Members of the Executive Board are directors and peer tutors of secondary school writing or learning centers or those involved with secondary school writing or learning centers. Board members meet on a monthly basis, as agreed upon by the Board itself.
PRESIDENT
Jenny Goransson, George Mason University, Virginia
June 2024-May 2026
The elected president will chair the board meetings, appoint and oversee committees, and set agendas. Two year term. Elected in even years. Will transition to the role of Past-President upon completion of their final term as president.
VICE PRESIDENT
Vacant
The vice president will be primarily responsible for working closely with the president and assuming the duties of the president in their absence. Two year term ending in the same year as the president. Elected in even years. Will transition to the role of President upon completion of term.
SECRETARY
Katie Sutcliffe, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Louisiana
June 2024-May 2026
The elected secretary will take minutes at every meeting and keep organized records for this organization. The secretary works with the president and vice-president to communicate with membership. The secretary will work together with the treasurer to ensure the reports and filings to the state and federal authorities are made in a timely manner. Two year term not ending in the same year as the president. Renewable. Elected in odd years.
TREASURER (interim)
Stacey Hahn, Shenendehowa High School, New York
The elected treasurer will oversee the financial matters of the organization and ensure that funds are deposited promptly in the appropriate accounts. The treasurer will be involved in preparing the organizational budget. The treasurer will have the responsibility of keeping books and preparing checks. The treasurer will work together with the secretary to ensure the reports and filings to the state and federal authorities are made in a timely manner. Two year term not ending in the same year as the president. Renewable. Elected in odd years.
IWCA – SSWCA REPRESENTATIVE
Heather Barton, Etowah High School, Georgia
September 2022-October 2024
The elected IWCA-SSWCA Representative will serve as a liaison between the International Writing Centers Association and the Secondary School Writing Centers Association. The IWCA-SSWCA Representative will plan and organize the IWCA-sponsored Panel and Special Interest Group sessions at the NCTE annual convention, and they will work closely with IWCA board members to manage the IWCA table in the NCTE Exhibitors Hall. The IWCA-SSWCA Representative will attend IWCA board meetings, serve on an IWCA committee, and represent SSWCA at IWCA-affiliated events when feasible. Renewable. Elected in even years in conjunction with IWCA elections in September.
PAST-PRESIDENT
Stacey Hahn, Amsterdam High School, New York
For the first year of each new president’s term, the immediate past president will serve on the board as an adviser to the president. One year term. Nonrenewable. Upon completion of term, the immediate past president may continue to serve as an invited member of the advisory board.
WEBSITE CURATOR
Jonathan Weil, Longmeadow High School, Massachusetts
June 2024-May 2026
The Website Curator is responsible for the upkeep of website content and design and ensures that our domain registration and hosting are current. The curator supports members of the organization and informs non-members of the organization by ensuring that the site is easily navigable, robust in content, and inviting. The Website Curator also proposes and implements ideas for developing the website, including publication of resources and blog updates in support of the mission of the organization. Two year term. Renewable at representative’s discretion for up to two terms.
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Kelly Crespo, Downey High School, California
June 2024-May 2026
The Communications Coordinator is responsible for the upkeep of content and design of the SSWCA Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, working together with the Board and especially the Website Curator, to promote news and events of the organization through these platforms. The Communications Coordinator proposes and implements ideas for developing the organization’s social media strategy, including sharing resources and building a network to serve our mission of building community, promoting advocacy, and supporting development of SSWCs. The Communications Coordinator will also be responsible for providing input and participating on Standing Committees to further the purposes and mission of the organization. Two year term. Renewable at representative’s discretion for up to two terms.
MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LEARNING CENTERS REPRESENTATIVE
Melissa Morgan, West Springfield High School, Virginia
June 2023-May 2024
The elected Middle School/All-Subject Center Representative will ensure that The elected Middle School or All-Subject Center Representative will ensure that the organization’s programs and initiatives are inclusive of the needs of the growing community of middle school writing centers. One year term. Renewable at representative’s discretion for up to three terms.
TUTOR REPRESENTATIVES
The elected student representatives will be responsible for providing input to the board, and advising them on student-centered issues. As they are elected by their peers, they will have voting rights on the board. Student representatives will also be responsible for reaching out to peer tutors, facilitating partnerships between schools, and maintaining peer tutor and alumni contact lists. Any current peer tutor at a SSWCA-affiliated secondary school writing center is eligible to apply. One year term. Upon invitation of the SSWCA board, this position is renewable at representative’s discretion up to one term, provided representative intends to continue and is in good standing as a peer tutor in their secondary school writing or peer tutoring center.
TUTOR REPRESENTATIVE
Laika Olwana, Etowah High School, Georgia
June 2024-May 2025
TUTOR REPRESENTATIVE
Madelyn Engstrom, Central Bucks High School South, Pennsylvania
June 2024-May 2025
TUTOR REPRESENTATIVE
Adham Elbaragah, West Springfield High School, Virginia
June 2024-May 2025
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
The elected Regional Representatives will serve as liaisons to different regions to ensure that our programs and initiatives are inclusive of and representative of peer tutoring programs throughout the country. The number of Regional Representatives elected to the board will be determined by membership in the organization. Two year term. Renewable at representative’s discretion for up for two terms.
MIDWEST REPRESENTATIVE – open
SOUTHEAST REPRESENTATIVE – open
NORTHEAST REPRESENTATIVE
Jennifer Tannous, Central Bucks South High School, Pennsylvania
June 2023-May 2025
CAPITAL AREA REPRESENTATIVE
Dan Harrison, New Vistas High School, Virginia
June 2024-May 2026
NORTHWEST REPRESENTATIVE
Shawna Schneiderman, Renaissance High School, Idaho
June 2024-May 2026
SOUTHWEST REPRESENTATIVE
Rebecca Shields, Stanford Online High School, California
June 2023-May 2025
AT-LARGE MEMBERS
At-large members will be integral members of the board, responsible for providing input and participating on Standing Committees to further the purposes and mission of the organization. They will have voting rights on the board. Secondary school writing center directors, administrators, and university partners are eligible to apply. One year term. Renewable for up to three terms at representative’s discretion.
AT-LARGE MEMBER
Tarra Stevenson, Westridge School, California
June 2024-May 2025
AT-LARGE MEMBER
Lisa Fisher, The Hockaday School, Texas
June 2024-May 2025
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Members of the Advisory Board may include past presidents, other stakeholders in the organization, and members of affiliate organizations. Advisory board membership is upon invitation by the board. Advisory board members are invited but not required to attend all meetings. A role on the Advisory Board is advisory only; no voting rights. Renewable; to be determined by the board.
ADVISORY BOARD
Renee Brown, Peters Middle School, Pennsylvania
SSWCA Past-President, Coeditor, The Toolkit: Writing Center Resources for Middle and High Schools
ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Amber Jensen, Brigham Young University, Utah
CAPTA/SSWCA Co-Founder – JPTSS Editor
ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Richard Kent, University of Maine
Author, A Guide to Creating Student-Staffed Writing Centers, Grades 6-12
SSWCA has six regions. Your state’s representative is listed above on this page. If you need to contact that person, you can email admin@sswca.org
Members of the 2024-2025 SSWCA BoardÂ
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The SSWCA Board at SSWCA 2018 in Arlington, VA
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