Meet Our Staff
David Sumner, Director
I have been directing both Linfield’s Writing Program and Writing Center since 2004. Before that, I taught, and was director of writing at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. I received my PhD from the University of Oregon in 2000. I am very interested in writing and rhetoric and I teach American and environmental literature in the English and environmental studies departments. When I’m not reading, writing, teaching, or researching, I enjoy wandering wild landscapes with my family and my fly rod.
Maria Schwarz, Assistant Director
My name is Maria Schwarz and I am a senior double-majoring in Anthropology and Intercultural Communications with a minor in Spanish. I love learning new things from others' writing and I firmly believe we learn the most when we talk with others about our ideas. Academics aside, I grew up skiing, hiking, and biking in Utah, I love spicy food, and I am a member of the Linfield swim team.
Kelsey Hatley, Assistant Director
I'm a senior English major, Psychology minor, and an absolute bookworm. I will read just about any book and trying to get me to pick a favorite author is impossible--there's just too many good ones! I'm a Colorado native who loves the outdoors (except for the rain here in Oregon...), avid baker and chocolate eater, and a sort of general nerd. I'm fluent in the MLA citation style and very familiar with APA as well. I'm one of those crazy people who actually loves reading and writing essays, so while I am most familiar with English essays I can help with any essay you need help with.
Kaleigh Ansdell
My name is Kaleigh Ansdell. I am an English and Secondary Education major. I love writing and the different approaches different people take to dive into it. I believe the doors for good writing have already been opened for us, we just need to walk though them. My strengths as a writing assistant are working on organizational effectiveness in papers as well as helping you maintain your own voice through your writing--encouraging that along the way.
Kate McMullan
I'm a senior English literature major with an interest in Shakespeare and early modern drama. I am most familiar with British literature, film theory, critical theory in literature, and British history. A few things I enjoy are swimming, baking, and watching old films.
Lucas Cook
My name is Lucas Cook and I am a senior art major. My senior thesis project this year is becoming a multi-media installation re-presenting a conceptualized and abstracted form of portraiture regarding what one does with one owns mind. I spend my time dancing, singing, drumming, meditating, doing yoga, and learning from others. I enjoy reading philosophy, art history, and some Tom Robbins every now and again. Looking forward to working with you!
Kristie Castanera
I am a junior Creative Writing major and Psychology minor from Kailua, Hawai'i. My guilty pleasure is watching trashy TV...especially Keeping up with the Kardashians, of which I watched six seasons of this past summer. But I also enjoy reading, writing short stories, hanging out with friends, and watching classy shows like “Doctor Who” and “The Newsroom”. I am familiar with MLA and APA citation styles. I love working in the writing center and am happy to help with anything thrown my way.
Kelsey Sutton
My name is Kelsey Sutton. I'm a mass communication major and creative writing minor. I love to write. It's pretty much all I ever do. The things I love most in life are hiking, camping, making music, tea, and cats. I'm also addicted to coffee. I hope to become a journalist and novelist within my lifetime. Traveling is also high on my priority list.
Beth Turner
Beth Turner is a senior English major, Japanese and History double-minor who apparently writes biographies in the third person. She also has some background in Biology and Chemistry and is not afraid to look over lab reports. In her spare time, she can be found either cooking, knitting, sewing, doodling ridiculous anime fan art, or (her personal favorite) sleeping.
Hunter Deiglmeier
Hi! My name is Hunter Deiglmeier and I am a senior English major and Spanish minor from Issaquah, Washington. I am super excited to work in the writing center! I love helping people and showing them how to improve their essays. Other than writing, my hobbies include: horseback riding, reading, baking, and hanging out with friends. I am also a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and Order of Omega Honor Society. I love Linfield and am excited to spend my last year at Linfield helping people in the Writing Center!
Lee Rivers
Leland James Rivers is awesome. He is a captain of the Linfield swim team, Philanthropy and Community Service chair of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, and Publicity Czar for the Writing Center. He is also the head coach of Rolling Hills Swim Team in Renton, Washington, during the summers. Leland anticipates earning a degree in English Literature as well as his teaching certification from Linfield. His favorite things to write are poems, short stories, and online biographies.
Whitney Brittingham
Whitney is an International Relations and Spanish major. She is from Bozeman, Montana, and despite her familiarity with long and cold winters, she still struggles to adapt to the months of rainy weather here in Oregon. Her specialties include political writing, thesis statements, anything MLA, using footnotes, and the art of a counterargument. Aside from that, she enjoys skiing, traveling, sunsets, and long walks on the beach.
Helena Frueh
About me: My name is Helena Frueh and I am senior Psychology major and German Studies minor. I can help you with psychology-related issues such as: writing a literature review, writing a research paper, formatting an APA style paper and writing APA style references.
Advice to students: I studied abroad in Vienna, Austria in 2010 and I highly encourage you to study abroad as well!
Random tidbits: I enjoy taking part in the Linfield Dance ensemble and I currently also work in a wine tasting room.
Megan Schwab
Megan is a sophomore International Relations major born and raised in Boise, ID. She loves to spend time with her family, particularly her two brothers, playing cards and soccer, mountain-biking, painting, singing, reading, and watching old movies. Along with working at the writing center, she works for Professor Pat Cottrell and is Secretary/Treasurer of the Speech and Debate team. Megan is well equipped to work with international students as well as political science, history, and communications papers. She is well versed in MLA and Chicago style citations and bibliographies