About

Welcome to Writing Services, where we are dedicated to promoting academic writing skills and student-centered learning. As a team, we prioritize evidence-based, accessible, and effective writing support, and we engage in ongoing research and professional development to ensure that we stay up-to-date with the latest best practices in writing centre pedagogy. We actively participate in and collaborate with the wider writing centre community, which allows us to offer comprehensive and tailored writing support to writers at all stages of the writing process.

Kate Pratt

Writing Services Director
kate.pratt@ualberta.ca

Director, Dr. Kate Pratt is responsible for managing Writing Services’ operations and leading a team of writing specialists, peer tutors, and copy editors. She holds a PhD in English with a specialization in early modern drama. Kate’s research focused on representations of murder and adultery in early modern English domestic drama. She has almost 20 years of experience teaching writing courses at the postsecondary level, including courses in the Department of English and Film Studies at the U of A. Her special interests are mentoring staff and collaborating with campus partners. As part of her work, she tries to stay connected to students by teaching specialized workshops, conducting one-on-one consultations, and facilitating a graduate writing group. When she isn’t working, she enjoys indulging in crime fiction and dark chocolate.

Jonathan Simmons

Graduate Writing Advisor
jssimmon@ualberta.ca

Jonathan Simmons works primarily with graduate students, drawing on his eclectic research and writing background to provide a unique perspective on academic writing. With over 15 years of teaching experience, he understands the challenges that graduate students face and tailors his coaching to suit clients' needs. Jonathan's approach is practical, collaborative, and supportive, with a goal of not only improving clients' writing but also helping them become more confident and effective communicators. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys pursuing his hobbies as a Lego enthusiast and a member of the Tolkien Society.

Bhuva Narayanan

Graduate Writing Advisor
bhuvanes@ualberta.ca

Bhuva Narayanan is working on her PhD in English with a specialization in the eighteenth-century novel. She has over 7 years of teaching experience across two countries, and continues to teach introductory courses in the Department of English and Film Studies. She has published in academic and non-academic periodicals. In her free time, she enjoys running long distances and hosting dinner parties.

Stephen Kuntz

Writing Advisor
stephen.kuntz@ualberta.ca

Currently residing in Istanbul, Turkey working as a Writing Specialist for both the University of Alberta, remotely, and Bahçeşehir University, Stephen Kuntz has been an educator at the U of A for 30 years, in literature, English language development, and writing. For 16 years, he served as Associate Director of the Academic Success Centre overseeing the writing program, staff, and editing service and offering writing workshops, student consultations, and teaching on plagiarism awareness and academic-cultural transition. Having graded more than 10,000 student documents (and “looked at” 10,000 more), he still finds great satisfaction in teaching and aiding people in becoming better thinkers and communicators, primarily through focusing on writing. He sees himself, in the words of a former student and eventual co-writer, as a "Guide, Companion, and Midwife," listening to, advising, arguing with, and coaching anyone who desires on their writing projects.

Kristen Schiedel

Writing Advisor
kschiede@ualberta.ca

Kristen Schiedel is a PhD Candidate who specializes in research on care work and burnout. Her publications include topics like pedagogy, academic siloing, and teaching across disciplines. She has six years of teaching experience, mostly in the English department at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON and Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. In her free time, she loves to read and crochet.