University Writing Team
The University Writing Team is a collaborative group of full-time administrators and undergraduate and graduate student workers. We plan and implement University Writing operations, the Miller Writing Center, workshops, faculty development, and special events.
Christopher Basgier, Ph.D.
Pronunciation: Kriss Bass-gear
Pronouns: he/him/his
Christopher Basgier received his Ph.D. in English from Indiana University in 2013. He has extensive experience working with faculty on teaching with writing, and he has consulted with departments about integrating writing throughout undergraduate and graduate curricula, particularly in support of high-impact practices like ePortfolios. His research, which spans writing across the curriculum, genre, threshold concepts, and digital rhetoric, has appeared in venues like Across the Disciplines, The WAC Journal, Composition Forum, and Studies in Higher Education. He is also active in national organizations like the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum, the Conference on College Composition, and Communication, HIPs in the States, and the WAC Clearinghouse.
Katharine H. Brown, Ph.D.
Pronunciation: kAEth-rihn brOWn
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Katharine H. Brown joined the University Writing team as a graduate assistant in 2020. In 2022, she began her current position, which focuses on graduate student writing support. Katharine completed her M.A. in English in 2011 and her Ph.D. in English Education in 2023 at Auburn University. She has over a decade of experience supporting student success through teaching English courses and working in writing centers in a variety of capacities. She researches graduate student writing self-efficacy, embodied contemplative pedagogies, and welcoming practices in writing centers. Her research has been published in venues including The Writing Center Journal, WAC Clearinghouse, and Composition Forum. Katharine is an experienced yoga teacher and enjoys spending time with her three cats.
Sarah Fredericks, Ph.D.
Pronunciation: Sair-uh Fred-ricks
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Sarah Fredericks received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Arizona in 2020. She brings over 15 years of experience working in writing centers and teaching multimodal writing and technical and professional communication. Her research focuses on peer tutor development, asynchronous tutoring, and generative AI literacy in writing pedagogy and writing center operations. She is a co-author on a forthcoming chapter in Inclusive Hiring and Job Market Practices in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing Studies (2026) and is an active member of the International Writing Centers Association (IWCA) and the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA). She also serves on the advisory board of the Current, Future, and Former Writing Center Directors special interest group. Outside of her writing center work, Sarah researches the life and writings of Mark Twain and has published more than a dozen journal articles and book chapters on Twain and other American and British authors. In her spare time, she enjoys reading novels, hiking with her dog, and dabbling in drawing and painting.
Jake Gebhardt, M.A.
Pronunciation: JAYk Gehb-HART
Pronouns: he/him/his
Jake Gebhardt began working for University Writing in August 2021. He received his M.A. in English from Sam Houston State University, his B.A. in English Education from LeTourneau University, and is currently working on his Ed.D. in Literacy, focusing on digital literacies. Jake has worked in writing centers and connected student support services for over ten years. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his partner and their two dogs while working on any number of creative writing endeavors.
Whitney Davis, B.B.A.
Pronunciation: WIT-nee day-vis
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Whitney Davis joined the University Writing team in May 2023. She began working in higher education after receiving her BBA from Mercer University in 2009 and has served students through roles in financial aid, financial services, and development. In her free time, she enjoys attending sporting events, reading in coffee shops, and exploring new places.
Lisa A. Griffin, B.A.
Pronunciation: LEE-sa Grif-fin
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Lisa Griffin began working for University Writing in June 2022. She received her B.A in English with a concentration in Renaissance Literature from Auburn University in 2011. While a student, Lisa frequented the Miller Writing Center, which assisted largely in Lisa’s successful undergraduate career at Auburn. Since graduation, she has worked administratively at Auburn in Athletics and over a decade in Poultry Science. Lisa is happy to assist University Writing in efforts to further the careers of students, faculty, and staff. In her spare time, Lisa reads, crochets, and enjoys time with friends and her family, especially her husband, daughter, and three cats.
Souji Gopalakrishna Pillai, Ph.D.
Pronunciation: Sou-g
Pronouns: he/him/his
Souji Gopalakrishna Pillai is a Ph.D. Candidate in Hospitality Management. He also holds a doctorate in Business Management with a specialization in Human Resources Management. Over the last 20 years, he has held a wide range of academic and research positions, including department head of hospitality and tourism, deputy director of research, curriculum developer, academician, trainer, and administrator in countries including the USA, Sultanate of Oman, Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India.
Okunola Odeniyi, M.Ed.
Pronunciation: Oh-koo-oh-la Oh-deh-nee-yee
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Okunola Odeniyi joined the University Writing team in May 2022. She obtained her master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Nigeria and is currently a Ph.D. student in Educational Psychology at Auburn. She has been a teacher for 10 years and is interested in working with special education needs students and counseling both students and young adults. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and traveling. Ola is a 2024 recipient of the Southeastern Writing Center Association's graduate tutor award. This award recognizes her leadership, dedication, and the excellent tutoring she offers clients in the Miller Writing Center.
Huan Liu, M.S.
Pronunciation: hwAHN L-YEH-oh
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Since joining the Miller Writing Center in 2022, Huan has consistently helped and supported writers across different disciplines. She has facilitated various graduate writing programs and led writing workshops on campus. Huan earned an M.S. in English for Speakers of Other Languages in 2023 and is now seeking a Ph.D. in English Language Arts Education. With a passion for languages, in addition to her native language, Chinese, she has learned English, Korean, Japanese, and Persian. She aspires to be a multilingual educator in the future. In 2024, Huan was awarded Graduate Student Employee of the Year at Auburn and also received the National Graduate Student Employee of the Year award through the National Student Employment Association.
Mark Smith, M.Ed.
Pronunciation: Mah-rk Sm-i-th
Pronouns: he/him/his
Mark Smith joined the University Writing team in May 2021, and recently graduated with an M.Ed in English Language Arts Education. He now serves graduate students as a Professional Writing Consultant, assisting with their thesis and dissertation writing. With a passion for helping others learn, Mark has held numerous academic roles at the secondary and higher ed level, while publishing on his experience in creating a more accessible education for all. He enjoys a variety of hobbies such as golf, bowling, reading, and going on walks with his girlfriend Riley.
Muhammad Umer, M.E.M.
Pronunciation: Moo-hamm-madd
Pronouns: he/him/his
Muhammad Umer is a Ph.D. candidate in the McWhorter School of Building Science, Auburn University. He received his Bachelor's in Engineering in 2008 and Master of Engineering Management (Major: Construction) in 2011 from NED University of Engineering and Technology, respectively. He has been an academician in higher education since his graduation in 2008. At Auburn, his focus of research is construction automation and robotics, multi-robotic systems, and RFID. He is focusing on utilization of such systems to provide deterrence for inventory theft from construction worksites in the U.S. He loves to code and to invest his free time to automate things using R programming. He has just started learning Python and has developed a love for VBA-based macros for MS Office. He is fond of learning new tools, tricks and strategies to make sense of data; he would like to be a data scientist in the construction domain one day. As his first love is teaching, he is also pursuing a College/University Teaching Certificate from the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology at Auburn University. He likes to play badminton and occasionally video games too. He likes to make smoothies and fruit juices along with side salads. He loves the food that his wife cooks and likes to spend time with his kids and wife. His life motto is: "Whatever happens, happens for a good reason."
Pathmanathan Sivashankar, M.A.
Pronunciation: Si-Vah
Pronouns: he/him/his
Siva is a Ph.D. Student in Applied Economics at the College of Agriculture, Auburn University. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Agricultural Economics (University of Peradeniya) and a Certificate of Teaching in Higher Education (Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka) from Sri Lanka. With over a decade of expertise in teaching and research, specializing in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Siva is committed to giving back to society. Beyond academia, he finds joy in farming, hiking, and jogging.
Gina Lamka, M.S.
Pronunciation: Gee-na Lam-kah
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Gina Lamka joined the University Writing team in summer 2024. She completed her MS in animal behavior in 2020 and her BS in biology in 2017. She is now a PhD candidate in the Conservation and Genomics lab in the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment. Her research focuses on using genomic and epigenomic data to explore questions related to individual behavior, fitness, and population persistence. Outside of research, Gina is often tending to her plants, pets, and sourdough.
Jennifer Jones, B.S.
Pronunciation: JEN-uh-fer
Pronouns: she/her/hers
After serving as a peer writing consultant, Jennifer Jones joined the University Writing Team in January 2025. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and a gifted endorsement from the University of Georgia. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Adult Education at Auburn University. Jennifer is committed to the belief that everyone, regardless of their background, has the potential to grow and thrive as a lifelong learner. With 28 years of teaching experience in K-12 public education, Jennifer is strongly committed to meeting the needs of diverse students in educational settings. She has held leadership positions as department chair, mentor, and school council representative. As the 2020 Teacher of the Year, she served on the Advanced Learning Curriculum Cadre as a representative for Union Grove Middle School teachers. Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and son, along with their Boston Terrier, Betty, who is quite a diva! Looking ahead, she plans to explore the sport of fencing.
Andrea Miranda Paez, M.S.
Pronunciation: AHN-dray-uh mee-RAHN-duh PIE-ez
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Andrea Miranda Paez joined the University Writing team in summer 2025. She completed her BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University and her MS in Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University, where she is now a PhD candidate in the Conservation and Genomics Lab. Her research focuses on using genetic data to understand wildlife populations and disease dynamics to inform conservation and management. She is passionate about science communication and community outreach and has served as a Science Communication Fellow and also helps manage social media for her research lab and other societies. Outside of research, Andrea enjoys dancing, cooking and baking, tending to her plants, hunting, and spending time outdoors.
Mincey Jones, B.A.S.W.
Pronunciation: MIN-see
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Mincey joined University Writing in May of 2025 following her graduation from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and a minor in psychology. She is currently completing her Master of Social Work degree while serving as a Graduate Assistant. After college, Mincey hopes to work in medical social work as she has found this to be a passion through her experience in hospice and rehabilitation. She enjoys connecting with others, problem-solving, and helping people define and accomplish their goals. Outside of school, Mincey enjoys time with friends, Pilates, Braves baseball, and a good coffee shop.
Destini Thornton, B.S.
Pronunciation: deh·stuh·nee
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Destini earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Harrison College of Pharmacy, where her research centers on investigating pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions between botanical supplements and pharmaceutical drugs using in vitro models. Driven by a passion for advancing scientific understanding and optimizing therapeutic outcomes, she is dedicated to collaborative, results-driven research. Outside the lab, Destini enjoys watching movies, cooking, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Grace Hannah, B.S.
Pronunciation: Gr-AY-ss HAN-uh
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Grace Hannah rejoined University Writing in summer 2025. She completed her BS in Global Studies in Human Sciences at Auburn University in spring 2025. During her undergraduate studies, Grace worked as a Peer Writing Consultant at the Miller Writing Center for two years. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Development Practice at Auburn University. Grace is committed to helping others and solving problems in lasting and positive ways and is grateful to be back to helping all writers at all stages of the writing process. After college, she hopes to change the world for the better, or at least positively impact the lives of everyone she interacts with. Grace is passionate about creative problem solving and rethinking how we do things. Outside of school, Grace has collected an assortment of hobbies from writing for fun to crocheting.
Haley Stephens, B.S.
Pronunciation: HAY-lee STEPH-uhns
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Haley Stephens joined the University Writing team in summer 2025. In 2021, she received her BS in microbiology here at Auburn University, where she stayed to pursue a PhD program with the Department of Biological Sciences under Dr. Mark Liles. Her research is focused on designing probiotic treatments to benefit soybean plants through increased growth promotion and fungal pathogen protection. Haley has always had a passion for writing, and though her research mainly requires technical writing expertise, she enjoys writing fantasy novels during her free time. Outside of her work, Haley enjoys drawing, sculpting, and spending time with her three cats.
