I attended Eastern Michigan for both a BA and MA in literature. Additionally, I worked through half of a counseling degree before I accepted a job in New Mexico. I began my career working with students and continued for my entire professional life, almost twenty years. Not only have I interacted with students in the classroom as an instructor but also outside the classroom as a tutor/counselor/adviser. For example, I have developed, implemented and coordinated a variety of student academic and development programs. More specifically, I can assist students with just about any type of writing assignment: from development of ideas to organization to editing. Further, I can assist with literary analysis and interpretation. Study skills, organization, in-class essays, test-taking are important skills students should develop to be successful, and I can assist in those areas. For many people, public speaking and delivering a presentation causes anxiety and fear, but with a few helpful steps, it does not have to do so. One reason is that my approach to tutoring focuses on helping develop the skills necessary to be successful. Some need just a little guidance while others require a bit more structure. So there is a lot of discussion about the assignment, its goals and objectives and creating a process that addresses those areas. When I am not teaching, I like to hike throughout Red Rock and write film and Walking Dead reviews. I also have a strong passion for animal rights and am an excellent source for various perspectives on that topic from health to environment to morality. My dog’s name is Parlay, and besides licking my face too often, she’s great.