Dr. Boba Samuels is the Director of the Health Sciences Writing Centre and an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Education, specifically Writing Studies. In addition to teaching academic writing, Boba conducts research on university writing, including disciplinary writing, high stakes genres such as grants and personal statements, and currently, the impact of generative AI on writing.

Prior to joining the Health Sciences Writing Centre, Boba worked in writing centres at Wilfrid Laurier University, King’s University College (Western), and the University of Western Ontario. She served as President of the Canadian Association for Studies in Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie from 2026-18.

Dr. Joel Benabu is an experienced writing specialist and educator with a Doctorate in the field of Shakespeare Studies from the University of Toronto. With over 10 years of teaching experience, in many of UofT writing centres, he has expertise with a variety of genres and disciplinary conventions. Dr. Benabu's goal is for his students to take ownership of their writing and develop their unique voices.

David holds a PhD in English (Rhetoric and Writing Studies) from the University of Alberta. David has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in the United States and Canada. Originally from California, David has taught writing, critical thinking, and research methods courses at San Diego State and CSU Monterey Bay, the University of Alberta, and the University of Toronto.

David's research interests include Abolitionist rhetoric, Rhetoric and mobility and writing pedagogy. In his free time, he enjoys boxing, exploring new coffee shops in the city and spending time with his family. 

Monica earned a PhD in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She has been a writing instructor at U of T’s Graduate Centre for Academic Communication and at University of Toronto Mississauga in addition to the HSWC. Monica is currently a postdoctoral research fellow with the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration at Toronto Metropolitan University. She studies deservingness, researching the ways in which discourses of citizenship and belonging influence bordering in immigration and health. Monica holds a MPH in health policy from the City University of New York.

Marvin holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, specializing in teaching and research in Language and Communication, Discourse Studies, English for Academic and Specific Purposes, and Linguistics. His professional experience includes roles as a grant-maker and project manager, where he honed his skills in corporate communication within the philanthropy sector.

Currently, Marvin serves as a writing instructor at the Health Sciences Writing Centre, the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre, and the Centre for Professional Skills at Rotman Commerce. He also teaches the undergraduate course "Writing for University and Beyond" at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

Emily (she/her) holds a PhD in English with a specialization in Disability Studies from the University of Manitoba. Her dissertation research focused on narratives about mental illness in 1960s literature. Emily is a writing instructor at the Health Sciences Writing Centre and the Rotman Commerce Centre for Professional Skills and a sessional lecturer at the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy.

Danielle (she/her) holds a PhD in English & Cultural Studies (specialization: Critical Theory) from McMaster University. At the University of Toronto, Danielle serves as a Writing Instructor and Sessional Lecturer, teaching composition across a range of academic units. Danielle’s research explores discourses of well-being, with a focus on their relationships with economic trends.

Nina has been instructing in several writing centres and departments at U of T since 2013, providing instruction in various disciplines and pursuits with a focus on scientific and academic accuracy. She is an award-winning author of over a dozen novels and non-fiction books and she brings this background to her work with students: addressing aspects of clarity from narrative flow and thematic continuity to active voice. She has been teaching fiction writing courses to students wishing to publish for over two decades. Her short stories have been published and translated into several languages throughout the world, including: Apex Magazine, subTerrain Magazine, Metastellar, Nova Magazine, Delos Digital, Mincione Edizioni, among others. Nina holds an M.Sc. degree in ecology/limnology and has published numerous papers in scientific journals on her environmental research. As a scientist, she designed and facilitated training courses, workshops and seminars in environmental management and environmental education to industry, academia, private sector and government.

Nina is a professional photographer and has been actively blogging since 2007; her site TheMeaningOfWater.com, which attracts over 2000 views weekly, explores ecological phenomena and issues. Her site NinaMunteanu.me is devoted to all aspects of writing and storytelling.

Nina is fluent in English and has a good understanding of French, German, and Romanian.

Since 2014, Cheryl Runke has been teaching academic and professional communication across faculties at the University of Toronto. Her degrees include both a Master of Science and Master of Arts. From 1990 to 2010 she practiced as a speech-language pathologist across different care settings in Ontario. She also writes fiction, having published short stories in a number of Canadian literary journals. In April of 2024, she was awarded the Margaret Procter Award for Excellence in Writing Instruction at the University of Toronto. She continues to be passionate about helping students build their confidence with academic communication.

Roz Spafford did graduate work at San Francisco State University, focusing on creative writing; there she also completed a certificate program in teaching writing and participated in three-year program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEXA) developing curricula at the intersection of science and humanities. She has taught writing at the Health Sciences Writing Centre since 2012, working particularly but not only with Social Work students; she also has worked at the New College Writing Centre since 2010. Previously, she taught writing and chaired the Writing Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she still occasionally teaches creative writing. She has published a book of poetry, Requiem (Writers & Books, Rochester), along with short stories, pieces of creative non-fiction, book reviews, and columns. For more information, see www.RozSpafford.com.

Ty Walkland (he/him) has spent over a decade working with learners of all ages to confront power, privilege, and the possibilities of more just and equitable futures—both on and off the page. In a past life, he taught high school English, Social Sciences, and Special Education north of Toronto. Now a Ph.D. Candidate at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Ty’s research explores critical and care-centred approaches to school-based drug education, as well as collaborative, participatory, and arts-shaped inquiries among youth and educators more broadly. As well as providing administrative support to both the Health Sciences Writing Centre and the New College Writing Centre, Ty is a writing advisor at the OISE Student Success Centre and runs New College’s QT Write-Ins. When Ty’s not hunched over a keyboard and pouring over works-in-progress, he’s almost always outdoors—ideally on a beach.