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Committee Assignments

Committee Assignments: Department of English 2025-26

Administrative Leadership 2025-26

  • Chair: Nush Powell
  • Associate Chair (Personnel): Matt Prior
  • Associate Chair (Curriculum): Julia Himberg 
  • Associate Director, Curriculum & Instruction: Shauna Dranetz
  • Director of Graduate Studies: Heather Maring
  • Director of Writing Programs: Roger Thompson

Program Directors

  • Director of Creative Writing: Tara Ison
  • Director of English Education: James Blasingame
  • Director of Film and Media Studies: Aaron Baker 
  • Director of Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, & TESOL: Mark James 
  • Director of Literature: Derek Pacheco
  • Director of Writing, Rhetoric & Literacies: Jake Greene

Administrative Directors/Managers

  • Business Operations Manager, Sr.: Caden Gillespie 
  • Director of Communications: Kristen LaRue-Sandler

Appointed Posts

  • Assessment Coordinator: Shauna Dranetz 
  • Director of Digital Technology: Bruce Matsunaga
  • Director of Internships: Ruby Macksoud
  • Director of Online Programs: Kathleen Hicks
  • Fletcher Lecture Coordinator: Melissa Free
  • Library Liaison: Jessica Early
  • Parliamentarian: N/A
  • Staff Reps: Lilly Downs, Stephanie Serrano
  • Sigma Tau Delta (English Honors Society) Faculty Advisor: Brian Goodman
  • Staff Representatives TA Orientation/Professional Development: Angela Rounsaville

Elective Posts

Arbitrator 

  • Sally Ball

Budget & Personnel Committee

  • Matt Bell (yr 2)
  • Bob Bjork (yr 2)
  • Cedric Burrows (yr 2)
  • Richard Newhauser (yr 1)
  • Kevin Sandler (yr 1)
  • Patricia Webb (yr 1)
  • Matt Prior (ACP, ex officio and non suffragium)

Instructor Representatives

  • Jacqueline Brady
  • Andrea Severson
  • Abigail Oakley
  • Kenneth Landenburg
  • Kurt Myers
  • Kevin Lichty
  • Tennison Black

University/College Senate

  • Sarah Florini (AY 25-26-AY 27-28)
  • Kathleen Lamp (AY 25-26-AY 27-28)
  • Tyler Peterson (AY 25-26-AY 27-28)

Writing Programs Service Assignments

Common Read (Fall)

TBD

 

TA Observations (Fall and Spring)

TBD

 

Instructor Evaluations (Spring)

TBD

 

Hiring

TBD

 

WPs Research

TBD

Department Committee Membership (Appointed)

Admissions Committees for Program Areas

  • Determined by Program Directors & Chair

Advisory Council

  • Nush Powell (Chair)
  • Shauna Dranetz (Lead UG Advisor)
  • Associate Chair Curriculum: Julia Himberg
  • Associate Chair Personnel: Matt Prior
  • Kathleen Hicks (Dir. of Online)
  • Roger Thompson (Dir. of WPs)
  • Kristen Larue-Sandler (Dir of Communications)
  • Bruce Matsunaga (Dir of Digital Tech)
  • Heather Maring (Dir. of GS)

Awards Committee/s 

  • Angela Rounsaville (chair)
  • Sally Ball
  • Lois Brown
  • Cheryl Greene
  • Brad Irish
  • Kathleen Lamp
  • Ellie Long
  • Devoney Looser (spring only)
  • Katie Morissey
  • Eduardo Ramos
  • Christian Ravela
  • Safiya Sinclair
  • Peter Torres

Career Faculty Committee 

  • Dana Tait (chair)
  • Andrea Dickens (vice-chair)
  • Shersta Chabot
  • Sarah Duerden
  • Sarah Florini
  • Denise Hill
  • Jenny Irish
  • Joe Lockard
  • Ruby Macksoud
  • Joshua Vasquez

Committee for Altruistic Research and Experience (CARE)

  • Lamonte Key (chair)
  • Katie Berta
  • Shauna Dranetz
  • Eric Forthun
  • Bruce Matsunaga
  • Stacey Moran
  • Tyler Peterson
  • Claudia Sadowski-Smith
  • Christina Saidy (spring only)

Executive / Curriculum Committee 

  • Julia Himberg (Associate Chair, Curriculum)
  • Nush Powell (Chair)
  • Tara Ison (Director of CW)
  • Jim Blasingame (Director of English Ed)
  • Aaron Baker (Director of FMS)
  • Derek Pacheco (Director of Lit)
  • Shauna Dranetz (Lead Adviser)
  • Jake Greene (Director of WRL)
  • Kathleen Hicks (Director of Online Programs)
  • Matt Prior (Associate Chair, Personnel)
  • Roger Thompson (Director of Writing Programs)
  • Mark James (Director of Ling, Applied Ling, and TESOL)
  • Heather Maring (Director of Graduate Studies)

Elections Committee

  • Paul Matsuda (chair)
  • Brandi Adams
  • Bruce Matsunaga

Events Committee

  • Christine Holbo (chair)
  • Gabriel Acevedo
  • Joni Adamson
  • Lisa Barksdale-Shaw
  • Melissa Free
  • Mariam Galarrita
  • Peter Goggin
  • Heather Hoyt
  • Mitchell Jackson
  • William Kruger
  • Kristin LaRue (ex officio)
  • Cecilia Savala
  • Shahar Shirtz (spring only)
  • Kyle Wilson

Graduate Committee

  • Heather Maring (chair)
  • Tara Ison (Director of CW)
  • Jim Blasingame (Director of English Ed)
  • Derek Pacheco (Director of Lit)
  • Aaron Baker (Director of FMS)
  • Roger Thompson (Director of Writing Programs)
  • Jake Greene (Director of WRL)
  • Mark James (Director of LAL and TESOL)
  • Kira Asad (Graduate Programs Manager)
  • Kathleen Hicks (Director of Online Programs)
  • Shahzadi Laibah Burq (graduate student rep fall)
  • An Sakach (graduate student rep spring)

Operations Committee

  • Ron Broglio (chair)
  • Danielle Alfandre
  • Lee Bebout (fall only)
  • Mark Hannah (spring only)
  • Lynette Myles (fall only)
  • Vincent Oliveri
  • Bryan Smith (fall only)
  • Ayanna Thompson

 

Ad Hoc Committees 

ENG Representatives to ENG/Humanities/EdPlus Committee

  • Nush Powell (DEPT CHAIR)
  • Kira Asad (ENG MA)
  • Lily Downs (ENG MA)
  • Kathleen Hicks (ONLINE)
  • Aaron Baker (FMS MAS)
  • Heather Maring (ENG MA)
  • Julia Himberg (ASSOC CHAIR)
  • Mark James (Spring) (LAL/MTESOL)
  • Shauna Dranetz (UG)

Inclusive Excellence Committee

  • Josh Coleman (chair)
  • Cora Fox
  • Aviva Dove-Viebahn (fall only)
  • Jonathan Hope
  • Kyle Jensen
  • Kris Ratcliffe (spring only)
  • Jed Samer

University Service

  • University Promotion and Tenure Committee: Tara Ison (Spring 2025)
  • Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure: Richard Newhauser (2026), Joe Lockard (2026)
  • Faculty Women’s Associate Executive Board: Joni Adamson, Ayanna Thompson
  • Osher Lifelong Institute at ASU, Senior Fellow: Kevin Sandler
  • Residency Appeal Hearing Committee: Ruby Macksoud
  • University Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee (Chair): Claudia Sadowski-Smith
  • University Hearing Board: Sarah Duerden, Mark Hannah, Tara Ison, Kassie Lamp
  • Interdisciplinary Committee on Linguistics: Mark James, Aya Matsuda, Tyler Peterson, Matthew Prior
  • President’s Academic Council (Members): Devoney Looser and Alberto Rios

College Service

  • Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
    • (Executive Director): Ayanna Thompson
    • (Director): Ruben Espinosa
    • (Outreach): Maddie Sayet
    • (Director of Press): Jonathan Hope
  • Center for Imagination in the Borderlands (Director): Natalie Diaz
  • Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (Director): Lois Brown
  • Humanities Institute (Director): Ron Broglio
  • Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics (Associate Director): Sarah Florini
  • Piper Center (Director): Tito Rios
  • Project Humanities (Founding Director): Neal Lester

Committees

  • Academic Standards Committee (Member): Mark James
  • Committee on Quality of Instruction: Courtney Fowler (Fall 2025-Spring 2028)
  • Committee on Student Affairs & Grievances (Member): Christine Holbo (2023-2026); Kathleen Lamp (Fall 2025-Spring 2028)
  • Curriculum Committee: Derek Pacheco (Fall 2025-Spring 2028)
  • Dean’s Faculty Advisory Committee (Member): Jessica Early (2024-2027), Laura Turchi (2025-2028)
  • Desert Humanities: Ron Broglio (2018-present)
  • Environmental Humanities/Global Futures Lab: Joni Adamson
  • PLuS Alliance Humanities (Lead): Sir Jonathan Bate
  • Race, Culture, and Community Engagement Committee (Member): Aya Matsuda

Department Service outside of Appointed Committees in Bylaws

  • CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) Certificate: Bryan Smith
  • Comparative Lit Concentration/MA, Advisor: Claudia Sadowski-Smith
  • Environmental Humanities Certificate: Peter Goggin
  • Graduate Critical Theory Certificate: Ron Broglio
  • Graduate Linguistics Certificate: [under review]
  • Interdisciplinary Health Humanities Certificate: Cora Fox
  • Sigma Tau Delta advisor: Brian Goodman
  • TESOL Certificate: Mark James
  • Translation Certificate: Richard Newhauser
  • Writers’ Place Awards Committee: Heather Hoyt
  • ELATE Graduate Student Group (Advisor): Christina Saidy
  • SPARK-Ling Club (Co-Advisors): Shahar Shirtz (spring only) and Tyler Peterson
  • Medieval Studies Committee (Co-Director): Richard Newhauser

On Sabbatical or Approved Leave

Approved Sabbaticals

  • Jonathan Bate (Fall 2025)
  • Lee Bebout (Spring 2026)
  • Aviva Dove-Viebahn (Spring 2026)
  • Brian Goodman (Fall 2025)
  • Mark Hannah (Fall 2025)
  • Aya Matsuda (Spring 2026)
  • Kris Ratcliffe (Fall 2025)
  • Christina Saidy (Fall 2025)
  • Bryan Smith (Spring 2026)
  • Sarah Viren (AY 25-26)

On Approved Leave

  • Jake Greene (Fall 2025)
  • David Hawkes (Fall 2025)
  • Devoney Looser (Fall 2025)
  • Aya Matsuda (Spring 2026)
  • Shahar Shirtz (Fall 2025)