Leadership
Laura Miller, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Laura Miller (she/her) directs JMU's Learning Centers and is an Associate Professor in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. She holds a Ph.D. in Composition and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Miller conducts research on tutoring efficacy, writing mindsets, and composition practices. So What? The Writer's Argument, a first-year writing textbook she co-authored with Dr. Kurt Schick, is in its third edition. She consults with students and faculty on all kinds of writing.
Audrey Robinson, Ph.D.
Senior Associate Director
Audrey Robinson (she/her) oversees the JMU Learning Centers daily operations and office assistant staff and provides general administrative support. She holds a M.S., Ed.S. and Ph.D. in Career and Technical Education from Virginia Tech and a B.S. in Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Audrey is passionate about helping students to achieve their full potential in and outside the classroom. Her teaching interests include academic success courses that support students in academic suspension or probation and first-year experience courses that promote academic success strategies. Her research interests include social justice and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, particularly for underserved populations and men of color. Audrey enjoys reading, watching movies, crocheting, and spending time with family and friends.
Mary Tam, Ph.D.
Associate Director of the Learning Centers - Science and Math Learning Center
Mary Tam splits her time between tutoring in the Science and Math Learning Center and teaching in the Department of Chemistry. She is passionate about helping students develop an appreciation for chemistry and succeed throughout their educational journey at JMU.
In her free time, she is active supporter of greyhound rescue and enjoys spending time with her husband and two young boys.
Rodolfo "Rudy" Barrett, M.S.
Associate Director of the Learning Centers - University Writing Center
Rodolfo "Rudy" Barrett (he/him) holds a master's degree in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication and teaches first-year composition courses and a course on research design and writing for Intelligence Analysis majors.
He is a student-centered educator with a focus on writing coaching. He has served as a writing consultant since his time as an undergraduate student and has been a prestigious fellowships advisor in collaboration with the Honors College and the Office of Student Awards, Initiatives, and Research. His research interests include composition pedagogy, intercultural communication, rhetoric of gaming, and identity construction, especially regarding race and neurodiversity, in the teaching and learning of composition.
Staff
Danny Markley
Payroll Specialist / Administrative Assistant
Danny Markley (he/him) handles the payroll activities at the JMU Learning Centers and provides administrative support to the faculty and staff in their daily operations. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains of West Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Morgan Widelo
Executive Administrative Assistant
Morgan Widelo (she/her) provides administrative, fiscal, technology, and program support to the Executive Director and Learning Centers. She is a double Duke and is excited to continue her time on campus as part of the JMU staff. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, doing yoga, and journaling.
Faculty
Andrew Barnes, Ph.D.
Coordinator - Communication Center
Andrew D. Barnes is the Interim Coordinator of the Communication Center. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Communication from Georgia State University. He teaches courses in School of Communication including advanced public speaking, rhetorical theory, argumentation and debate, American political culture, and the introductory course. Andrew’s research interests focus on the role of Communication Centers in the modern university, pedagogy and public speaking, student tutoring, and argumentation. In his free time he serves on Massanutten’s Ski Patrol and enjoys outdoor activities with his family.
Emily Bouza, Ph.D.
Disciplinary Writing Coordinator - University Writing Center
Emily Bouza (she/her) oversees outreach and course embedded consultants for the University Writing Center. Her goal is to support students and faculty in their writing in all disciplines across campus. She holds a Ph.D. in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. in Professional and Technical Writing from the University of Arkansas – Little Rock, and a B.A. in English from Kent State University.
Beth Cochran, Ph.D.
Statistics Coordinator - Science and Math Learning Center
Beth Cochran is the Statistics Coordinator in the Science and Math Learning Center, and she teaches courses in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in August 2017. She is passionate about encouraging students and supporting them in their introductory statistics courses.
Jenna Guenther, M.A.T.
Mathematics Coordinator - Science and Math Learning Center
Jenna Guenther is the Mathematics Coordinator in the Science and Math Learning Center. Jenna graduated from the JMU College of Science and Mathematics in 2019 with a B.S. in Math and from the JMU College of Education in 2020 with her M.A.T focused in math secondary education. She is currently pursuing her M.Ed in Mathematics through JMU! She began working in the SMLC as a peer math tutor in 2016, served as a graduate assistant in the SMLC for the 2019-2020 academic year, and has been a member of the Learning Centers faculty since 2020. Jenna is passionate about tutor training and professional development, supporting students in STEM courses, and coaching cheerleading and gymnastics.
Kevin Jefferson, M.A.
Faculty Associate - University Writing Center
Kevin Jefferson (he/him) is a Faculty Associate from the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. He has a background in 19th- and 20th-century British and American literature and a history of long road trips. His teaching and research interests include first-year composition and editing; rhetorics of place, the environment, and the West, and publishing student writing. He works with the student editors and faculty reviewers of the James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ) to promote, publish, and share undergraduate research and scholarship from all JMU disciplines.
Kristen Kelley, Ph.D.
Coordinator
Kristen Kelley, Ph.D., coordinates peer educator training and outreach services for the Learning Centers and is an Assistant Professor teaching in the College of Arts and Letters. Continuing the legacy of support for multilingual members of the JMU community, Kristen also provides English language consultations in the Learning Centers. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies, an M.A. in TESOL from the University of Delaware, and a B.A. from JMU in Modern Foreign Languages.
Kristen has taught courses in the College of Education’s graduate and undergraduate Teaching English as a Second Language program and the Equity and Cultural Diversity M.Ed. program. Kristen currently teaches for the College of Arts and Letters in both Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Queer Studies. She serves as co-coordinator for the Queer Studies minor.
Yang Liu, Ph.D.
Peer Assisted Study Sessions Coordinator
Yang Liu is the Coordinator of Peer Assisted Study Sessions and an Assistant Professor in Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University. Her research interests include risk and resilience factors on the academic success of college students, socioemotional development in childhood and adolescence, and the effectiveness of educational technology. She is passionate about supporting student success both academically and emotionally. Outside of work, she enjoys playing educational and psychological games with her husband and three children.
Jason Sterlace
Physics Coordinator - Science and Math Learning Center
Jason Sterlace is the Physics Coordinator for the SMLC and is an Instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is a STEP UP Ambassador for the American Physical Society, and has an interest in Physics Education Research. He is a 2002 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Matt Trybus, M.Ed.
Peer Assisted Study Sessions Coordinator
Matt Trybus is the Coordinator of PASS. He holds an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Administration from the University of Vermont, a teaching license from Saint Michael’s College, and a B.A. in History from the University of Montana. Prior to coordinating the PASS program, Matt served as Assistant Director of James Madison’s Office of Disability Services for 7 years.
In addition to working with members of the JMU community to realize their potential, Matt is passionate about his family, friends, cycling, food, and balance.
Graduate Assistants
Alexandra "Lexi" Ali
Communication Center Co-coordinator
Becca Bailey
Graduate Assistant - Peer Assisted Study Sessions
Becca Bailey (she/her) is a first-year graduate student in the MA/Ed.S. School Psychology program. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, complemented by double minors in Behavioral Neuroscience and Music. Becca aspires to work as a school psychologist in a public school setting, where she aims to be an advocate for equitable educational opportunities for all students. In her free time, Becca enjoys adventuring with her dog, hiking, music, and creating art.
Lauren DeLuca
Graduate Consultant - Outreach Coordinator
University Writing Center
Lauren DeLuca (she/her) is a second-year graduate student in the MA/Ed.S. School Psychology program. Lauren graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociology and worked in educational settings in the Richmond area. She aims to work in public schools to support students' mental health and academic growth. In her free time, Lauren enjoys hiking, reading, playing ultimate Frisbee, and attending live music events.
Cassandra "Cas" Dumas
Graduate Consultant - Research Writing Coordinator
University Writing Center
Cas Dumas (she/her) is second-year graduate student in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. Cas graduated from Emory & Henry College with bachelor’s degrees in English Literature and in French. She is a Publicity & Marketing Intern at a publishing house and plans on working in publishing and editing after graduating. In their free time, Cas loves to work on her creative writing projects and talk about fantasy books online.
MSC 1023
738 South Mason Street
Room Suite 1100-1167
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
