Professional Staff

Michelle Hager
Director
Writing Center
Michelle Hager is the Writing Center Director, and she has extensive experience in
writing instruction and writing center administration. She is also an alum of San
Jose State University, having earned her B.A. in English (with a Certificate in Professional
and Technical Writing) and M.A. in English from SJSU.
Prior to becoming the Writing Center Director in July 2013, she served for four years
as the Writing Center Associate Director. In this position, she developed the web
presence of the Center and created and supervised a program for lower-division writing
tutors. She has also worked with the Writing Across the Curriculum Director to develop
and supervise the course-embedded writing tutors program at SJSU (which is now housed
in the Writing Center). She has presented at national and regional conferences, including
the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), the Northern California
Writing Centers Association Conference (NCWCA), the Young Rhetoricians' Conference
(YRC), and the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education Conference (APAHE). She
recently completed the intensive summer institute through the International Writing
Centers Association (IWCA).
During her 12 years of teaching at the university, Michelle taught English 1A and
1B (First Year Writing), English 22 (Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature), English
103 (Modern English Grammar), English 106 (Editing for Writers), English 112A (Children's
Literature), and English 112B (Young Adult Literature). She sits on multiple committees--both
at the university and within her professional organizations. She was also the program
chair for the 2019 Northern California Writing Centers Association Conference, which
was hosted at SJSU. She belongs to the National Council for Teachers of English, the
Online Writing Centers Association, and the International Writing Centers Association.
Phone: 408-924-2249
Email: michelle.hager@sjsu.edu

Amy Russo
Coordinator of Multilingual Writing Support Services
Writing Center
Amy Russo is the Coordinator for Multilingual Writing Support Services at the SJSU
Writing Center, working with both undergraduate and graduate students. She earned
her B.A. in European Studies from Hendrix College and her Master of Library and Information
Science from Louisiana State University. In December 2017, Amy earned her M.A. in
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the Middlebury Institute
of International Studies (MIIS) at Monterey.
Prior to joining the SJSU writing team, Amy taught English for five years in Japan
and tutored for two years at a graduate writing center. Over the last seven years,
she has made numerous presentations at conferences about linguistics, language teaching,
and writing, including the California TESOL Conference, the UC Davis Language Symposium,
and the JET Skill Development Conference for English Teachers. Amy is actively involved
in Toastmasters, a public speaking non-profit. In addition, she partners with the
San Francisco Japanese Consulate to support the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET)
Program through teacher training. Amy is the co-founder and former officer of the
JET Alumni Association of Monterey Bay (JETAAMB).
In this position, Amy creates workshops and trainings for tutors about working with
multilingual students (with Michelle Hager, Writing Center Director). She also builds
materials and professional development opportunities for faculty on topics relating
to the support of multilingual writers (with Dr. Tom Moriarty, Writing Across the
Curriculum Director). Amy’s aim is to promote lifelong learning that is positive,
flexible, and meaningful for students through careful content creation, learner strategy
training, and collaboration with students, tutors, faculty, staff, and campus organizations.
Phone: 408-808-2101
Email: amy.russo@sjsu.edu

Seher Vora
Coordinator of Online Writing Support Services
Writing Center
Seher Vora is the Coordinator for Online Writing Support Services, providing online
training and initiatives for students, faculty, and Writing Center employees. She
holds a BA in International Studies and Linguistics from UC Irvine, an MA in International
Relations from Tufts University, and an MFA in Creative Writing from San José State
University.
Prior to the Coordinator position, Seher worked at the Writing Center for two and
half years as an online writing tutor and served as the Associate Editor and then
Interim Editor-in-Chief of The Write Attitude, the Writing Center's official blog.
In addition, Seher has nearly seven years of experience as an editor and in student
services. She was the Fiction Editor for the literary journal Reed Magazine, Copy
Editor for the non-profit news outfit Global Press Journal, and Senior Editor at The
Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, a journal of international relations. Seher also
served as Professional Internship Program Manager at the UC Irvine Social Sciences
Academic Resource Center for over two years.
Seher is passionate about helping students develop a well-rounded approach to writing
that is informed by diversity, empathy, and openness, as well as encouraging an exploration
of writing styles and techniques through different media, platforms, and collaborations.
Phone: 408-924-2351
Email: seher.vora@sjsu.edu
Former Writing Center Director and Faculty-in-Residence
- Dr. Linda C. Mitchell (Director, 2007-2013)
- Maria Judnick (2016-2021)
- Heidi Livingston Eisips (spring 2019)
- Shannon Bane (2016-2017)
- Gloria Collins (2008-2016)
- Debra Caires (2014-2016)
- Jessy Goodman (2015-2016)
- Cindy Baer (2013-2015)
- Martin Leach (2012-2013)
- Jan Hagemann (2007-2012)
- Sabine Rech (2007-2008)
- Andrew Fleck (fall 2008)
- Jim Lobdell (spring 2007)
- Nancie Fimbel (spring 2007)