Gain valuable advice and insight, get your questions answered, or just make a connection for when you need help in the future by signing up to meet with a mentor at the 2023 TAA Conference on Textbook & Academic Authoring, which will be held online June 9-10, 2023.

The deadline for signing up for mentoring is May 15. Limited slots are available and are offered on a first come, first-served basis, so don’t delay, register for the conference today!

Choose from nine different mentors for up to two 15-minute one-on-one discussions:

Frank Carrano, Award-Winning Textbook Author

Frank M. Carrano is Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at the University of Rhode Island. He has taught computer science courses for over thirty years and has authored several well-known textbooks. His interests include data structures, computer science education, and social issues in computing. He is especially interested in the design and delivery of undergraduate computer science courses and holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Syracuse University.

Mentoring Topic: Working with a co-author

Dave Dillon, Open Access Textbook Author

Dave Dillon is counseling faculty and a professor at Grossmont College. He curated, co-authored and edited three College Success textbooks including Blueprint for Success in College and Career (Rebus Community, 2018), which won a Textbook Excellence Award from TAA and the Open Textbook award from Open Education Global. Dave was a Stanford University Global Studies Fellow in 2019 and is passionate about student success, textbook quality, open pedagogy, access and affordability, and design. He has been a TAA member since 2015.

Mentoring Topics: Open Educational Resource Textbooks; Open Licensing; First Time Textbook Authoring

Pat Goodson, Veteran Academic Author

Dr. Patricia Goodson is Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University. Although her scholarship is in Health Education, two of her books focus on supporting Academic Writers in all fields: Becoming an Academic Writer: 50 Exercises for Paced, Productive, and Powerful Writing (2nd edition, SAGE), winner of the 2018 TAA Textbook Excellence Award; and 90 Days, 90 Ways: Inspiration, Tips & Strategies for Academic Writers, co-authored with Dr. Mina Beigi and Melika Shirmohammadi (Amazon.com). She also founded (and directs) POWER Services, a support system for graduate students, post-docs and junior faculty as academic writers.

Mentoring Topics: A System to tackle academic writing; A Strategy to incorporate our reading into the writing; Sustaining Motivation for academic writing

Tracey Hodges, The Empowering Advocate

Dr. Tracey S. Hodges is the Owner and Chief Creative Officer of The Empowering Advocate LLC, an educational research and coaching company, as well as a Senior Business Analyst for Elm Creek Technical & Professional Services LLC. Dr. Hodges’ interests include writing instruction, youth literature, instrument development, mentoring, academic writing, and project management. She is the editor of three research handbooks and author of more than 50 scholarly articles.

Mentoring Topics: Writing with joy; time/ project management; Identifying skills/talents for side hustles and small businesses; Understanding why you aren’t writing when you want to be

Erin McTigue, Mentor and Coach, The Positive Academic

After being a tenured professor at Texas A&M University, Erin McTigue started her own business, The Positive Academic, through which she mentors and coaches academics in writing and productivity, as well as runs workshops. While at Texas A&M, she co-directed a university-wide writing support program (POWER) and developed an academic writing course for international students. Erin is widely published, has won teaching and mentoring awards, and continually aims to bring a lightness of spirit to the weight of academia.

Mentoring Topics: Setting up writing habits & practices; Visioning how to have more energy and joy in writing; Strategies for giving or getting feedback in writing; Mentoring others (e.g. students) in writing’ Tackling writing projects that you are avoiding

Lisa Peterson, Director of Content Development, Top Hat

Lisa Peterson is Director of Content Development at Top Hat and oversees the team of content developers who work directly with textbook authors to help them create engaging, accessible, and interactive digital-first content. Lisa has 20 years of experience developing resources for the Higher Education and K-12 markets through work at Top Hat, Nelson Education, and Oxford University Press. Her previous experience includes creating and managing a Training and Development Program designed to level-set the editorial team’s base level knowledge of workflow and process.

Mentoring Topics: Tips for working with your Developmental Editor – understanding their role and how they work with you throughout the writing process; Understanding the typical publishing workflow process (print and digital) – ideal for those new to textbook publishing; Primer on typical roles and responsibilities of individuals you will encounter in textbook publishing – also ideal for those new to textbook publishing

Juli Saitz, CPA, Royalty Auditor, HKA Global

Juli Saitz, CPA is a forensic accountant and royalty auditor. She is a partner at HKA Global in New York and has extensive experience serving clients including several textbook authors as well as multi-national corporation licensors. Her work in this area includes developing and implementing royalty compliance programs and performing audits of licensees around the world. Juli has helped authors and corporate clients recover millions of dollars in asserting their audit rights related to licensed copyrights, trademarks and patents. She is focused on the shift in the publishing industry to electronic content delivery methods and adaptive learning platforms. In addition, Juli has served as a damages expert in matters involving royalty disputes in the publishing industry.

Mentoring Topics: Understanding your royalty payments; How to approach your publisher with questions about your royalty payments/statements; Royalties in the new digital world

Dannelle D. Stevens, Veteran Academic Author

Dannelle D. Stevens is Professor Emerita from the Portland State University College of Education. Her degree is in educational psychology from Michigan State. After retiring from PSU, she worked part-time for eight years as Faculty-in-Residence for Academic Writing for the PSU center for teaching and learning. Dannelle is the author of four books full of insights and strategies for faculty in their essential roles as teachers, writers, and members of an academic community. Her most recent book is, Write more, publish more, stress less! Five key principles for a creative and scholarly practice. Nationally and internationally, she has consulted, offered workshops, and individual coaching on rubrics, academic writing, reflective practice, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as well as survival strategies for successful navigation of an academic career.

Mentoring Topics: Exploring strategies to energize your writing;Using your creative juices to enhance academic writing; Maintaining writing momentum; Planning writing as your insurance policy for success in academe; Selecting a journal for publication

Brenda Ulrich, Intellectual Property Attorney, Archstone Law

Brenda Ulrich is an intellectual property attorney who focuses on publishing, higher education, copyright and trademark law. Brenda represents authors negotiating and interpreting publishing agreements, agency agreements, and joint author agreements. She also advises colleges and universities on the development and implementation of intellectual property policies, navigating copyright questions related to teaching and scholarship, as well as managing and defending college and university trademark portfolios. She is a partner in the law firm of Archstone Law Group PC.

Mentoring Topics: Publishing contracts; Co-author agreements; Copyright and trademark issues

Register for the conference today and take advantage of this valuable opportunity to meet one-on-one with a veteran textbook or academic author or industry professional. 

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