Working Together to Transform Writers
Since 1852, Antioch University has held the core belief that all adults have the power to transform their lives through their writing. At the Writers’ Exchange, we offer writers full menu of coaching, editing, webinars, and practical writing resources. Whether you’re a doctoral writer or a professional you’ll find the help you need from a trusted name in adult education.
The Writers’ Exchange is a direct response to a growing trend in online professional writing support. The Writers’ Exchange is unique because we’re a university program dedicated to the mission that successful writing is essential to academic and professional success. Our editors and coaches believe that all writers deserve to realize their potential through writing and that having individualized support through an editor or coach can be the catalyst for significant writing growth. Wherever and whoever you are, you will find experts committed to providing specialized writing support at The Writers’ Exchange.
Meet the Team
Kat comes to Antioch with Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition, with a focus on graduate education and Writing Center Studies. Most recently, she was a lecturer in the Analytical Writing Program at the University of California, San Diego, but has spent most of her post-graduate career in writing center and writing program administration. Prior to that, she taught public high school in both urban and rural environments. She is passionate about learning and teaching in antiracist pedagogies and truly enjoys collaborating on course design, discussing how to support students from all backgrounds, and doing institutional research to find strengths and opportunities for improving academic culture through increasing equity. As an editor and coach, she focuses on helping students find manageable processes and personal voices in their writing. To her joy and consternation, virtual meetings with Kat almost always feature a four-pawed, tuxedo-ed guest named Aleister.
Tammy is a writer, editor, and lifelong learner. She has always enjoyed writing, and past experiences include drafting reports for environmental organizations, local newspaper articles, and the publication of her children’s book about African painted dogs to support her PhD research. In addition to offering writing assistance to peers, she served as an adjunct instructor for Natural Science and Veterinary Technology courses at a local community college. Tammy obtained degrees in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M and Psychobiology from the University of New England, as well as her PhD in Environmental Science from Antioch University New England. She looks forward to supporting and ensuring the success of others in their writing endeavors.
Sarah E. Watkins is an independent scholar and editor. She earned her PhD in History and Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014 and has taught at universities in California, Indiana, Ohio, and Maine. She is currently working on a book manuscript entitled Mistress of the Drum: Intimacy, Power, and the State in Rwanda, 1796-1962. She also serves as the Africa Editor for Notches: (re)marks on the history of sexuality. Sarah loves helping writers find their authorial voice, and is dedicated to the philosophy that anyone can learn to write well. She is also a militant defender of the Oxford comma.
Katie is a social-environmental researcher, writer, and editor. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England in 2021. Katie’s dissertation was based on her 2.5 years’ experience living and working on food security with a rural community in Togo, West Africa, where she also served as a United State Peace Corps Volunteer. Her writing and editing skills grew during her graduate education as she learned from professors, and during her time as a Writing Coach at the Antioch University Virtual Writing Center. Katie has acted as a freelance editor, and she is also a Minute Clerk for the City of Keene, NH, where she documents legislative minutes, which has given her added writing and editing experience. Katie is thrilled to share her skills again with the Antioch University Writers’ Exchange, experience students’ research, and support students in achieving their writing successes.
Mike received his PhD in English from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, where he specialized in fiction writing and American Literature. Before moving into full-time editing, he was an associate professor of humanities at Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire, where he taught English and writing. He has over fifteen years of editorial experience collaborating with academics in fields including sociology, creative writing, history, political science, the humanities, and mechanical engineering. He’s currently an editor-at-large for Belt Publishing, an independent press focused on writing about the Rust Belt and Midwest. Mike loves working with writers who are at any stage of the composition process, whether they’re developing early ideas, looking for ways to stay motivated, thinking about structural questions, or looking to write outstanding sentences.
Colin has worked in the Arts, Entertainment and Media fields for over 30 years and is eager to bring his expertise to the WEX community and help emerging writers achieve their goals. A graduate of the AUSB MFA in Writing and Contemporary Media, Colin is a produced screenwriter, Marvel comics scribe, award-winning playwright, and recipient of the Paramount Pictures Chesterfield Screenwriting Fellowship. Currently he is producing, writing, directing and developing his own original scripted podcast adventure series entitled The Laundronauts: A Potentially Untrue Tale Based on Actual Events with IHeart Media. Mitchell is both a multi-media and trans-media writing expert and highly-experienced in adaptation in all genres and emerging media. He also advises other writers at Little Brother Sam Writing Academy.
Anna Paretskaya is an editor, researcher, and educator with a PhD in sociology from the New School for Social Research. She teaches at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is a coeditor of the open-access, bilingual (English and Russian) journal Laboratorium: Russian Review of Social Research. Her own academic work has won awards from several professional associations. As an editor, Anna has experience in academic book and journal publishing in a wide range of social sciences and humanities. She especially enjoys working with new scholars and multilingual writers, helping them develop and refine their authorial voice and bring their ideas to readers.
Deborah Parker is an applied research consultant and academic coach and editor. She provides support to authors as they prepare and revise manuscripts for dissertation research, journal submissions, and nonfiction work. She has a doctorate from Tulane University in Industrial & Organizational Psychology and has pursued postdoctoral work in holistic psychology, psychotronics, sustainable agriculture and living, holistic health, and vibrational healing. Deborah also edits journal articles in both the humanities and life sciences for two major academic presses. She uses her multidisciplinary experience, sense of humor, and compassionate approach to help authors establish their unique scholarly voice, organizing their ideas and hard work into compelling, persuasive arguments that are founded on sound methodology and articulated with eloquence in a well-considered synthesis of the relevant material.
Tom is an independent writer/editor specializing in ESL, academic, and technical texts. After starting out as an engineering student, Tom moved to Kansas City to study literature at Avila University in 2004 and has worked with words ever since. After working the publishing industry, he studied at the University of Missouri, writing a master’s thesis about aesthetic theory in William Blake’s work. Next Tom taught English as a foreign language with the US Peace Corps in Mongolia. Upon returning to Kansas City, he taught English at a local community college while developing his business. He has worked on academic book manuscripts, technical reports, theses and dissertations, academic journals, advertising copy, marketing materials, and more. Tom is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association and the Managing Editor and President of the Board of Directors at Whispering Prairie Press, which produces Kansas City Voices and KC Voices Youth magazines (wppress.org).
Teresa is an editor, software engineer, and psychotherapist. She received bachelor degrees in Mathematics and Computer Engineering from the University of Washington and wrote thousands of lines of code before transitioning into academic writing. She has always enjoyed collaboration and spent three years providing writing assistance to peers at Antioch’s Virtual Writing Center while studying for her PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England. Teresa is excited to be a part of the WEX team to continue supporting fellow writers as they add their voice to the ever-evolving conversation.
Nancy Birn Struckman has worked as an editor and proofreader for over twenty years, including as a managing editor for a local newspaper. She is currently the manager of Editing for Style, LLC, where she edits books and monthly blogs, and where she enjoys working with undergraduate and graduate students on formatting and proofreading their dissertations, theses, and papers, according to their pertinent style guides. Nancy understands how difficult and stressful finishing theses or dissertations can be for students, and guides them to their finished product calmly and quickly, thus ensuring their success. She holds a BA in English from SUNY Albany (now UAlbany).
July began pursuing their masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Drama Therapy at Antioch University Seattle in Fall 2018. They are currently in their clinical internship finding joy in working with youth, the LGBTQ+ community, and leading groups! July has been with WEX since they began their academic career at Antioch and has loved being a part of the team. As a director and playwright, their love for writing extends far beyond academia and hopes their time with WEX will be as inspiring for you as it is for them!
Kayla began her journey in Clinical Mental Health and Art Therapy at Antioch University Seattle in the Fall of 2018. With her life-long devotion to creative expression and community engagement, she hopes to take her critical skills learned at Antioch into a career serving children and young adults. Kayla’s love for creativity extends into the written arts, believing that a good foundation in writing is supportive of healthy communication for both personal and professional ventures. She is thrilled to be joining the team and hopes to spread the word about WEX and all it has to offer through social media and community engagement.
China is currently in pursuit of her master’s degree in Advocacy for Social Justice and Sustainability. As an advocate and a researcher, she is driven to contribute to honest, necessary change. Her future plans involve empowering community involvement through science communications, pragmatic action items, and compassionate perspectives. She values her time at Antioch for the opportunities to collaborate with students and professors who are deep thinkers, strong-hearted, and proud to speak up. China is happy to be working with WEX to support the work of dedicated knowledge sharers.
John is the Director of the Virtual Writing Center and has supported Antioch students in the Writing Centers for nearly a decade in various capacities. John loves helping people to better develop and communicate their ideas. Background includes writing in a family with an intense interest in language; attending Marlboro College and enjoying the school’s rigorous writing standards; and being the current editor of The Northeastern Caver, a regional publication of the National Speleological Society. Academic studies have included History, Writing, Linguistics, Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, and Social Justice Advocacy, which provide a broad knowledge base and appreciation for multiple kinds of writing, as well as a strong commitment to Antioch’s social justice mission. John’s prior experience also included Wilderness Therapy with at-risk youth in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, which provided invaluable tutoring, coaching, and leadership skills.
Specialty Services
As a writing teacher and coach, Abby is dedicated to helping students explore their authorial voice and amplify their message. She is deeply interested in the connection between writing, civic engagement and social change. Abby began her teaching career in ESL classrooms, and currently teaches literature and writing courses at Santa Barbara City College and Antioch University. Additionally, Abby serves as the ELL specialist in AUSB’s Writing Center. For author videos, Abby offers presentation coaching on crafting a professional persona and integrating visuals to make your message resonate.
Steven has taught a variety of secondary and post-secondary writing courses. He studied at Bard College’s Institute for Writing and Thinking and he was a fellow of the San Diego Area Writing Project. In 2006, he completed a graduate program in documentary writing at the Salt Institute in Portland, Maine. Steve graduated in 2011 with a MA in Whole Systems Design from the Center for Creative Change at Antioch University. He has since worked as consulting faculty for both Antioch University’s Virtual Writing Center and the Writer’s Exchange at Antioch University, Seattle.