Faculty Consultants
Rodolfo "Rudy" Barrett, M.S.
Associate Director, 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, rhetorics of gaming, and identity construction, especially regarding race and neurodiversity, in the teaching and learning of composition.
Emily Bouza, Ph.D.
Disciplinary Writing Coordinator
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.
Joni Hayward Marcum, Ph.D.
Digital Literacies Coordinator
Joni Hayward Marcum (she/her) holds a Ph.D. in Media, Cinema, and Digital Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has worked in the Writing Center field since 2017. She also has extensive experience as a teacher of first-year writing and has experience in writing program administration, online learning, and mentorship.
Kevin Jefferson, M.A.
Faculty Associate
jefferkx@jmu.edu
Kevin (he/him) is a Faculty Associate from the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. He teaches first-year writing courses and editing courses, and he works with the student editors and faculty reviewers of the James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ) to promote, publish, and share undergraduate scholarship from all JMU disciplines.
Graduate Consultants
Graduate Consultant
Marina Hlouverakis
Marina (she/her) is a first-year WRTC graduate student. She graduated from JMU in 2026 with a major in WRTC and a minor in Political Science. Marina enjoys volunteering at community events in Harrisonburg, such as MACROCK and Pride Fest. In her free time, she likes hanging out with friends and loved ones (including her cat) and going camping on the weekends!
Graduate Intern
Kathryn Hughes
Kathryn (she/her) is a second-year WRTC graduate student. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an BS in Communication from Brigham Young University-Idaho. She is an adjunct English professor at Marymount University and has been teaching, tutoring, and professionally writing for over 20 years.
Graduate Assistant - Digital Specialist
Rexhep Kameraj
Rexhep (xh pronounced as j in jet; he/him) is a second-year, international graduate student from Kosovo in the Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication program. He is the secretary of the Graduate Student Association and is passionate about composition pedagogy, translingualism, and UX/UI design.
Graduate Assistant - Outreach Specialist
Amber Sykhammountry
Amber (she/they) is a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Her current research interests are substance use and risk assessment with genderqueer populations and communities of color. Outside of school, they love reading, cooking, and watching objectively bad indie horror.
Undergraduate Writing Consultants
Peer Consultant
Tirayan Bartlett
Tirayan (pronounced Tear-ee-yen, uses any/all pronouns) transferred to JMU last year from Emory and Henry University and is a junior English major with a double minor in Creative Writing and WRTC! When not working, reading, writing, glued to a chair, or traversing campus, you can find Tirayan visiting their girlfriend or at his townhouse yapping with her roommates. Their interests outside of school and work are hiking, swimming, cooking, napping, and the occasional dabble in creative design projects such as his wardrobe, sewing, Canva, or interior decorating of the upstairs landing of her house. At JMU, they sing (usually with the choir), serve on the JMURJ Editorial Board, and are a part of JMU Club Gymnastics (which is a super fun group)!
Peer Consultant
Madison Carrazana
Madison (she/her) is a junior WRTC major with a minor in sports communication. She is a student ambassador for WRTC and an active member for the Women's Club Lacrosse team. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and spending time with friends.
Peer Consultant
Talia Congdon
Talia (she/her) is a sophomore WRTC major with a Spanish minor. On campus, she can often be found taking pictures of plants in the arboretum or partaking in movie nights with her friends. Her hobbies include reading and writing, researching marine animals, and listening to every genre of music she can find (recommendations welcome).
Peer Consultant
Tori Critzer
Tori (she/her) is a junior Media Arts and Design major with WRTC and Honors minors. On campus, she is Vice President of Membership for UPB and is often telling everyone to be her friend. You can often find her, energy drink in hand, listening to music and studying on campus. Off campus, she is probably watching TV while playing sudoku. Ask her about one of her ten previous majors, and she will tell you she is still unsure about them.
Peer Consultant
Moni Davis
Moni (any/all pronouns) is a junior Special Education major who, despite being a Math minor, has a passion for writing. On campus, you can find them in Memorial Hall for most of their day, studying, crocheting, or reading. Off campus, they tend to be walking their dog or doing some sort of craft. They also have a great passion for different cultures and getting to know all types of people, so be ready to yap during sessions!
Peer Consultant
Ally de Cardona
Ally (she/her) is a senior WRTC major with a minor in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. She serves as the President of Alpha Phi Omega. On campus, she can be found drinking coffee in TDU or reading in Hillcrest House. In her free time, Ally loves to roller skate, go on road trips, and watch horror movies with her friends.
Peer Consultant
Emily Hamrick
Emily (she/her) is a senior double majoring in English and Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. On campus, you can find her giving tours with Student Ambassadors or hunkering down in Harrison Hall. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her one-year-old lab mix, Dottie, and lying in the sun with a good book.
Peer Consultant
Jaida Hewitt
Jaida (she/her) is a junior Marketing major with a WRTC minor. Her on-campus life consists of being the Vice President of the "Word Is Born Writers Society" creative writing club, an editorial board member for the Iris Literature and Arts Magazine, and a diligent student (or at least trying to be). Outside of class, she enjoys spending time with friends, reading/writing contemporary fiction, and scrolling Pinterest. She’s excited about working at the UWC this year!
Peer Consultant
MacKenzie Irey
Kenzie (she/her) is a senior Pre-Law student with a WRTC major and a Legal Studies minor. She is from Philly, PA (go birds!). In her free time, Kenzie loves to read and spend time with her friends and family.
Peer Consultant
Kayla Katounas
Kayla (she/her) is a junior double majoring in WRTC and SMAD with a journalism concentration. She also works as a copy editor for The Breeze and The Bluestone. She spends her Tuesdays watching Dancing With The Stars with friends and the rest of her free time knitting/crocheting, reading, and (re)watching TV.
Peer Consultant
Mila Leeson
Mila (she/her) is a sophomore English major with a Creative Writing minor in the poetry track. She enjoys reading and writing poetry (and has already published a book of poetry). Outside of work, she typically stays home to spend time with online friends and loves playing games and reading books! Although she enjoys solitude, she’s always willing to make friends and be there for others!
Peer Consultant
Nate Lorenger
Nate (he/him) is a junior political science major and honors interdisciplinary studies minor. On campus, you might see him at UREC, studying in Carrier, or waiting in line at Freshëns. Outside of school, Nate enjoys playing chess, reading, golfing, and watching football.
Peer Consultant
Sadie McClain
Sadie is a senior SMAD major with a concentration in journalism and minors in English and WRTC. She is an avid regular at TDU trivia night, plays violin and guitar, and finds that most problems can be solved with a strongly-worded email. Her favorite activities include playing Dungeons & Dragons, going to art museums, and utilizing the Oxford comma.
Peer Consultant
Shishira Nakka
Shishira (she/her) is a junior English major with a WRTC minor from Richmond, Virginia! In her free time, she serves on the Executive Board of the Madison Consulting Club, writes for The Breeze, and volunteers with SafeRides. When she’s off campus, she can be found reading, logging movies in her Letterboxd, watching Jeopardy, online shopping, and making her friends get a sweet treat with her.
Peer Consultant
Sophie Pearlman
Sophie (she/her) is a junior Biology major from Richmond, Virginia. She is concentrating in microbiology and works in a research lab, so you can often find her holed up in Rose Library or the Bioscience building. She works on in-lab projects as well as scientific technical writing for her research. In her free time, she loves to read, journal, spend time with friends, or spoil her cat, Penny!
Peer Consultant
Xander Pearson
Xander (he/him) is a senior History major and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies minor. On campus, he can be found hitting his step goals and relaxing with friends on the quad. He is happy to meet new friends every day! In his free time, Xander goes to UREC, reads comic books, and watches sports.
Peer Consultant
Amelia Ruzzi
Amelia (she/her) is a junior majoring in English with minors in Environmental Humanities and Communications. On campus, she is a member of Dancing Dukes and Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed community service fraternity. This semester, she also serves as the Communications Intern for the English Department. In her free time, she loves to dance, create art, hike, thrift, travel, and hang out with her friends. She looks forward to working at the UWC this semester!
Peer Consultant
Freddie Tavakoli
Freddie (she/they) is a senior WRTC major and Philosophy minor. She is a WRTC Student Ambassador and a Natural Resources Technician with JMU’s Stormwater Management. She is an active member in JMU’s Caving and Birding clubs. When she’s not at work, you can find her journaling, reading, and identifying wildlife, or spending time with her snake, Lionel, at home.
Peer Consultant
Saheli Vilchis-Trejo
Saheli (she/her) is a Kinesiology major with a minor in Pre-Athletic Training. On campus, she is a member of the Latin Dance Club. In her free time, she loves going to social dances, hiking, working out, walking her dog, painting, and watching the sunset. She has always been passionate about helping others in any way she can, so she’s super excited to start working with students at the UWC!
Peer Consultant
Jillian Wallner
Jillian (she/her) is a junior Social Work major and a member of the Honors College. On campus, she can be found running with the club cross country team or hanging out with her friends in Cru, a Christian campus ministry. Jillian also enjoys exploring downtown Harrisonburg, journaling, and rewatching New Girl.
