All of our Graduate Peer Writing Consultants participate in extensive training before they are available for appointments.

Aishwarya Venkataraman

A medical doctor from India, Aishwarya is a first-year student in the MS Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine program at UMB. She is passionate about conducting research in, and working to further, medicine and human health. She enjoys reading, and is always delighted to exchange book recommendations. Speaking four languages, she is multilingual. Her enthusiasm for learning new languages gives her the opportunity to connect with different communities. She is perpetually excited about food and loves to experiment with different cuisines. Through her work at the Writing Center, she hopes to assist you in your endeavors in graduate school.

Alex Wang

Alex Wang (he/they) is a student at the School of Social Work at the University of Maryland Baltimore. They were born and raised in New Jersey, went to college in Connecticut, and moved to Baltimore after graduating in 2019. They speak a little Chinese and Spanish, and are slowly but surely improving their skills in both. They’re excited to be a new consultant at the Writing Center this year, and welcome clients from all different backgrounds and experiences!

Allison Keyes

Allison is a fourth year dental student at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry from Montgomery County, Maryland. She is thrilled to join the UMB Writing Center staff as a writing consultant! She holds a BA in communication and BS in biological sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she conducted chemistry and award-winning science education research. Allison serves as the Vice President of the DDS Class of 2024. In her role as a writing consultant, she is excited to meet members of the UMB community and eager to help you achieve your writing goals. In her free time, Allison enjoys volunteering, baking cupcakes, singing, writing, going on walks, watching football games, and spending time with family and friends.

Rasul Wright

Rasul Wright is a Juris Doctorate candidate a the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. He graduated from Towson University in 2022 with a B.S.Ed in History and Education where he gained an extensive experience in historical writing, and educational pedagogy. Rasul serves as the President of the Class of 2026 at UMB Carey law, and is passionate about advocating for all UMB students. On his free time, Rasul enjoys going to the movies, riding electric scooters, and spending time with his family and friends.

Tanya Bavadekar

Tanya is a 1st-year student pursuing a Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Maryland Baltimore - School of Pharmacy. She graduated from India with a Bachelor's in Pharmacy and an MBA, giving her experience in the scientific and management domain of the pharmaceutical industry. She is multilingual and has experience in scientific writing, creative writing, presentations, and organizing and managing events. In general, she likes dramatic storytelling and interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Outside school, Tanya is a trained classical pianist and a trained Indian classical dancer. In her free time, she likes knitting, baking, and hiking.

Victoria Hudson

Victoria Hudson is a 3rd-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student. She earned a BS in International Health from Georgetown University in 2016. She has spent five years working in community health education and national health policy in the public health sector. She strives to become an equity and integrative health-focused health care practitioner who seeks to support underserved patient populations. While serving as the UMB USGA President, her goal is to promote diverse, accessible, and safe campus environment for all students. Additionally, Victoria enjoys going on runs, listening to audiobooks, and spending time with her husband and two cats in her spare time.

Victoria Palandati 

Victoria Palandati (she/her/hers) grew up in the mountains of New York. She first came to Baltimore over 10 years ago to study Anthropology and Writing at Hopkins. Upon graduating Victoria worked as a teacher with AmeriCorps and The Peace Corps. She missed Baltimore, so returned and started work with Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School. Now, she is currently working on a second Bachelors at the School of Nursing. Victoria loves the outdoors and can often be found climbing, hiking, skiing, or canoeing. When she isn't out in nature she is sewing or playing lacrosse with her toddler. 

Isabell C. May, PhD

Dr. Isabell May (she, her, hers) has been directing the Writing Center at UMB since early 2017. Dr. May also serves as an associate professor in the UMB Graduate School's Science Communication Program, which she directs. There, she teaches "Science Communication Principles" and "Scientific Writing & Publishing." Before her tenure at UMB, Dr. May oversaw the Writing Center at the University of Baltimore, founded the Writing Center for Academic English at Leuphana University in Lueneburg, Germany, and directed the Center for Academic Success at the Universities at Shady Grove. She earned her PhD in American Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. A native of Germany, Dr. May came to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship in 1999 and has resided in Maryland, with a two-year interruption in Lueneburg, Germany, ever since. If Dr. May is not busy writing her blog, researching, or working with writers, she can be found reading a mystery novel. playing with her son, or at an Orioles game. Email: imay@umaryland.edu

James Wright, MFA

James Wright (he, him, his) is a white settler raised in a subdivision on Shawnee ancestral lands in rural Central Kentucky. His father, Dale, was a country lawyer, Democratic politician, and son of Virginia Wright, a resilient homemaker and minister to the congregation of her spouse, the Reverend Carl Wright, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. James’s mother, Charlotte, taught business math at local high schools and, in the last decade of her career as an educator, administered technology services in the Anderson County School District. She is the daughter of Louise Bowen, whose humor, compassion, and dedication to her community transformed lives, and Ollie Bowen, who, after losing both of his parents by the age of 12, went on to attend George Washington University Law School and then returned to his hometown to serve as a legislator, county attorney, and district judge. The presence of these relatives carries James through his work as associate director and multilingual writing specialist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Writing Center. He collaborates with peer consultants, faculty, staff, and students on writing pedagogy, writing curriculum development, faculty development initiatives, and writing center practice. His doctoral research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, draws on theories of language, race, (im)migration, and identity to describe and understand more just and equitable approaches to writing and literacy education in the academy, Baltimore communities, and beyond. Email: james.wright@umaryland.edu

Hannah Mueller, MA

Hannah (she/her/hers) first connected with the Writing Center in 2019 when she did a practicum in equity and justice-based writing center praxis as part of her MA in Education program with Prescott College, and now serves as a Writing Specialist. She's also building her writing coaching and editing business, Hannah Mueller Editorial. Originally from North Jersey, Hannah has a BA in English from Bryn Mawr College and environmental education and farming experience from AmeriCorps in Vermont. She speaks Spanish and worked for 6 years with Baltimore’s immigrant community as a program coordinator with the Esperanza Center’s Educational Services. In her free time, she loves reading, spending time with family and friends, contra dancing, hiking and camping. Email: hmueller@umaryland.edu 

Joanna Ye, PT, DPT

Joanna Z. Ye is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University in 2019 and earned her DPT from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2023. Joanna practices as a physical therapist at Fox Rehabilitation, and she is the Multilingual Writing Fellow at University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is passionate about geriatric health, teaching, and mentoring graduate students. Her hobbies include reading books and playing video games. Her favorite book series of all time is 二哈和他的白猫师尊 by 肉包不吃肉.