Reem Ahmed Alfahad graduated from VCU with a BA in English and didn't go to medical school to her father’s disappointment. Currently she is enrolled in the Paralegal Certificate Program at VCU after taking interest in legal and technical writing. While doing her Bachelors she focused on Medieval literature and lots of British literature. While an undergraduate she took part in the Distinguished English Major program and produced the thesis "Patriarchs in Practice: Success and Shortcoming in Austen’s Paternal Figures" and also volunteered as an assistant for a Legal Writing course. Language is her passion so she is currently studying Arabic, Korean, and French routinely and loves being able to communicate with people of other backgrounds. To become a Professor is her ultimate goal but she also hopes to work as a technical writer for the likes of Boeing or Nasa to prove a point to her father who thinks you're only successful if you're an engineer, doctor, or lawyer. Outside of academia, finding new bakeries is her favorite pastime! 

Brad Elmore graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2022 with a BA in English literature. Since then, he’s been teaching high school English in Stafford County. While teaching, he’s been growing his yearning to continue his higher education, as well as growing his patience for dealing with the nonsense of everyday high schoolers. His love for literature as a way to understand where societies have come from, and understanding that they are a template to a better future, have grown everyday through study in classrooms and as a teacher. He primarily loves American literature, with a particular fondness for Ernest Hemingway. That interest applies mainly to two internationally renowned authors, Yukio Mishima and Charles Dickens. In his free time, you can probably find him watching movies or playing games with friends. Other than that, he values humor and kindness above all else. 

Cornell Harris graduated magna cum laude from Morehouse College in 2023 with his BA in English Literature & Writing. After graduation, he worked as a legislative intern within the House Committee on Energy & Commerce. Burdened with the passion of making a lasting impact on others, he began teaching high school English. Cornell favors gender and sexuality studies, African American literature, and literary theory but is open to learning about other disciplines. After graduating, he plans to further his studies in a Ph.D. program. Outside of studies, Cornell can be found crocheting, playing basketball, reading Afrofuturism novels, writing short stories and poetry, and playing video games. 

I-Kamilah Hiwott graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BA in African American Studies and history. Her devotion to ethnic studies drove her passion to examine Black literature and the narratives around Black women’s experiences. As a Richmond native, she gives back to her community by volunteering and exploring the best dancing and DJ sets this city has to offer! While her passions are interdisciplinary she uses her cultural heritage as a lens of understanding the unique intersections of language, literature, and art! You might find her interviewing patrons at a local bar or reading on the James about the courageous women who inspire her. 

Ginon Jones graduated Cum Laude in December 2020 from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa with a BA in English. She has a special interest in African American literature, especially across within the fiction genre. Ginon also has an interest in a variety of film, television, music and media. Ginon, who grew up in Fredericksburg, has lived in multiple places around the world, including Hawai'i, Russia, and South Africa, and continues to enjoy traveling. Since graduating, Ginon began teaching the humanities at a private school in Reston and is pursuing this degree with hopes of working at a publishing house for novels. Ginon is extremely social (please be prepared to deal with a certified yapper), but is very excited to work within the program and meet you all!

Buffy Petrin* graduated from VCU in 2026 with a BA in English. Her academic interests include the intersection of queer theory and American Literature, food studies, lesbian autofiction, and zine histories. She is drawn towards the surreal, southern, and postmodern. Outside of classes, she enjoys D.I.Y. music, wandering the Fan, reading by bodies of water, and collecting John Waters DVDs.

Whitley Sadacca** holds a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from Randolph College. Her passion for the craft began at the University of Virginia, where she earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies. It was there that she fell in love with creative writing—specifically the lyrical essay—which became the focal point of her capstone project. With five years of experience teaching secondary English in public schools and a background as a tutor at Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Writing Center, Whitley is a dedicated educator and lifelong writer. While she has composed poetry and short stories since childhood, her professional goal is to transition into a full-time English faculty position at the community college level. Outside of the classroom, she is a mother of three who finds inspiration in travel and the natural world.

Katherine Ward** is set to finish her twelfth year teaching high school English and is still convinced it's the best job in the world. She believes in a student-centered classroom where laughter and respect are vehicles for astounding growth. Katherine's reading habits have had her snubbing circadian rhythms and shirking household chores her whole life, and she has no plans to stop. She's currently on a journey to read around the world, with a book from every country, and is in peak relaxation when putting a record on the turntable and sprawling on the couch to travel through literature. Katherine loves complicated board games and TTRPGs, always scheming with her spouse to find a way to squeeze just a little more gaming into their lives. Her family welcomes their second child this June. 

*  Accelerated MA in English program
** Graduate Certificate in English Literature