 – 12/2000

TCU Daily Skiff, Fort Worth, TX                                                                                                         

Interviewed, hired and supervised columnists and cartoonists; edited news, opinion and features articles for content and grammar according to Associated Press style; selected AP Wire stories for publication; generated headlines; designed layout for the Opinion Page; wrote biweekly column; conducted informal student polls on campus issues for inclusion in the paper.

Writer/Class Notes Editor, 1/2000 – 8/2000

The TCU Magazine, Fort Worth, TX

Produced “Class Notes” section of magazine; copyedited all articles, sidebars, captions and features stories; wrote perspective piece for each issue.

 

Publications

Poetry

• “Summer in Chicago,” Carve Magazine, Fall 2018
• “The Principle of Inertia,” Salamander, 2018
• “Ode to the White Lady Who Asked to Touch My Hair,” Baltimore Review, 2018
• “What I’d Say to My Father If I Could Talk to Him About Something Other than the Weather,” Sugar House Review, Fall/Winter 2011
• “Caries,” Rio Grande Review, Fall 2010
• “Souvenir,” The Orange Room Review, June 2010
• “Lies America Told Me,” The Orange Room Review, April 2010
• “This Is Jezebel,” The Centrifugal Eye, November 2009
• “Entering a Crowded Room with Nigger on My Face,” Image Magazine, 1998

Essays/Articles

• “June 13, 2008,” Past Ten, June 2018
• “Suicidal Tendencies,” The TCU Magazine, Summer 2000
• “At Face Value,” The TCU Magazine, Spring 2000

Newspaper Articles

• “Don’t be a Closet Christian,” The Dallas Morning News, September 1999
• Various articles, TCU Daily Skiff, 1999-2000

 

Awards and Honors

• Dean’s List
• TCU Scholar
• TCU Dean’s Scholar
• Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society
• Siddie Joe Johnson Poetry Award, Honorable Mention, 1998
• Council for Advancement and Support of Education Grand Award/Gold General Writing Collection, Contributor, 2001
• Golden Key International Honor Society

 

Affiliations

• Academy of American Poets
• National Council of the Teachers of English
• Illinois State Poetry Society
• Illinois Education Association

 

Volunteer Experience

Mentor, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will & Grundy Counties, Mentor 2.0 Program, 2015 – Present

Participate in a one-to-one, college-success mentoring program targeting at-risk, under-served high school students, most of who would be the first in their family to attend college.

Treasurer, Campaign to Elect Natalie Coleman, District 86 Board of School Inspectors, East Side, Joliet, IL, 2009

Was responsible for collecting campaign funds and writing/editing campaign materials. Participated in phone drive and fundraising event.

Volunteer, Joliet Community Action Network, Joliet, IL, 2008

Wrote informational brochure and designed Web site.

 Co-founder and Tutor, Prayer Tower C.O.G.I.C. Academic Outreach, Joliet, IL, 2001 – 2002

Provided homework support in math and reading and taught basic-skills reviews for students at various grade levels.

Tutor, Rising Star Baptist Church Tutoring Program, Fort Worth, TX, 1998 – 1999

Provided homework support in math and reading for students at various grade levels.