RESEARCH INTERESTS
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Trauma-Informed Education, Survivor Empowerment, Transformative Storytelling, Resilience, Conceptual Change, Authentic Semantics, Cognition, Student Development, Communication, Literature, Composition, Literary Theory
EDUCATION
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DOCTOR OF PHILOSPHY (currently enrolled) -VIRGINIA TECH
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Individualized Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program
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Utilizing the disciplines of English, Educational Psychology, Sociology, and Human Development
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Dissertation: Empathetic Educational Environments: Advancing Cultural Sensitivity of Trauma Through Storytelling in the Secondary-level English Classroom
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Committee: Matthew Vollmer, MFA (Chair), Dr. Marcus Johnson (Co-chair), Dr. Katalin Parti, and Dr. Kee Jeong Kim
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Relevant coursework: Cognitive Psychology, Social Inequality, Rhetoric in Society
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Cognition and Education Graduate Certificate
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Coursework: Learning and Cognition, Motivation and Cognition, Constructivism and Cognition
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GRADUATE LEVEL COURSEWORK (2020)-SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY
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English Language and Literature
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Completed 18 graduate credits to fulfill Advanced Placement English teaching requirement
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Relevant coursework: Literary Theory and Seminar in British Literature
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TEACHING LICENSURE COURSEWORK (2016) -UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA-WISE
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Concentration: Secondary (Grades 6-12)
MASTER OF ARTS (2014) -HOLLINS UNIVERSITY
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Children’s Literature
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Passed Foreign Language Exam: German 7/2011
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Thesis: Storytelling: The Tradition, the Telling, and the Showing
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Committee: Dr. Rhonda Brock-Servais, Renee Engel, C.W. Sullivan
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Relevant coursework: History and Criticism of Children’s Literature, Appalachian Traditions and Adaptions, The Craft of Writing: Regional Fiction, Mothers in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Independent Study on Folktales versus Fairytales
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BACHELOR OF ARTS (2011) -UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
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Major: English
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Senior Thesis Seminar: Octavia Butler and African American Dystopian Literature
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
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SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY
Winchester, VA -private university
Adjunct Assistant Professor, 1/2022 to present
Classes taught:
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The Principles of Public Speaking (MCOM-150)
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English Composition (ENG-101)
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Writing for Health Professions (ENG-302)
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Special Topic in Education: Motivation (EDU-503)
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Special Topic in Education: Trauma-Informed Practices and Theories (EDU-503)
Selected Accomplishments:
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Key player in the creation of the graduate school’s Storytelling Initiative, 2023
JOHN HANDLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Winchester, VA –public school
English Teacher, 08/2016 to 7/2023
Classes taught:
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Transitional English 1
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English 1
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Honors English 1
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English 2
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AP Language and Composition
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AP Literature and Composition
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Forensics Speech
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Debate
Selected Accomplishments:
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Proposed and approved 11th grade English class: “Addressing Social Issues in Young Adult Literature.”
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Directed annual school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition
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Hand-selected to teach Project Based Learning English courses at inaugural Emil and Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center, 2021, 2022
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Organized community event for students to present original oratories and communicate important issues of their generation, 2022, 2023
JOHN HANDLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Winchester, VA – public school
Forensics Speech Team Head Coach, 8/2017 to 6/2022
Selected Accomplishments:
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Coached individual performers to district, regional, state, and national level success
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The team earned membership in the National Speech & Debate Association’s 100 Club for achieving 100+ competitive and service points per year, 2019, 2020, 2022
TOOGY TALES
Winchester, VA – self-employed
Storyteller and Speaker, 08/2007 to 8/2017
I developed and performed original stories for people of all ages. My objective was to improve children’s connection to literacy, as I presented at state-wide conferences, speaking to teachers, librarians, and administrators.
Selected Accomplishments:
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Audiobook narrator for It All Started with a Bicycle by Plum McCauley (available on Amazon/Audible) 2016
VIRGINIA AVENUE CHARLOTTE DEHART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Winchester, VA – public school
Prekindergarten Teaching Assistant, 08/2012 to 08/2016
Selected Accomplishments:
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Performed original storytelling and story-creating activities to school during Read Across America celebration, 2013-2016
PEER-REVIEW RESEARCH PUBLICATONS
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under review Polytrauma and Executive Functioning: A Review of Cognitive Protective Mechanisms and Resilience with European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation
under review The Power of Storytelling: Creatively Facilitating Conceptual Change in the Classroom with Journal of Educational Research and Practice
CREATIVE WRITING PUBLICATIONS
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“I Know” and “Alzheimer’s” (Silhouette Literary and Art Magazine poetry publication) December 2024
Post-Traumatic Poetry (autobiographical poetry; Finishing Line Press) July 2023
“His Room” (Silhouette Literary and Art Magazine poetry publication) April 204
“Parada de Autobus” and “Jiffy Lube” (YARN Literary Magazine poetry publication) April 2017
The Most Important Tuesday at Carbuncle Elementary School (middle reader; self-published) August 2016
REFEREED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
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Creative Writing Studies Organization Conference (2024)
Hollins University’s Leading Equity, Diversity, and Justice Conference (2023)
Shenandoah University’s Young Scholars’ Literary Symposium (2022)
Virginia State Reading Association Conference (2015)
Shenandoah University’s Children’s Literature Conference (2012-2016)
NON-REFEREED PRESENTATIONS
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StoryFestLive: Storytelling at Shenandoah University (2023) panelist
The Laurel Center’s Annual Candlelight Vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness (2022) speaker
National Honor Society Inductee Ceremony (2019) key note speaker
Virginia Children’s Book Festival (2014) featured storyteller and panel moderator
Virginia Storytelling Alliance Spring Gathering Showcase (2014) featured storyteller
Virginia Association of Speech, Debate, and Drama Coaches Conference (2014) featured storyteller and speaker
Hollins University’s Francelia Butler Conference (2011, 2012, 2013) featured storyteller
Apple Valley Reading Council Conference (2012) featured storyteller and speaker
Annual Read Across America Book Blast (2006-2016) featured storyteller
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES
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Iota Delta Rho Interdisciplinary Honor Society at Virginia Tech, President (2024-2025)
American Educational Research Association, Division K Campus Liaison (2024-2025)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
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Creative Writing Studies Organization, 2024- present
American Educational Research Association, 2024-present
American Psychological Association, 2024-present
College English Association, 2022-present
RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS
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Virginia Tech’s Glossolalia Literary Festival graduate writer semi-finalist, 2024
Art on First solo art exhibit and author talk: “The Other Side: Expressions of a Trauma Survivor,” 2024
Shenandoah Arts Council ArtScape 14 Artist banner finalist, 2023
Winchester Public Schools’ “Ms. Handley” Faculty Homecoming Queen, 2022
Winchester Public Schools’ Secondary Shout-out for “Framing the Learning,” 2020
Winchester Education Foundation scholarship, 2019
Golden Gavel: Excellence in Teaching recipient; 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
Nominated for Pushcart Prize (in poetry), 2017
Virginia State Liar’s Contest (2nd place), 2015