Meet the Staff
Jaclyn Wells, Director
Jaclyn received a Ph.D. in English (Rhetoric and Composition) from Purdue University in 2010. Her book, Partners in Literacy: A Writing Center Model for Civic Engagement (co-authored with Allen Brizee), describes a three-year engagement project involving the Purdue OWL and two adult literacy organizations in Lafayette, Indiana. Jaci has directed the UWC since 2012. She is SafeZone certified. You can read more about her on the Department of English website.
Fun Facts: To date, Jaclyn has never lost a game of Seinfeld trivia. Her corgi mix, Travis, is Instagram famous.
Brianna Carnley, Program Administrator
Bri graduated from UAB in April 2022. Her major was English with a concentration in creative writing and her minor was Philosophy. Before becoming the Program Administrator, she worked as a tutor for the UWC during her senior year. She is also a graduate student at UAB pursuing a Master’s of English.
Fun Facts: Her favorite musicians of all time are Florence and the Machine and Hozier; however, she’s been into rock and metal music more recently, specifically Måneskin, Ghost, Bad Omens, and Sleep Token.
Anaya, Graduate Tutor
Anaya is a first-year graduate student studying English Rhetoric and Composition. She received her BA in Communications with a specialization in Public Relations and a minor in Professional Writing from UAB in 2022. After completing the graduate program, Anaya hopes to teach English in higher education.
Fun Facts: Anaya has two dogs, Theodore and Margot, and a cat named Maeve, who take up most of her free time. When she’s not busy taking them on walks and vacuuming their fur from every crevice in her house, she can usually be found thrifting, watching tv, or listening to the same four songs on repeat.
Anna, Graduate Tutor
Anna is a first-year graduate student specializing in literature. She holds a B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Alabama and has a passion for assisting with all forms of writing. Anna's love for literature knows no bounds, and her favorites range from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to Jane Eyre.
Fun Facts: Anna is an avid baker, a Swiftie, and an enneagram 7. She has two cats, Marcus and King Julian, who are her entire world.
Anoushka, Undergraduate Tutor
Anoushka is a sophomore student majoring in English with a focus in literature. She plans to minor in either Japanese or art. One day, she hopes to find her footing as a sports journalist.
Fun Facts: She loves watching silly little cartoons (specifically, Avatar: the Last Airbender) and attending UAB basketball games.
Clay, Graduate Tutor
Clay is a first-year English M.A. student concentrating in Literature. He received his B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a minor in Psychology from Samford University in 2023. Since then, Clay gathered experience in teaching English and Reading Comprehension across multiple grade levels and continued to work on writing and editing any number of his various poems and short stories.
Fun Facts: A true jack-of-all-trades, Clay is an amateur blacksmith, a proficient drummer, a massive fantasy nerd, and a half-decent fisherman. His favorite movie is A Knight’s Tale, and his favorite book (right now) is Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
Maria, Graduate Tutor
Maria is an MA student in English focusing on Rhetoric/Composition. She is from south Louisiana and has four years of Writing Center experience under her belt. She is a first-generation student and the first to pursue a Master's in her family. Maria loves helping students piece together their ideas and make them feel confident in their writing!
Fun Facts: Maria is getting married in November! She also loves musical theatre.
Tamaa, Graduate Tutor
Tamaa is a first year graduate student in English and the author of two novels. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications Studies (Journalism Major) from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2020, and her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Ghana in 2024. She also served as the Director of Communications for the Federation of African Law Students. To Tamaa, sharing the little knowledge she has with others, is a way to get a deeper understanding of things, ideas and perspectives.
Fun Facts: Tamaa is a literary blogger and loves to read fiction. In her spare time, she likes to draw and watch movies. She is a lover of long tennis, and a fitness enthusiast.