Lauren Hammond is the GWC Specialist. She received her Ph.D. in English here at UC Riverside in 2023. Prior to that, Lauren received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and Writing at California State University, San Marcos, and her Master of Arts degree in English and Comparative Literature at San Diego State University (SDSU). In addition to serving as the GWC Specialist, Dr. Hammond is also UCR's Fulbright Program Advisor to graduate students.

Gary Qin is the GWC's Lead Consultant. He is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. Before UCR, Gary was at the University of Washington, where he worked as a lead writing tutor at the Odegaard Writing and Research Center and earned his B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology and B.A. in English Language and Literature. His current research focuses on threats to freshwater species and systems in Mediterranean climate regions like Southern California. In his free time, Gary enjoys trying out new restaurants and cafés, going to the gym, and DJing.

Christopher Valencia is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department for the Study of Religion at UC Riverside. He received his B.A. in English from UC Irvine and his M.A. in the Study of Religion from UC Riverside. His main research fields include Global Christianities, modern and contemporary Christianity in Latin America and the U.S, and urban religion. Using ethnographic methods, his specific research interest focuses on studying lived-religion, primarily Christianity, in conversation with cultures of street-life. He is presently writing his dissertation about the interactions between street-life and Christianity in the city of San Bernardino, CA. Currently, he is working as a TA for the University Writing Program. He has also helped as a TA with courses on religion, ethnic studies and history. 

Jennifer Mosley is a third-year PhD student in Psychology (cognition and cognitive neuroscience area). Her research focuses on cognitive and computational modes of self, personal identity, and social contexts. In her free time, Jennifer loves dancing to her favorite music, working out, and playing Sims 4.

Cahlia Plett is a current Ph.D. track graduate student at the University of California, Riverside. Cahlia began their music career performing on the arpa paraguaya and gained a bachelor's in harp performance from DePauw University. Deeply invested in how refusal informs liberatory music practices in Central and South America, their current research investigates how feminist coalition within the women's festival space informs the stage as a political/worldmaking space, enacting feminist and queer futurities. They have engaged in ethnographic research with the directors of Festival Sorora, a women’s music festival in Asuncion, Paraguay, and hope to continue dialogue regarding women’s festivals in Latin America as a marked category and a space of possibility for the decentralization of heteronormative timelines and gender performance.

Semaria Kebede is a Professional MBA student at the University of California, Riverside, specializing in Business Analytics. With an international background spanning China, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the U.S., she has experience in research, writing, and strategic consulting. Her work has been published in Ethiopian media, and she has reviewed for the Academy of Management journal.

Before joining the Graduate Writing Center, Semaria contributed to grant writing and international research at Shanghai University. Her expertise in academic research, grant writing, and professional communication has been recognized by the U.S. State Department and acknowledged by former Vice President Kamala Harris for her contributions to entrepreneurship in Africa.

As a writing consultant, she is passionate about helping graduate students develop clear, effective writing, with a special focus on supporting multilingual students. She also designs and leads interactive writing workshops tailored to diverse student needs.