Woodring Well Wishes

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)? 

​I've worked for Western for 19 years.  I started out briefly working with the Registrar then transferring to the Woodring Certification Office and 5 years ago accepting the Manager's role with Special Education.

What is a Woodring or Western memory?  

I've learned a lot at Woodring. My best memories are of the people I've worked with.  

What advice would you give to us who are staying? ​

Be passionate about your work but also step back to see the big picture regularly. Always assume good intent on the part of others. We're all muddling through.​

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?​

Serving as Co-chair of the Equity and Diversity Committee, which raised money for an endowed scholarship and helped in the formation of the Woodring Staff Advisory Council

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)?

3 years as the Communications Specialist. I also attended WWU for four years from 2012-2016! 

Future plans for the next stage of your life?

I will be moving into a Senior Media Relations Specialist at a marketing firm that specializes in the tech industry. I am also dedicating my summer to learning more about the wine industry, and I will be working at a local wine bar. 

What is a Woodring or Western memory?

My favorite memories are all of the potlucks and coffee breaks we had in Miller Hall. I only worked in the office for eight months before we moved remotely, but I loved getting together with faculty and staff.

What advice would you give to us who are staying?

It takes a village! Working collaboratively is the best way to innovate on new projects. I'm so thankful for all of the helpful insights faculty and staff have given me when it came to updating our scholarship process.

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?

Everything! I love all of the work I did for Woodring. My most proud accomplishment would be working with the Equity and Diversity Committee to create the Black Lives Matter at School Conference. I 100% plan on Zooming into the 2023 conference next year. 

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)?

Over my 14 years at WWU, beginning in 2008 as an Assistant Professor, I have been in the Elementary Education Department.

Future plans for the next stage of your life?

​​​​​​​I hope to hang out more with my family, do a lot more hiking, some travel and continue professional projects including writing for Early Childhood teachers.

What is a Woodring or Western memory?

Creating an ECE student and working teacher partnership with Southwest University in Chongqing, China for 3 years (I hope it can start again, post pandemic) and beginning a new ECE program in Bremerton with 3 new tenure line faculty. 

What advice would you give to us who are staying?

Getting through the challenges we face today by focusing on working collaboratively with colleagues and partnering with communities to graduate and sustain teachers who represent their communities’ values and commitments to children and families.

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)?

I have worked at WWU for 6 years. I am currently an associate professor in the Department of Elementary Education in Woodring College of Education.  My secondary appointment is Director of the Pacific Northwest Children’s Literature Clearinghouse. I teach courses in children’s literature and literacy methods through an antiracist/antibias lens. 

Future plans for the next stage of your life?

I will be joining the Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies faculty at the University of Arizona as a tenured associate professor.

What is a Woodring or Western memory?

I have so many beautiful memories from my time at Western and particularly in Woodring. I have had the opportunity to think with and learn from the most amazing students. They have helped me to become a better teacher and a better human. Each of them will forever hold a special place in my heart. I have also had the opportunity to work with dedicated faculty and staff, who have committed to social justice and transformative change. 

What advice would you give to us who are staying?

I usually draw on lesser-known writers, orators, or scholars when I share a quote, but given all that has happened in the last few years, this statement has remained at forefront of my mind. “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” ~Martin Luther King Jr. I hope those of you who are staying, will keep this in mind.

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?

Beyond getting tenure, I'm glad that I was able to reach my publishing goals while in the college.  I have published a textbook and published and edited work related to African diasporic youth literature, gender and antiblackness, and transformative literacy pedagogies in the Journal of Literacy Research, Research in the Teaching of English, Journal of Children’s Literature, and AERA’s Handbook of Research on Teachers of Color among others.

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)?

7 years. Program Coordinator in Office of Field Experiences, Department Manger in Decision Sciences Department in the College of Business, and Department Manger Elementary Education.

Future plans for the next stage of your life?

I want to change careers and become a Data Analyst. I am going to focus on getting the training I need to move into that career, specifically learning to code, over the next few months. I also hope to get a Master’s in Data Analytics from Georgia Tech.

What is a Woodring or Western memory?

My favorite Woodring memories are of the Coffee Breaks and other staff socialization events. It was so wonderful to have time set aside to get to socialize and get to know the staff that I did not work with directly. I really enjoyed the activities that were organized for the Spring Jubilation Event. I had a great time doing trivia with Kate, Ivy, Peter, and Lisa!

What advice would you give to us who are staying?

Keep working on writing and revising Woodring policies! It’s so helpful to have documented policies in a central location that everyone can access and reference. I know Woodring has started this process so just keep up the good work!

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?

Getting the Elementary Education Department involved in Western Give Day. 

How long have you worked at WWU, and in what role(s)?

I have worked at WWU for 10 years as of July 2022.  The roles have included, Associate Dean, Presidential Fellow, and Full Professor (Secondary Education)

Future plans for the next stage of your life?

Recently, and in response to the alarming health challenges among Black professionals due to anti-Blackness, I have been doing work around maintaining wellness for Black faculty and staff living and working in predominantly White environments. I am serving as the P.I. for this research, and editor for several publications on this topic. On June 3-4, 2022, I will be go hosting a national symposium on this topic.  I suspect my work will continue in this area after I retire from the university.

In addition, I received a grant from the Office of Sustainability to develop and implement a pan-African Education Abroad experience for students of African descent. Due to the lack of African descent students participating in Education Abroad programs, and lack of knowledge about the African diaspora, I hope to begin a WWU legacy of African diaspora Education Abroad programming for our students.  I hope that this work will continue after retirement.

Lastly, I have been the CEO of Multicultural International Development, Inc.(MIDC, Inc.) since 2017. The company focuses on MCE consulting, and its MIDC Women’s Empowerment Network.  I plan to continue to grow this business. 

Please note that self and family come first in this next stage of my life, lol.

What is a Woodring or Western memory?

I have many fond memories as well as constant challenges as a Black professional in the world of White academe.  However, I mainly remember the amazing support that I had from many of my colleagues, and the students that were so eager to learn more about social justice, and antiracist education.

What advice would you give to us who are staying?

Keep moving the needle toward justice not through talk, but rather through deeds.

What is something you are glad you accomplished while in the college?

I feel I accomplished many things in the years I have been at Western. Actually, too many to mention. One example is the fruit of labor that surfaced through my work as Associate Dean with a focus on Diversity and Equity and Chair of the President’s Diversity & Equity Taskforce.  Many new programs, hires, policies, center(s) grew out of those collaborative efforts.