Writing Center Faculty & Staff
Juli Parrish, Director
Dr. Juli Parrish has directed the DU Writing Center since 2015. Her degrees are in English, focusing on composition, rhetoric, literacy, and pedagogy. Other areas of knowledge include fan fiction, detective novels, knitting, and world flags and capitals. Juli co-edits the open access, peer-reviewed journal Literacy in Composition Studies and is currently the President of the Rocky Mountain Writing Centers Association.
Olivia Tracy, Assistant Director
Dr. Olivia Tracy has served as the Assistant Director of the Writing Center since the fall of 2023. She holds degrees or minors in English, history, and music. Other areas of curiosity include gardening, bouldering, cooking for one, and memorizing song lyrics. Olivia is on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed resource Center Moves and the board of the Rocky Mountain Writing Centers Association; she is also a member of the IWCA Accessibility Task Force.
Megan Kelly, Faculty Partner
The Writing Center was fortunate to have Professor Megan Kelly, Teaching Professor in Writing, as its Assistant Director for the past five years; her emphasis on accessibility, trauma-informed consulting, neurodiversity, and antiracist teaching and tutoring practices has helped us to invite DU students to bring their whole selves--and all their literacies--into our physical and Zoom spaces. Megan continues to serve as a Writing Center Faculty Partner and as the Program Coordinator for Faculty Writing Groups, so you will be seeing her if you attend Writing Program retreats or Faculty Writing Accountability Groups this year!
Geoff Stacks, Faculty Partner
Dr. Geoff Stacks, Teaching Professor of Writing and Writing Center Faculty Partner, serves as a mentor to our staff, drawing on his many years of teaching and tutoring experience to help our consultants to be thoughtful and intentional in the work they do with writers. Geoff's degrees are in American modern and postmodern fiction, literary theory, and philosophy, and his other areas of knowledge include birding, Bob Dylan, playing music, and being able to name all the American presidents in alphabetical order.
Amanda Thompson, Program Manager
Ms. Amanda Thompson, MA, is the Program Manager for the Writing Program and Writing Center. Amanda's formal education was in history, political science, interdisciplinary international relations, and leadership. Her other areas of interest include music, politics, living abroad and travel. She can speak a little German, mostly using kitchen and restaurant terms.
Writing Center Staff
Abby C (she/her)
Areas of study: English for Secondary Education, professional writing, literature. Other knowledges: YA lit, crocheting, baking.
Ariana R (she/her)
Areas of study: criminology, psychology. Other knowledges: junk journaling, American Sign Language, learning Spanish, horror movies, World War 2, football (cowboys).
Chris S (he/him)
Areas of study: poetry, theatre, arts administration. Other knowledges: theatre and nonprofit operations, ghosts, fly fishing, digital folklore, saints, podcasts.
Emily G (she/her)
Areas of study: library & information sciences, psychology, Spanish, writing practices. Other knowledges: music (flute, voice, steel drums, etc.), cooking, foraging, gardening, sewing, poetry/creative writing, Shakespeare, architecture & art history, paper making, swing dancing, cats.
Fred N (he/him)
Areas of study: English, English language, literary studies. Other knowledges: literary criticism, African literature, references/citations and sports (soccer and basketball).
Gabe C (he/him)
Areas of study: environmental science, English, international studies. Trained in STEM writing, grant writing, scholarship writing. Other knowledges: creative writing, modern art, zoology, fencing, tennis, archery, tarot reading, indie bands, procrastination.
STEM Consultant: My interests in geography and environmental science intersect with my passion for writing to create a fascination with science communication.
Hafsa A (she/her)
Areas of study: molecular biology, computer science, chemistry. Other knowledges: African borders, teen dramas, public health.
Kendall M (he/they)
Areas of study: philosophy, creative writing, English. Other knowledges: Irish sports & culture, fountain pens, calligraphy, Colorado native plants, cactus growing, bonsai, Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, poetry, film, photography, glass blowing, sailing, Colorado history, midwest emo, guitar (alternate tunings, amps, pedals, effects, etc), woodworking.
Leyna F (she/her)
Areas of study: computer science, socio-legal studies, international studies, math. Other knowledges: fiber arts, painting, French, intellectual property law, travel.
Liam R (he/they)
Areas of study: physics (molecular and cellular biophysics), astronomy, chemistry, applied math. Other knowledges: yarn crafts (knitting & crocheting), trombone, euphonium, quilting, sourdough bread baking, vegan cooking & baking, bullet journaling.
Lili H (they/she)
Areas of study: cognitive vision science, experimental psychology, and writing practices. Other knowledges: knitting stuffed animals, some domesticated snakes, python (coding language, not the snake), piercing care, furniture construction.
Liz B (she/her)
Areas of study: environmental science, environmental communications, chemistry, environmental policy and management. Other knowledges: poetry, backpacking, alpine skiing & racing, fitness & physical therapy.
Neshat S (she/her)
Areas of study: cinema, screenwriting, creative writing, English & literary arts. Other knowledges: translation, film criticism, contemporary Latin American literature, psychoanalysis, Middle Eastern politics.
Sasha W (she/her)
Areas of study: English literature, philosophy, anthropology, medieval lit, creative qriting, Shakespearean studies, the personal essay. Other knowledges: statements of purpose, the lyrical essay, creative nonfiction, slam poetry & spoken word, travel writing, French cinema.
Tory M (they/them)
Areas of study: religion, theology, qualitative research, film studies, gender studies, film, humanities. Other knowledges: coffee, quilting, disability, parenting and child development, dog training, birds and the watching thereof, true crime, Star Trek, cults, knitting, dinosaurs.
