Our BoardEXECUTIVE BOARDPresident: Lisa Bell (she/her),Utah Valley University
Having been an active member of RMWCA for almost two decades, I see the need for both increased connection and sustainability within our vast and varied eight-state region. The current board of the RMWCA has already begun the work of strengthening the region by developing ways for writing center colleagues to engage and interact beyond the annual conference. As an organization, RMWCA is in an exciting period of change as we have implemented new membership structures and new offerings to RMWCA members. These efforts need to be sustained and refined, adapting to the needs of RMWCA members and growing along with the region. Increasing opportunities to for RMWCA members to connect with each other and helping provide a sure foundation for our collective work would be important aims of my work, if elected to this position. If elected president-elect, I would work with other RMWCA leaders and members to continue exploring and expanding opportunities to connect and support writing center colleagues, scholars, and practitioners in their work. This would include continuing work with webinars, online book clubs, and the newsletter as well as updating our directories (secondary and post-secondary) and encouraging regional and sub-regional gatherings and conferences (online and face-to-face) to connect administrators and consultants or tutors across our eight-state region. These actions would also increase sustainability within our region by building upon existing programs and improving infrastructure and communication. Beyond working with existing leaders, given the president-elect’s responsibilities over RMWCA election, I would seek to invite and include RMWCA members to participate in elections, aiming for an increase in both voting and representation for within our diverse region. President Elect: Katrina Bell (she/her), Colorado College
Originally from: I grew up in Springfield, Illinois, but have been gone from there for much longer than I ever lived there. Worked in the writing centers for: I had to use a calculator for this, but off and on for 23 years.
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? I love being able to make institutional change through conversations about writing with both students and faculty.
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board? I'm hoping to help increase connections across our region through online conversations and support for our directors as we navigate changes in pedagogy, expectations, and student need.
Favorite/Recommended piece of media? Right now, I'm absolutely loving Ted Lasso on the happy side, and Midnight Mass for the spooky season Outreach Coordinator: Melody Denny (she/her), University of Northern ColoradoOriginally from: rural Oklahoma Worked in the writing centers for: I started working in writing centers as an undergraduate in 2002.
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? getting immediate feedback that what I’m doing is helping people and having an impact on their learning, writing, and sometimes life.
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board?bring a bit more connection between folx who are part of the Rocky Mountain region. It’s a big area, and we’re all spread out, and connecting is more important than even during the pandemic. A community is really important and beneficial to me personally and professionally, and I want to help continue building that for others.
Favorite/Recommended piece of media ? I’m an audio book and true crime podcast lover. I’m always listening to something while I’m crocheting, cooking, or just sitting around. No recommendations for specifics, but listening is the way to go! Treasurer: Shareen Grogan (she/they), University of Montana
Originally from: Montana Worked in the writing centers for: 20+ years
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? Working with my professional tutors, working with students, training faculty
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board? I have experience with conference planning and budgeting, and I can take the long view.
Favorite/Recommended piece of media? My favorite book is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. Current favorite show is Call the Midwife. Secretary: [Interm]Tutor Representative: Michael O'Donnell (he/him), Salt Lake Community CollegeOriginally from: Salt Lake City, Utah Worked in the writing centers for: 3 years
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? The Students
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board? A different perspective
Favorite/Recommended piece of media ? Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell IWCA Affiliate Representative: Rachel Herzl-Betz (she/her), Nevada State College
Originally from: Superior, WI Worked in the writing centers for: I got started in 2005 as an undergraduate tutor at Carleton College.
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? I love introducing undergraduate tutors to Writing Center research and supporting their inquiry.
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board? I hope I can bring my investment in accessibility, as well as an ongoing curiosity about cross-institutional collaboration.
Favorite/Recommended piece of media? If you want a podcast that will make you feel better about the world, check out Carvell Wallace's "Finding Fred". It's a 10-part series that ran from October-December of 2019, and it felt like the kind of work that Mr. Rogers himself would appreciate it the world Web Editor: Heather Graham (she/they), Salt Lake Community College
Originally from: Draper, UT Worked in the writing centers for: 6+ years
What is your favorite part about working for a writing center? Learning about the vast and diverse lived-experiences of the students I get to interact with. Chipping away at the status quo and challenging academic gatekeeping through supporting students.
What do you hope to bring to your position on the RMWCA board? A student-driven/peer tutor perspective.
Favorite/Recommended piece of media? Marianas Trench's "Ever After" or "Phantoms" albums. STATE REPRESENTATIVESArizona: Nick Cenegy, University of Arizona
 I currently direct the writing center at the University of Arizona's THINK TANK and coordinate other writing initiatives across campus. I'm brand new to this position. Prior to coming to Arizona, I spent several years as a writing center administrator at the Texas A&M University Writing Center. In addition to general supervisory duties at A&M's UWC, I created and led programs tailored for grad students. I have presented research at a variety of writing center and student services conferences, including several IWCA annual conferences. My sense of the RMWCA's recent activity is that there is a new (or renewed) interest in connecting writing support organizations from a variety of academic venues. I see this reflected in the 2019 joint conference with the C&W Writing Tutors Conference, as well as reflected in the revised language of the recent web redesign--i.e. "We define writing centers broadly...". I think this is a good direction and future goals for the RMWCA should further efforts to incorporate a variety of writing support communities. Since institutional structure so intimately influences the everyday operations of a writing center, it is of real and immediate benefit to encourage a robust exchange of models, ideas, and concerns about writing support administration and practice. The conversations I've had with secondary school writing center administrators, near-peer program coordinators, community writing center practitioners, and others who operate in a different context than mine, have been among the most important in helping to articulate how and why we do what we do in our center. I have the benefit of being new in my position and at my institution. Learning about other institutions and building relationships with writing support communities in the region are among my highest priorities. I see it as my responsibility to connect these groups. I have a genuine desire to understand how others have approached writing support in their contexts, and believe that such authentic interest yields valuable conversations. It can even serve as the basis for enduring relationships. My current efforts, from a university context, have already yielded burgeoning collaborations with local high schools and community colleges. By extending these nascent efforts to the broader region, I can help connect RMWCA members as well as identify writing support communities that (from my relative outsider position) appear to have not yet been invited into the conversation.
Colorado: Olivia Tracy
Idaho: Melissa Keith,
Montana: Amy Ratto-Parks, University of Montana
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I have been fortunate to be a member of the RMWCA for many years, serving first as a writing tutor and then moving into administrative roles at two different institutions. This experience has allowed me to gain a better first-hand understanding of the many facets of writing center work. Beyond my work as a practitioner in this field, I have developed as a scholar of writing center studies, researching, publishing, and presenting on writing center work, as well as serving as a reviewer for publications within the field and serving on the board of IWCA. My service within RMWCA spans many years and many positions and projects, including developing regional directories, helping establish bylaws, hosting RMWCA conferences, building and maintaining the RMWCA website, serving as outreach coordinator, and participating as the RMWCA representative to the IWCA. Writing center work and community certainly is, has been, and will continue to be a vital and vibrant part of my experience as a writing center professional in the Rocky Mountain region.
Originally from: Lenexa, KS