Writing coach. Former teacher. Parent of a high schooler.
I started Merit Ink because I kept seeing the same thing: smart, capable students who froze when it was time to write about themselves. I wanted to fix that — one student at a time.
The coach behind Merit Ink
Before I started coaching privately, I spent nearly 30 years as a technical writer, where I developed clear, accessible instructional materials for diverse audiences. This experience strengthened my written communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to translate complex information into learner-friendly formats. In roles across government contracting, corporate environments, and education, I've built training that simplifies complex processes, accelerates onboarding, and improves system adoption. I've strengthened knowledge management systems and created user-centered documentation that reduced support needs and improved proficiency.
Today, as a K–6 teacher, I provide explicit instruction in reading, writing, and language using whole-group mini-lessons, guided practice, and differentiated small-group instruction. I identify skill gaps, implement targeted interventions, and support students in building foundational literacy skills. I facilitate close reading discussions, vocabulary development, and text-dependent writing tasks that help students deepen comprehension and build confidence as readers.
I also bring private tutoring experience — personalized instruction aligned to individual learning goals, with interventions tailored to student needs. My work with multilingual learners and students with IEP/504 plans reinforced the importance of scaffolding, structured routines, and evidence-based strategies.
That's the foundation behind every track I coach: professional-grade clarity from decades of technical writing, classroom-tested instruction from daily teaching, and the individualized attention of one-on-one tutoring. Your student's essay gets all three.
Background & credentials
30 years experience in instructional design and technical writing
Experience developing clear, accessible instructional materials for diverse audiences.
B. S. in Journalism, University of Maryland
Graduate focus on rhetoric and composition.
How I think about writing coaching
Skills before stakes
The worst time to learn how to write a personal essay is when a college deadline is three weeks away. I work with students early — in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade — so the skills are already there when the pressure arrives.
The student's voice, not mine
My job is to help students find what they actually want to say — not to rewrite their essays in a way that sounds polished but doesn't sound like them. Admissions readers can tell the difference.
Revision is the work
Good writing is rewriting. I teach students to revise with intention — not just to fix grammar, but to ask harder questions about what they're really trying to say.
How sessions work
All coaching happens live on Zoom — one student, one coach, sixty minutes. No pre-recorded modules, no group sessions, no homework packets. Just focused, real-time work on the student's actual writing.
Live on Zoom
Every session is 1-on-1 and scheduled around your family's calendar.
Written feedback between sessions
I review drafts and leave detailed comments before the next session so we can use our time together on the hardest problems.
No long-term contracts
Each track is a fixed number of sessions. You know exactly what you're signing up for.
Families stay in the loop
After each session I send a short summary of what we worked on and what's next.
Want to talk before you enroll?
I offer a free 20-minute discovery call for every family. We'll talk about your student's grade, goals, and which track makes the most sense.
No pressure, no commitment.