Administration

Laurie Gries has a PhD in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric and has been teaching writing in higher education settings for over 20 years. In addition to directing PWR, she regularly teaches graduate classes on Writing Theories and Practices, and underwriting classes on public rhetorics and social change for the Writing and Public Engagement Minor. Her scholarship generally focuses on developing research methodologies and methods to better understand the visual, material,...

With 29 years of experience at CU -- on both the faculty and administrative sides -- Dr. Nicita oversees operations for PWR, including budgeting, course management, faculty support, student enrollment, office logistics, and coordination with other CU units. Working closely with the Program Director and other faculty administrators, Dr. Nicita ensures that the PWR’s various curricular initiatives carry out the mission of the program.

Dr. Macdonald is responsible for oversight of all professional development plans and activities for PWR faculty, including workshops and mentoring. She identifies opportunities for faculty to demonstrate multiple measures of teaching effectiveness and Chairs the PWR Professional Development Committee.

Rolf Norgaard (Ph.D. Stanford University) is Teaching Professor of Distinction at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he serves as Associate Director of the Program for Writing and Rhetoric. He has published widely on the rhetorical dimensions of writing instruction in institutional and curricular contexts, information literacy, technical communication and design, writing across and in the disciplines, and writing as a vehicle for civic engagement and ethical inquiry. He has...

Dr. Pearce is responsible for oversight of all first-year writing courses including curriculum and assessment and providing pedagogical resources for faculty. In addition, she works with the Library, RAPs, and Student Affairs on programmatic and policy issues related to first-year writing and the first-year experience.

Andrea Feldman is a Teaching Professor of Distinction in the Program for Writing and Rhetoric at CU Boulder. She initiated and continues to coordinate the Program for Writing and Rhetoric’s ESL program in scientific and professional writing. She received her Ph.D. in Cognitive Linguistics, specializing in Language Acquisition, from CU Boulder in 1998, and joined the CU faculty in the Program for Writing and Rhetoric the following year. Her research...

Elia Newsom is a Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. His chapbook of poetry, The Prophet’s Toothbrush , was recently published by Finishing Line Press and he is a frequent contributor to Cosmonaut, a Marxist magazine for revolutionary strategy, historical analyses and modern critiques. He serves as the Organizing Committee Co-Chair at CU Boulder for United Campus Workers Colorado (CWA Local 7799) and is currently working on...

Nathan Pieplow hears and resolves all disagreements and complaints between faculty and students in PWR classes with regard to consistency in teaching and evaluation as well as FERPA compliance.