Creative Nonfiction MFA candidate with wide-ranging experience in journalism and public relations, seeking opportunities to launch a mid-career pivot to academia. First book, Practice: A Search for Salvation in Hotel Rooms, Churches and Other Wrong Places, a literary memoir, is on submission.
Education
MFA IN CREATIVE WRITING
Washington University in St. Louis | St. Louis, Missouri | Degree anticipated May 2026
Concentration: Creative Nonfiction
Thesis: Redacted from Baranowski and Other Essays
Advisor: Kathleen Finneran
GPA: 4.0/4.0
MA IN LIBERAL STUDIES
North Central College | Naperville, Illinois | June 2015
Coursework in: English, Rhetoric, Urban Studies, Race Relations
Thesis: El Jardin – Community Gardens as Community Organizing Spaces
Advisor: Richard R. Guzman
GPA: 4.0/4.0
BA IN LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Urbana, Illinois | Dec. 2007
Major: Religious Studies | Minors: Latino/a Studies and History
Thesis: New Media and the Episcopal Rift, or What Would Jesus Blog?
Cum laude with departmental distinction
Publications
‘EUCHARIST’
Australian Book Review. May/June 2025. Winner of the 2025 Calibre Essay Prize and syndicated to MissingPerspectives.com.
‘LITERALLY ANY’ - 2026 Pushcart Prize nominated
Short Reads, from the former staff of Creative Nonfiction. May 2025.
Teaching Experience
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
Creative Nonfiction 1 | Instructor of Record | St. Louis, Missouri | Fall 2025-Spring 2026
Independently design and teach sections of the university’s introduction to the fundamental craft elements of creative nonfiction, including a workshop and a survey of the genre, as part of a mentored teaching experience
Religion and Society in the U.S. | Teaching Assistant | St. Louis, Missouri | Fall 2025
Grade assignments and serve as a resource for students in 200-level survey of religion as a social and political phenomenon, especially as it relates to race, class, gender, the religious right, and religious nationalism in the twentieth and twenty-first century, taught by Dr. R. Marie Griffith
HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NO. 2
Honors English | Xuan Hoa, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam | Aug. 2008–June 2009
As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, developed and taught the university’s first-ever honors course, focused on American culture and teaching pedagogy
Professional Experience
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Evanston Public Library | Evanston, Illinois | Dec. 2021-Aug. 2024
As part of the senior leadership team, collaborated with executive director and library board to guide policy, shift public sentiment, and build organizational capacity in support of strategic goals.
Developed a print, digital, and media relations program with a $50,000 budget.
Managed crisis incidents and developed response strategies to organizational threats on issues including LGBTQIA+ programming, services for unhoused populations, racial equity initiatives, and library budget approval, securing a 3.9% tax levy increase after three flat years and subsequent 9% increase the following year.
Hired and supervised assistants and contractors, and designed trainings for 110+ staff.
Shaped annual report and donor mailings that exceeded fundraising targets by 26%.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
Village of Oswego | Oswego, Illinois | Aug. 2017-Nov. 2021
Developed and implemented communications plans and integrated marketing strategies to engage and advance the board’s strategic priorities
Created all external communications, including press releases, talking points, websites, email, newsletters, social media, print and digital paid advertising, and grant applications
Conducted research and prepared analysis and recommendations for the board
Doubled email subscribers and maintained click-through rates twice the industry average
Hired and mentored interns and managed agencies to develop a local tourism program
Built a recruitment campaign increasing women and BIPOC police candidates by 49% and 38%, respectively
COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST
City of Aurora | Aurora, Illinois | Sept. 2013 – Aug. 2017
Developed communications tactics to market municipal services, including press releases, newsletters, web content, resident guides, brochures, mayoral statements, and special events for 200,000 residents
Built relationships with media outlets, researched issues and coached staff for interviews
Coordinated business and community groups to produce promotional events, including a Guinness World Record attempt
PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORTER
Sun-Times Media Group | Aurora, Illinois | Feb. 2010 – Sept. 2013
Reported on municipal government, education, science/tech, and breaking news coverage for The Beacon-News and Naperville Sun daily newspapers
Developed and trained editors on social media strategy for breaking news, growing followers by 86%
Collaborated on award-winning long-form projects in the public interest on the Sun-Times West investigative team
Awards & Honors
FIRST PLACE, CALIBRE ESSAY PRIZE
Australian Book Review | 2025 | First American to win in the award’s 19-year history, chosen from 648 entries. From the judges: “An essay of breathtaking emotional power and moral force.” Awarded AUD$5,000.
ESSAY AWARD
Washington University in St. Louis English Department | 2025 | Awarded $300
FIRST PLACE, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY WRITING
Northern Illinois Newspaper Association | 2011
Reported on a renewable energy credit scheme used to fund a high-pollution coal-fired power plant, which has since been proposed for closure by the Illinois General Assembly
COPY EDITING RESIDENCY
Dow Jones Newspaper Fund | May 2008
Trained with copy chiefs from The New York Times and interned on the copy desk for The (Anderson, Ind.) Herald-Bulletin
Grants
ARTS & SCIENCES FELLOWSHIP
Washington University in St. Louis | Aug. 2024
Awarded tuition remission and stipend for two years of study in the creative writing program
U.S. FULBRIGHT PROGRAM IN VIETNAM
U.S. State Department | Aug. 2008 | Awarded travel and living stipend to promote U.S. interests through educational exchange in formerly hostile northern Vietnam
Performances & Conferences
2nd STORY | Nov. 2022 | “Eucharist” for Season 24: Under the Surface. Producer Julie Ganey.
FIRST PERSON LIVE | Sept. 2022 | “Pretend Like You Know What You’re Doing,” opening for Lily Be. Producer Diane Kastiel.
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ALUMNI TIES CONFERENCE | July 2017 | ‘Community Gardens as Organizing Spaces’ for “Building Resilient Communities: Religious and Ethnic Diversity.”
Volunteer & Consulting Experience
THE SPECTACLE | Nonfiction Editor | 2024-25 | Solicited, edited and published nonfiction selections for graduate student-run literary magazine
TOGETHER BREAKFAST | Business Manager | April 2022-present | Facilitate strategy sessions, manage cash flow, and market a Nashville-based queer math rock band, leading to full crowdfunding of debut EP, released Feb. 2025
GILEAD CHURCH CHICAGO | Elder Board | 2023-2024 | Served as a decision-maker and fundraiser and ran storytelling ministry for a queer bar church on Chicago’s north side
STORIES MATTER FOUNDATION | Associate Board | 2018-2024 | Event volunteer for Chicago’s premier writer’s studio
GOOD MORNING AURORA | Co-host | Feb. 2021-March 2022 | Cohosted a weekly podcast segment called “Jeanettesplaining” analyzing local news and politics, and developed a marketing plan that grew listenership and revenue by 27% and 325%, respectively
THE ORCHARD COMMUNITY | Digital Ministry | Oct. 2020-July 2021 | Developed community re-engagement campaign and communications plan and wrote grant applications, stabilizing weekly church attendance and donations
BIG LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH | Servant Leader | Dec. 2014-Jan. 2020 | Wrote liturgies, developed holy day services and lead yoga and personal finance ministries in the denomination’s fastest-growing congregation
ILLINOIS COALITION FOR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS | Campaign volunteer | May 2013-Nov. 2015 | Assisted with messaging development, march/protest organization and grassroots lobbying in support of comprehensive immigration reform
AURORA COMMUNITY GARDEN NETWORK | Founder and Garden Lead | Dec. 2012-Sept. 2015 | Wrote a $10,000 start-up grant and founded a garden network with faith-based and social justice nonprofits, then managed a community garden in the county’s poorest Census tract
Professional Development
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING | Exploring Practices in the Classroom (EPIC) Learning Community, Fall 2025
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION | Advanced Coursework: Outreach for Underserved Populations, 2023
STORY STUDIO CHICAGO
Pub Crawl | Month-long publishing intensive, 2023
The Long Haul | Selective manuscript development cohort with Julia Fine, 2022-2023
Single-session Craft Talks | With Pam Houston, Kaveh Akbar, Porochista Khakpour, et al., 2020-2023
The Long Haul | Selective manuscript development cohort with Pulitzer Prize nominee Rebecca Makkai, 2019-2020
Memoir in a Year | Selective manuscript development cohort with Nadine Kenney Johnstone, 2018-2019
Personal Essay for Publication | Eight-week workshop with Gina Frangello, 2018
Writers Festival | Craft talks and agent meetings, 2018, 2019, 2022
CREATIVE NONFICTION MAGAZINE | Ten-week intensive and workshop with Joelle Fraser, 2023
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY | Business Fundamentals: Project Management, 2021
CITY-COUNTY COMMUNICATORS & MARKETERS ASSOCIATION | Professional development committee, 2019
CENTER FOR GOVERNMENTAL STUDIES AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY | Leadership development program, 2019
THE SUN | Workshop conference at Wildacres with Sy Safransky, Krista Bremer, Heather Sellers, et. al., 2018
Certifications & Skills
TECHNICAL
Adobe Design Suite (Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) | Microsoft Office Suite | Canva
MailChimp | Google Workspace | Meta Ads Manager | Granicus Digital Government Suite
HEALTH & SAFETY
CPR/AED | Naloxone | FEMA ICS-100, IS-700 | Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) | Marathoner