Writing Center Team

Kate Behrens  (Rose Hill Graduate Coordinator) Kate Behrens is a second-year PhD student at Fordham University and received her B.A. at Manhattan College in English and Sociology. In addition to working in two departments with different writing styles, she has tutoring experience, assisting primarily with résumés and cover letters. Her current research interests include language revitalization and writing center theory.

William Haydon (Lincoln Center Graduate Coordinator) William Haydon is an English PhD student with interests in global modernism and anglophone literatures. During his master's education, he tutored at Florida State University's writing center. His areas of expertise include cover letter writing, essay composition, applications, and MLA citations. As an undergraduate, he studied History in addition to English, and can help with writing in both disciplines.

Katerina Balassis holds a BA in English from Fordham University and is currently pursuing a Masters in English in the same field. She is interested in19th and 20th century literature and especially enjoys the work of Jane Austen. She attended Fordham as an undergraduate and is aware of core curriculum expectations, as well as what professors expect in undergraduate writing.

Abby Falato is a second-year MA student in English at Fordham. She earned her BA from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied literature, poetry, creative writing, history, and other disciplines in the humanities. She is passionate about poetry/ poetics, war poetry, and English literature, and is happy to help students with their writing in any way she can.

Alexandra Franke is a first-year English PhD student at Fordham University, and her primary research interests are contemporary American literature, eco-studies, and queer studies. Alexandra received her M.A. in English from Montclair State University and her B.A. in English Secondary Education from The College of New Jersey. She is formally trained in teaching writing, and she taught high-school English Language Arts for five years. She also has experience teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). Alexandra looks forward to helping students sharpen their skills and become more confident in their writing.

Paola Galiano holds a BA in History and Psychology from Fordham College at Rose Hill and is currently an accelerated MA student studying Ethics at Fordham GSAS. Her research interests lie at the intersection of medicine and ethics. As a writing tutor, she has experience with outlining and formatting academic essays, science lab reports and creative projects. Outside of school, she currently loves creative writing, running and reading (science fiction, in particular). 

Wing Tan Lai (Tan) is a sixth-year doctoral candidate in English. She has extensive experience teaching both academic and creative writing. While medieval literature is her expertise, her true passion lies in reading Russian novels, watching French and Japanese films from the 1950s, and cooking Chinese dishes!

Kristian Powell holds a B.A. in Medieval & Renaissance Studies from the University of Albany and is currently pursuing his MA in Medieval Studies at Fordham. His primary areas of expertise are history papers as well as Shakespearean English papers!

Uttara Rangarajan is a PhD candidate in Fordham's English Department. Her research focuses on Modern South Asian and Postcolonial Literatures. She has many years of tutoring experience and is committed to helping students find their writing voice. 

Eleanor Sanzenbacher is an accelerated M.A. student in the English Department. She earned her BA here at Fordham with a 3.95 GPA, majoring in English and minoring in Russian. As a graduate student, Eleanor has worked as a TA for the Gabelli School of Business, where she advised students on professional and effective writing. Eleanor is determined to help students develop greater confidence in their writing abilities and guide students towards their professional goals through language. 

Matthew Siebert is a 6th year PhD candidate in Theology. His research interests lie mainly in Second Temple Jewish and Early Christian literature. He also has familiarity with writing and teaching in Theology, Religious Studies, and Biblical Studies. He received a BA in Religious Studies from Beloit College and a MA in Religion with a concentration in the Bible from Yale Divinity School. When not teaching and studying religion, he enjoys playing guitar, watching too much TV, and spending time with his cats.

Mst Nur E Taj Tamanna is a first-year PhD student in Fordham’s English program. She holds a master’s degree in Technical and Professional Communication from Auburn University, where she taught composition as both a Teaching Assistant and an Instructor. She also completed a Master’s in English at the University of Dhaka, where her research engaged with twentieth-century British literature and rhetoric. Her academic interests include rhetoric and composition, accessibility in writing pedagogy, and the intersections of technical communication and user-centered design. She looks forward to supporting students across disciplines as they develop clarity and confidence in their writing.

Ella Unal holds a B.A. in German Studies from Grinnell College and a master’s degree in Teaching Literature from Bard College. She worked as a writing tutor at both institutions, as well as in two Iowa State prisons through Grinnell’s Liberal Arts in Prison Program. While pursuing a Fulbright grant in Germany, she developed a passion for working with students of diverse linguistic backgrounds and exploring how cultural context shapes writing norms. As a tutor, Ella is adaptable and collaborative, with particular enthusiasm for the brainstorming phase of the writing process and for supporting students on personal statements. 

Alex Veilleux is a second-year J.D. candidate. Alex has a MA in General English Literature from Binghamton University, where he also tutored at the school's writing center. Alex previously taught middle school in NYC before deciding to attend Fordham Law, and plans to continue an express focus on education policy. Outside of school, Alex enjoys reading, birdwatching, and cataloging music.

Anna Von Holton is an accelerated M.A in English student with a strong background in editing and tutoring.  She is eager to contribute to the Center’s mission of building students’ confidence in writing across disciplines, while also developing her own pedagogical practice as she prepares for a career in secondary education.

Emanuelle (Emma) Weiss is a second year English MA student at Fordham University, where she is also pursuing an Advanced Certificate in Writing and Rhetoric. Emma received her Bachelor’s Degree in both English and Psychology while double minoring in marketing and public and professional writing at Fordham University (Go Rams!). She is well-versed in Fordham’s core curriculum requirements, writing for business, creative writing, and more. In her free time, Emma enjoys reading, yoga and pilates, and trying new foods. She is also trilingual in English, French, and Spanish.

Andrea Wilk loves meeting students and hearing about what they’re working on and feels she’s been given a mini-education in lots of subjects she’s never formally studied. After graduating from Vassar College with a major in anthropology, she worked in book publishing, specializing in children’s books.  After several years, she went back to school (Columbia) for a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language and taught ESL and college writing at Fordham, Columbia, Adelphi, and St. John's. She eventually realized, however, that she preferred working one-on-one with students to classroom teaching.

Her areas of expertise are English, history, anthropology, sociology, art history, film, theater, and psychology but enjoys helping students with any and all writing assignments. She’s a New York native (she grew up about 25 blocks north of the Lincoln Center campus) and loves hearing what students from other places think of NYC. When not working, she can be found sitting on her couch reading (literary fiction, mysteries, and Holocaust memoirs are among her favorite genres), at the gym, or rambling around the streets of Manhattan.