Carolinas WPA Colleagues,
It’s time to elect new board members! We are electing a President-elect, a Secretary, a NC member-at-large, and a SC member-at-large in this election cycle. These positions are for two-year terms, running January 2027-December 2029. To read full descriptions of these positions, visit https://www.carolinaswpa.org/about-2/board/.
Please read the following candidate-provided biographies (listed alphabetically by position) then visit the form at the link below to place your votes. (The link is being shared in its original, “long” form. Hopefully, this will work for our ECU colleagues. If not, let me know and I’ll share directly.)
Candidate for the position of President-elect
- Emma Howes is an Associate Professor of English at Coastal Carolina University, where she teaches writing at a variety of levels. She received her PhD in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2014, where she studied working class women’s literacy in the Southern Appalachians. Her recent work includes collaborations exploring community-building practices in graduate teacher training, the use of Image Theatre for cultivating critical literacies, and a few excursions teaching multilingual writers in Central Asia and online as an English Language Specialist. Emma can often be found taking long walks with her dog, Rosco, anywhere he can be off a leash.
(Note: If Emma is elected to this position, we will run a separate election to fill her remaining year as SC member-at-large.)
Candidates for the position of Secretary
- Dusty Ross — Dusty Ross is an Assistant Professor and Social Sciences Librarian at Appalachian State University (ASU), where she has also taught College Writing since 2012. She is an ASU alumna (BA in English) with graduate degrees in English (MA, Georgia State University) and Library & Information Studies (MLIS, the University of North. Carolina Greensboro). Dusty holds certifications in online teaching, rhetoric and composition, and information literacy. Her research interests include information literacy, rhetoric and composition, theory and criticism, joy as resistance, and the importance of reflection. Above all, Dusty’s work and service remain centered on keeping students supported and creating meaningful professional development for fellow educators.
- Hope Smith-Dinkel — Employed by Horry Georgetown Technical College, this is Hope’s 6th year teaching in the English department. Hope volunteers in the local community at a local theatre and plans to return to Habitat for Humanity. Hope was a Fulbright recipient in Romania during the ’24-’25 academic year. In the future, Hope has plans to obtain a PhD.
Candidates for NC Member-at-large
- Kelly Miller is a Teaching Instructor in the Department of English at East Carolina University, where she teaches first and second year foundational composition courses. Active in regional writing program administration scholarship and pedagogy, Kelly serves on ECU’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and regularly participates in and presents at professional gatherings, including the Carolinas WPA and Meeting in the Middle Conferences. She is deeply committed to supporting student writers, collaborating with fellow educators, and fostering strong pedagogical communities across the Carolinas.
Candidates for SC Member-at-large
- Lindsay Hickman is a Teaching Associate in the Department of English at Coastal Carolina University, where she teaches first-year composition. She also serves as chair of the Edwards College VITAL Committee and as a member of Faculty Senate. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Liberty University, an MLIS from the University of South Carolina, and an MA in Writing from Coastal Carolina University. Her professional interests include writing pedagogy, student engagement, accessibility, and faculty development. She has completed Quality Matters Peer Reviewer training and presented her Narrative Bridge Framework at the 2026 Carolinas WPA Meeting in the Middle conference. Through her teaching and leadership roles, she is committed to supporting writing instructors, expanding professional development opportunities, and fostering collaboration across institutions.
- Hannah Rule is associate professor of English in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of South Carolina. She has previously served a term as Carolinas WPA SC At-Large Representative. She’s eager to continue growing the network of writing studies professionals in the Carolinas.
Link for voting: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfR8y8Q3do9GLY3JPExgdzUF_z_c4v8vUVlopqIluZKf3qgUA/viewform?usp=header
Best,
Robin
Robin Snead, PhD
Chair of the Faculty Senate | Lecturer in Rhetoric & Composition
English, Theatre, and World Languages
University of North Carolina Pembroke