Meet the Staff

Anastasia Latson

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Literary Studies with a focus in African American Lit; Literary and Black Feminist Theory, Afrofuturism

Other specialties: Personal statements, research papers, second language learners

Anastasia is a Ph. D. student in Literary Studies with a focus in African American Literature and theory. Her work centers on community and familial relationships black women’s writing with a particular interest in how those relationships reshape or imagine future communities. She loves working one-on-one and enjoys working with second language writers, helping students craft personal statements, and facilitating brainstorming sessions.

Andrea King 

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Drama and African American Literature

Other specialties: Personal Statements, Essay Writing, and Research Papers

Andrea is a Ph.D. student in Literary Studies with a focus in Drama and African American Literature. She loves assisting students with composing personal statements, essays, and research papers. She has a background in creative and dramatic writing and enjoys helping others bring out their own voice in their projects.

Andrew Lamb

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Lit Studies

Other specialties: ESL

Andrew Lamb is a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Lower Division Studies. He is a doctoral student in the English Department of Lit Studies. For the past 9 years, he has worked as a tutor/teacher in English as a Second (or Foreign) Language or ESL.

Autumn Jones

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Lit Studies

Other specialties: Grammar and Formatting

Autumn’s area of specialization is in literature-based writing and grammar. When assisting writing, she prefers to begin with student’s needs and their understanding of the assignment. She provides reference materials for grammar and writing tips and helps students identify learning opportunities within their own writing. While confident in MLA format, Autumn enjoys assisting with personal statements, expository writing, and freshman composition assignments.

Cameron Moore

Pronouns: Them/They

Research areas: Rhetoric and Composition

Other specialties: Business Writing & Marketing

Cameron is a first-year MA student in Rhetoric and Composition. Their areas of interest include digital rhetoric, remediation, and social media. They hold an MBA in Internet Marketing from Florida Tech and a BA in English with an Editing, Writing, and Media concentration from Florida State University. They have experience with writing and multi-modal composition in academic, corporate, and non-profit contexts.

Calabria Turner

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Literary Studies; Victorian Novel; Children’s and Adolescent Lit.; Historical and Cultural Studies

Other specialties: Resumes; Personal Statements

Calabria is a Ph.D. student in Literary Studies. Her work focuses on Victorian novels, particularly Charlotte Brontë’s JaneEyre. She also enjoys the occasional venture into pop culture and film.

Caroline Chavatel

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Contemporary Poetry & Poetics, Creative Writing, Aesthetic Theory

Other specialties: Business & Professional Writing, Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Cover Letters and Resumes

Caroline Chavatel is a third-year PhD student studying Poetry. She loves looking at creative work and assisting with the publication process, but also enjoys helping students with cover letters, various applications, and resumes. Over the last six years, she has taught courses in Creative Writing, Business & Professional Writing, Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Rhetoric and Composition, Literacy, and Literature.

Danielle Garner

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Rhet Comp

Other specialties: Victorian Literature, Medieval Literature, Cover Letters, Resumes, Statement of Purpose

Danielle is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition with an interest in Enlightenment Rhetoric. She holds an M.A. in English Literature with a capstone project that centers on Victorian and Post-colonial India. Danielle enjoys meeting new students and seeing the development of student writing over the course of a semester. She’s experienced with graduate school essays, personal statements, resumes, dissertations/theses, and technical writing.

Demetrius Minnick-Tucker

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: African American Literature & Christianity

An alumnus of the University of Louisville, Demetrius is a first-year Ph.D. student in GSU’s Lit Studies program. His goal is to spotlight the beauty of the written word, empower writers to take command of their own writing, and convince incoming students why the written word ought to be an occasion of joy, instead of a drudge and abyss.

Drew Jordan

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Creative Writing

Other specialties: Brainstorming & Revision

Drew is a doctoral student in Creative Writing. He has worked with students across all disciplines and at all points of their assignments. His strengths include brainstorming and revision. While his focus is in creative writing, he has five years of teaching experience outside of creative writing.

Dylan Fisher

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Creative Writing, Fiction

Other specialties: Poetry, Non-Fiction, Grant Proposals, Resumes, Cover Letters

Dylan is a Ph.D. student in Creative Writing, Fiction and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dylan is the author of The Loneliest Band in France, the Winner of Texas Review Press’s 2019 Clay Reynolds Novella Prize.

Erin Carlyle

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing Poetry

Other specialties: APA and MLA Formatting

Erin is a first-year PhD student in Creative Writing focusing in Poetry. She has extensive experience in first-year college writing, poetry and fiction, and personal statements, and is comfortable with APA and MLA documentation.

Fikko Soenanta

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Rhetoric and Composition

Fikko is a PhD student with an interest in digital rhetorics, particularly those concerning non-conventional or newer forms of media. He comes from Indonesia and has spent around 6 years living in the United States. Because of this, he is familiar with the unique struggles of foreign students, or students who do not speak English as their first language. His tutoring approach is to encourage students to lead the conversation, and to act as a conversational partner to bounce ideas off of.

Gabriella Schuett

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Greco-Roman Mythology and Early Modern English Prose/Poetry

Other specialties: Research Papers

Gabriella is a second-year graduate student of English literature. Her research interests are Greco-Roman mythology and its presence in Early Modern English prose and poetry. She is most comfortable working with MLA style papers but can also help with APA format if needed. She enjoys working across disciplines and skill levels. Whether you need someone to enhance your own writing style or are just stuck in your creative process, she is happiest to work with those who are eager to work!

Haris Haq

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Rhetoric and Composition

Other specialties: Philosophy; Business Writing

Haris is a PhD student in English (Rhetoric & Composition track). His thesis pertains to English Composition education in Turkey—a nation he is personally and academically very interested in. He also has interests in Philosophy (particularly Islamic Philosophy) and Islamic Music. When tutoring, he favors a practical approach. Different situations call for different strategies, and to him, discussing this with his tutees is important. Areas like CV writing, letter/email writing, and helping others become knowledgeable of technological tools is what he is passionate about. He has a business background (studied Economics for his B.A. and M.S.) and possesses a CELTA certificate to teach English as a second language.

Jessica Betts

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Secondary Ed; Lit. Studies

Other specialties: Personal statements, research papers, MLA formatting, and Freshman Composition

Jessica holds a Secondary Education ELA Certification with 4+ years of teaching experience in a high school classroom. Currently, she is a first-year Ph.D. student in Literary Studies. Her current research interests include feminist theory, narratology, and American literature.

Julie Noringriis

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Literary Studies Postcolonial Literature

Julie is a first-year Ph.D. student in Literary Studies. Her research focuses on postcolonial literature, narratology, and depictions of sex and sexual violence in literary narratives. Julie is originally from Copenhagen, Denmark but spent the past six years in Northern Missouri pursuing her love of studying and teaching English. She is excited to work with new students at GSU’s Writing Studio.

Kate Easley

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing Fiction

Kate is currently in the MFA program for fiction. She enjoys collaborating with people on their writing because she believes it usually just takes tweaking a few things to make a piece more effective. Her writing has been helped over the years by many generous people, so she hopes to do the same for others. She has experience tutoring students in creative writing, APA, MLA, expository essays, thesis construction, annotated bibliographies, and research design. She also has experience teaching ESL—she even taught in Japan for two years!

Kiyanna Hill

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing Poetry

Other specialties: Cover letters, research papers, and personal statements

Kiyanna is a PhD student in Creative Writing with focusing in poetry. She has prior experience teaching first-year writing. As a tutor, she believes in maintaining the student's voice while also focusing on how to approach an assignment. She is comfortable with creative writing assignments, cover letters, research papers, and personal statements.

Kristi Israel

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Lit Studies

Other specialties: English Theory and Writing

Kristi is a PhD student in the English Department, specializing in Literary Studies. Her main areas of interest are folklore and myth, modern fantasy and science fiction, and Medieval and Renaissance literature. She has over a year of experience in tutoring at the college level, specifically in English theory and writing. She believes in working with the student to find the best approach to better their understanding of the material.

Leah Franqui

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing

Other specialties: Application writing, business writing, non-profit grant writing, and marketing.

Leah is a first-year PhD student in the English department with experience in essay and fictional/creative writing, film/television/dramatic writing, and personal statements for humanities/business school.

Lindsey Baker Bower

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Fiction; Creative Non-Fiction

Other specialties: Resumes and cover letters; Personal Statements; Grant applications

Lindsey Baker Bower is a third-year MFA fiction candidate and a Paul Bowles Fellow. Although she most enjoys working with creative writing, she has a strong background in business and proposal writing and loves to help tutees hone their professional writing voices.

Liping Yang

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Cross-Cultural Communication and Technical Writing

Other specialties: Personal statements, business writing, and ESL experience

Liping approaches tutoring as a targeted model—imitation practice, editing, and revising. She has rich ESL training and more than 7 years of teaching experience. Additionally, she has taught the GRE writing subject for 3 years.

Maggie Miller

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Lit Studies focusing on Renaissance poetry of Milton, Spenser, and Donne.

Other specialties: Research & Academic Writing

Maggie is a second-year M.A. student in Literary Studies who received her B.A. in English from Dalton State College. She has tutored in freshman composition, research writing, and essay writing for exams. Her research encompasses theology and aesthetics in literature and poetry, particularly the Renaissance poetry of Milton, Spenser, and Donne. Maggie specializes in research papers and academic writing, and she guides students to hone their rhetorical, grammatical, and analytical skills in order to write and research effectively. Other areas in which Maggie specializes include professional writing (statements of purpose, cover letters, CVs), writing for exams (GRE, GACE), and MLA formatting.

Margaret Fancher

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Fiction

Other specialties: Fiction Writing, Expositional Writing, Research, English Grammar, and Literary Studies

Meg is a Ph.D. student in creative fiction. She holds an MFA from Oregon State University and wrote her thesis on the rhetoric of aestheticism and art authenticity. She has worked previously as an English and social studies tutor and currently as a creative writing/English composition instructor.

Mel Ruth

Pronouns: She/They

Research areas: Poetry

Other specialties: Grammar and Form; Creative Writing

Mel is a creative writing PhD student with a specialization in poetry. Mel approaches tutoring from a content standpoint, focusing on developing the argument over local concerns such as grammar and punctuation. Mel is most comfortable with creative writing assignments, personal statements, MLA, etc., and has a certificate for teaching English as a foreign language.

Morgan Hunter

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Medieval Literature and Folklore

Other specialties: Feminist studies, Gender studies, and Literary studies

Morgan is an M.A. student studying contemporary literature. She worked in a writing center during her undergraduate years and is excited to continue at Georgia State! She loves helping students at any stage of their writing process– but especially with brainstorming and organization. As a tutor, she enjoys forming relationships with students and thinks the student’s comfort is one of the most important aspects the Studio can provide.

Moriah Bray

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing

Moriah Bray is a second-year in Georgia State's creative writing PhD program having just entered the program in the fall of 2020. She completed her Master of Fine Arts at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, where she wrote a full-length manuscript of poems entitled Gringa. Although her graduate studies brought her to Georgia, Moriah grew up in Florida. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Literature at New College of Florida in 2014. After completing her BA she spent time earning her certification and licensure in massage therapy. Since beginning the PhD program, Moriah has moved to metro Atlanta where she is completing a 300hr yoga teacher certification. She is currently outlining a collection of poems that meditates on the body and personhood. Moriah serves as the poetry editor of Exhume Literary Journal. When she isn't writing poems, you can find her in a yoga flow or petting her cats.

Natalie Cullen

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Rhet Comp

Other specialties: Film studies, editing (MLA & Chicago), copywriting, marketing writing, and screenplays

Natalie graduated from Northumbria University in England with a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing. She is starting the second year of her MA in English, with a concentration in rhetoric and composition. She has previously worked as an editor and copywriter, enjoys writing screenplays, and hiking in her spare time. She can’t wait to work with students in all areas of writing!

Paushali Bhattacharya

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Posthumanism, Postcolonialism, Science Fiction, Psychoanalysis

Other specialties: Personal statements, research papers, second language learners

Paushali is a Ph. D. student in Literary Studies with a focus in posthumanism, postcolonialism, and psychoanalysis. She enjoys working with students’ academic and creative styles of writing who seek to push their boundaries and find innovative modes of self-expression. She is also well-versed in business writing due to her stint as a senior research analyst at a business process outsourcing firm.

Richard Parnell

Pronouns: He/Him

Research Area: 20th-Century, Postcolonial Literary Theory

Other specialties: APA and MLA Formatting; Business Writing

Richard is a first-year PhD student in English Lit, and he studies 20th-century, postcolonial literary theory. When tutoring he seeks to enhance and enrich the writing process for students to better express themselves in academic and professional settings.

Robert Abbott

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Literary Studies, modernist poetry, the modernist novel, psychoanalytic theory, Existentialism.

Other specialties: Philosophy, Rhetoric, Poetics, Creative Writing.

Robert Abbott is a first-year MA student of Literary Studies. His academic work focuses on the existential, psychological, and philosophical dimensions of modernist literature especially. He is passionate about tutoring other students by helping them to look at their work through new critical angles. Furthermore, he hopes to help others to more deeply appreciate the beauty of language and the symbolic import of writing, especially through the idea that composition is not merely an academic endeavor and only a means to an end, but also an artistic and aesthetic project in its own right. He is more than comfortable helping others on academic and creative work alike, as he is a published and self-published poet, songwriter, and recording artist under the pseudonym "Robert Wakefield" - his work can be found anywhere online where music is sold or streamed.

Russell Beason

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Digital Rhetoric and WAC

Other specialties: MLA and Chicago Formatting

Russell Beason is a Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. His focus and interest are in digital rhetoric and writing across the curriculum. He is most comfortable with MLA but has experience with Chicago-style formatting.

Samantha Rae

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Rhetoric and Composition and mental health rhetoric

Other specialties: Research; Personal Statements

Samantha is a second-year student in the Rhetoric and Composition department. Her research interests are community-engaged writing and mental health rhetoric. She most enjoys working on research papers, rhetorical analyses, and personal statements but is excited to work with all styles of writing!

Sarah Powanda

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Literary Studies Semiotics, Trauma Theory, and Eco-Criticism

Sarah is a first-year Ph.D. student in Literary Studies with current interests in semiotics, trauma theory, and eco-criticism. She received her BA in English and BS in Psychology from Kennesaw State University and her MA in Critical Methodologies from King’s College London. Due to her previous education, she is comfortable with other writings styles, such as APA and MHRA, and well versed in the art of the research paper but is fully capable of assisting students in any genre of writing.

Scarlett Gold

Pronouns: She/Her 

Research areas: Literary Studies, Disability Studies, Feminist Literary Criticism, Psychology

Other specialties: MLA & APA, Expository Essays, Argumentative Essays, Formatting

Scarlett is a current MA student in Literary Studies with an interest in critical motivational theories and their relevance to teaching and tutoring. Scarlett also has previous graduate experience in a teaching program, where she implemented the Socratic or inquiry method to teaching. Between her prior and current research interests, she can assist with APA and MLA essays.

Sierra Correia

Pronouns: She/Her 

Research areas: Rhet Comp; publishing; psychology

Other specialties: research papers and creative writing

I'm a second-year MA student in the Rhetoric and Composition program with an interest in publishing. I've tutored both undergraduate and graduate students in the Writing Center at my alma mater while pursuing a Bachelors' degree in Professional Writing. I like to maintain as much of the original voice as possible while refining the paper for clarity, organization, etc. I'm best with research papers, but I also have experience with many other academic and creative styles of writing such as personal statements, resumes, and dissertations. I haven't settled on a research area thus far but it'll no doubt blend writing and psychology.

Sung Park

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Postcolonial Literature, Contemporary American and British Literature, Postmodernism

Other specialties: Business Writing, Resumes, Personal Statements

Sung is a fun-loving gourmand currently pursuing a Master's in Literary Studies. He is excited to be going back to school after a ten-year stint in marketing. Having grown up in Korea and in the States, Sung has first-hand experience shuttling between languages and falling in and out of familiarity with them. During his free time, you may find him baking no-knead sourdough bread or walking his two beloved dogs, Lucky and Coco.

Tanya Stuhr

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Rhet/Comp

As a rhetoric and comp specialist with a non-directive approach to tutoring, Tanya has experience with all types of writing. She has worked in writing centers for years and has a knack for proofreading graduate theses and dissertations.

Thomas Lombardo

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Health, medicine, science, technology

Other specialties: Business and creative writing

Tom Lombardo has been an editor for 45 years. He holds a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering, M.S. in Journalism, and M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Tom was the founding editor-in-chief of WebMD.com in 1998. He currently selects and edits poetry as Poetry Series Editor for Press 53, Winston-Salem, NC, and is a Ph.D. candidate in English at GSU.

In the past four years in the Writing Studio, Tom has tutored every kind of writing from first-year composition assignments through faculty research papers.

Tyler Elrod

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Literary Studies

Other specialties: Personal and professional writing

Tyler is a second-year M.A. student in Literary Studies. His current research involves transnational American literature, with a particular focus on challenging the notion of American exceptionalism. His other areas of interest include postcolonial and poststructuralist theory. As a tutor, Tyler believes in supporting a writer's stylistic choices. Writing can—and should be—a playful space, yet much of the writing students are asked to do can feel limiting. Tyler is dedicated to helping students cultivate their voices within and against the traditional rules of academic writing. Prior to attending GSU, Tyler worked in several professional capacities. As such, he is comfortable tutoring a variety of writing styles, including business writing (resumes, cover letters, emails), academic writing, and personal statements.

Tyrell Collins

Pronouns: He/Him

Research areas: Rhetoric and Composition writing, Creative Writing (Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction)

Other specialties: African American Literature; Contemporary Multicultural Literature

Tyrell is a second-year Ph.D. student at GSU in Rhetoric and Composition. His work has appeared in places such as "Obsidian: Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora" "Journal of Education & Policy," "The New Engagement" and "Punctuate: a nonfiction magazine" Tyrell has previously worked in his undergrad's writing center and has four years of in-class teaching experience, and students' cognitive and emotional development and personal achievement in their writing is always his number one goal from academic to creative work. Research areas include Rhetoric and Composition writing, Creative Writing (Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction) Other specialties: African American Literature; Contemporary Multicultural Literature.

Wanjikũ wa Ngũgĩ

Pronouns: She/Her

Research areas: Creative Writing

Wanjiku Ngugi is a doctoral student in Creative Writing. She enjoys helping students with anything they need, whether it's essays, book chapters, or just learning how to format papers correctly. Her second novel is forthcoming.