Dissertation Consulting with Heart

I started The Dissertation Studio because I remember how lonely and confusing graduate school felt. I wanted to create the kind of support I never had: structured, strategic, and deeply caring.

What makes my coaching different is that I have sat on both sides of the dissertation table. As a doctoral committee member, advisor, and committee chair for dozens of dissertations, I know exactly what committee members look for when they read your work. I bring that insider perspective to every coaching session and every edit, so you are never guessing what your committee wants.

I’ve Been There Too

After completing my coursework at The Ohio State University, I hit the same wall so many doctoral students do. Work was demanding. Life kept pulling my attention. The dissertation sat there, waiting, while everything else competed for my time.

Then my mother said something I have never forgotten:
“Sure would be a shame not to finish after spending all this money and time.”

That was the moment it clicked. I buckled down. I finished. And I did it on my own, without a coach, without a structured support system, without anyone who had been through it guiding me step by step.

I also did it while living with dyslexia, which I had not yet been diagnosed with until undergrad. Reading took longer. Writing felt heavier. I built systems to compensate: structured note-taking, layered drafting, reading strategies that worked with how my brain processes information rather than against it.

Those systems carried me to my Ph.D. in Integrated Teaching and Learning–Early Childhood from The Ohio State University.

Today, I am the person I needed back then. You will not have to do this alone.

How I Coach: The Four-Step Method

This isn’t just a business—it’s a reflection of what we believe in. We’re here to create work that matters, led by a shared commitment to quality and care.

1. Listen

I start by meeting with you in person to understand your story, your goals, and the specific barriers in your way. No judgment, no assumptions.

2. Map

Together, we build a realistic plan that fits both your life and how your brain works. Not a generic template. This is YOUR plan.

3. Work

We meet regularly for coaching, detailed feedback, and steady accountability. I stay in your corner and in contact with you between sessions, too.

4. Finish

I prepare you for submission and defense with confidence, not just a completed document. You will walk into that room ready.

Credentials and Experience

  • Ph.D., Integrated Teaching and Learning, Early Childhood – The Ohio State University

  • M.Ed., Education Administration, Texas A&M University – Commerce, Commerce, Texas 

  • B.A., Journalism, University of North Texas – Denton, Texas

  • Texas Teacher Certification – Elementary Education (Grades 1–6), Reading (Grades 1–8)

  • Associate Dean, Graduate School, Texas A&M Commerce (2019 - 2025)

  • Dissertation committee member and committee chair for 33 doctoral candidates

  • Deep firsthand knowledge of what doctoral committees look for at every stage of the process

  • 25 years supporting graduate students in an advisory or coaching capacity

Your dissertation doesn’t have to feel this diffcult. Let’s talk.

Submit the contact form to discuss your objectives and determine if I’m a good fit for you to complete your dissertation.