I am Professor of English and Vice Provost for Faculty at the

University of Idaho. I study writing assessment theory and practice, validity theory, race and writing assessment, public humanities and multimodal composition. I was editor of the Journal of Writing Assessment from 2011-2022. Recent publications include Improving Outcomes: Disciplinary Writing, Local Assessment and the Aim of Fairness with Norbert Elliot (MLA, 2021) and Considering Students, Teachers, and Writing Assessment:  Volume 1, Technical and Political Contexts and Considering Students, Teachers, and Writing Assessment:  Volume 2, Emerging Theoretical and Pedagogical Practices with Ti Macklin and Carl Whithaus (University Press of Colorado, 2024)

I began my career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.  Before coming to the University of Idaho, I led the Washington State University Writing Assessment Program and WSU Campus Writing Program.  Notably, I was part of the group who received a US Department of Education FIPSE grant to integrate critical thinking expectations across the undergraduate curriculum.

I earned my BA in English from Luther College; a MA in English from Washington State University and a PhD in Educational Psychology from Washington State University.