Kayla Timmons Chao joins the Entry Level Writing team after a variety of experiences across industries: international NGO, local non-profit, technology, and finally, higher education. As Program Coordinator and then Assistant Director of Engagement at Brandeis International Business School, Kayla came to love working with students in a higher education setting. She is excited to assist students entering UC Davis in navigating their writing requirements so they are set up for success at UC Davis and beyond. Originally from New England, she still cheers on all the Boston sports teams and is slowly learning how to cope with the hot Davis summers (lots of ice cream).

Kendon Kurzer finished his PhD at UC Davis a couple of years ago and decided to stick around. He's primarily interested in supporting multilingual students/writers throughout their educational experiences and in writing in various disciplines. When not teaching, he supports his spouse who is currently working on her dissertation, largely by wrangling his two small children (say hi if you see us on campus!), and gardens (he's a big fan of urban farming and estimates that he grows about 60-70% of the fruit and vegetable matter his small family eats in a typical year). He has taught writing classes across the spectrum of UWP offerings (the classes for multilingual students, UWP 1/1Y, and various upper division classes) and is very excited to better support students via ELW!

Beth Pearsall is a proud first-generation college graduate who teaches writing in the University Writing Program.  She earned her degree in Composition and Rhetoric and Certificate in Teaching Reading at California State University, Sacramento and taught reading and writing courses at local community and 4-year colleges. As a lecturer in the University Writing Program she teaches writing classes at both the lower and upper-division level including Expository Writing, Advanced Composition, Writing in Sociology, and Writing in Business.  Her research interests include the reading/writing connection, peer feedback, adult literacy, and auxiliary writing support. As Assistant Director for Entry-Level Writing, Beth designs, develops, and teaches courses for our entry-level students, monitors student success, assists with the Advanced Writing Placement Exam, counsels students, and supports campus initiatives to improve the experience of entry-level writers at UC Davis.  

Stacy Wittstock is a Ph.D. student in the School of Education, emphasizing in Learning and Mind Sciences and Writing, Rhetoric, and Composition Studies. She received her B.A. in Music and English from Pacific Lutheran University in 2010 and her M.A. in English from Washington State University in 2013. Her research interests include writing program administration, developmental writing and writers, and the relationship between race, language, and writing assessment, particularly for students deemed underprepared for college writing. Her dissertation explores faculty, administrator, and student experiences with and perceptions of change within an evolving developmental writing program. Stacy hails from the land of flannel and grunge music--the Great Pacific Northwest. When she’s not teaching or grad student-ing, she enjoys good food, good wine, good friends, and good music.