Rebecca is the founding director of the Upstate Writing Project which began in 2001 and has worked with 300+ teachers during the Summer Institutes. Through the College, Career, and Community Writers Program (C3WP) grant, she partners with teachers in high-need rural districts to improve students’ writing ability in grades K-12. Rebecca is on the Clemson University Literacy faculty and coordinates the online MED Literacy and ESOL certification programs. Rebecca enjoys time at the beach with her family and being on the Island Turtle Team, a group of volunteers permitted by the SC DNR to protect nesting sea turtles and hatchlings on the beaches of the Isle of Palms. 

Heather Sox is a Teacher Consultant with Upstate Writing Project. She completed Summer Institute in 2017 and has been involved with Upstate Writing Project ever since. She has a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and a Masters in Literacy from Clemson and  has been an educator for 13 years. She is currently a Literacy Coach in Arlington, Virginia where she works with readers and writers and coaches teachers in grades 3 through 5 in literacy instruction. Prior to becoming a Literacy Coach, she taught 5th grade for 11 years. She loves cuddling with her dog, Carson, exploring new cities with friends, reading, and writing. 

Tobi is the Professional Learning Coordinator for the Upstate Writing Project.   She participated in the 2010 Summer Institute, after being a part of science and social studies content writing professional development with the Upstate Writing Project.  Tobi taught 6th grade Science and ELA and was an Instructional Coach at Sevier Middle School in Greenville County.   Her current position is with Clemson University as a project manager on an ESSER grant focused on improving writing in ELA and Science in three high schools in South Carolina.  Currently a Ph.D. student in Literacy, Language, and Culture,  Tobi enjoys spending her free time with her husband, traveling to visit her adult daughters in Charleston and Charlotte, hanging out onthe porch with her two dogs, and working out at OrangeTheory.

Renée is the high school mentor for the Summer Institute. During the academic year, she serves as the Teacher-in-Residence specializing in writing on a CHE/ESSER grant at Clemson and as an adjunct instructor in education courses at USC Upstate. She completed her own SI in 2013 and has worked with UWP as a teacher consultant ever since! Throughout her career, Renée has been a teacher-leader as English department chair, AP Language and AP Literature teacher, instructional coach, mentor, and evaluator. Renée was honored as the 2014-15 Union County School District Teacher of the Year and with the 2016 SCCTE Leadership Development Award. This mama bear to two adventurous cubs, wife, and educator loves drinking coffee, writing, hiking, traveling, singing, kindness, makeup, musicals, theme parks, and accent marks. 

Leigh facilitates the writing groups for Summer Institute. She completed the SI in 2010 and has loved being a part of Upstate Writing Project since then. She teaches ninth grade English and AP Seminar at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, TN. Previously, she taught at Travelers Rest High School and Wade Hampton High School in Greenville County.