Traci Lynn O’Dea
Education
MFA in Writing Seminars, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2006
MA in Writing, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2004
BA in English Literature, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 1999
Professional Certificate in University Teaching and Learning, University of the West Indies 2013
Professional Experience
Head of Adult & Community Education 2022-Present
Highlands College, Trinity, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
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Planning and developing a program of adult and community education courses that supports and meets the needs of the community, widens participation in learning, and raises aspirations in line with the college’s values and mission while ensuring that it is fit-for-purpose, current, and varied.
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Managing and implementing the department’s income and expenditure budget of circa £420k and all financial planning to deliver a robust program within financial boundaries.
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Providing leadership and management to over 50+ lecturers whilst ensuring the delivery of a high quality, responsive, and fit-for-purpose curriculum that enables learners to succeed and progress.
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Managing the administration needs of 2,000+ student enrolments per year, liaising with the Adult Education team and other support services such as computer information systems, marketing, operations, and finance.
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Planning the marketing plan incorporating social media, print, and out-of-home advertising combined with radio, magazine, newspaper, and television interviews to achieve high levels of student recruitment.
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Recruiting tutors and lecturers, ensuring they have the skills and qualifications to provide high quality teaching.
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Effectively interpreting and analyzing staff, student, and community feedback data to enhance performance and program offerings.
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Ensuring that all college operational policies, quality procedures, and recommended practices are implemented and adhered to across the program.
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Working closely with the Director of Enterprise and Professional Studies to maintain, promote, and develop opportunities for adults within the community.
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Promoting new courses, additional qualifications, and use of college facilities to customers who have never used the college before.
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Hosting and attending events to develop networking opportunities.
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Managing and updating the bespoke website for the course provision.
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Overseeing the operations of the Philip Mourant Centre, the dedicated campus for Adult & Community Education in Jersey.
Writer, Editor & Instructor 2012-Present
Self-Employed
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Developing the overall narrative and educational resources based on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) curriculum for large-scale, traveling museum exhibitions including Real Bodies, Art with Lego® Bricks, and Dinosaurs Around the World.
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Proposing, planning, and teaching elective creative writing workshops for Year 12 students at secondary schools and online.
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Teaching creative writing workshops for adults at charity and arts organisations.
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Organising poetry performances for charities, publishers and galleries.
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Performing at literary festivals, art galleries, libraries, and poetry readings.
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Tutoring private students for A Levels and GCSEs in English language and literature.
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Creating and teaching professional business writing sessions for corporate clients.
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Writing articles and advertorials for regional and international magazines.
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Writing and publishing poems in international journals, radio, newspapers, and online platforms.
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English Teacher (Maternity Cover) 2018
Jersey College for Girls, St Saviour, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
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Teaching A Level English Language and Literature to secondary students.
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Teaching A Level Media Studies to secondary students.
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Teaching GCSE English to secondary students.
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Teaching English language and literature to Years 7-11.
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Preparing lesson plans, schemes of work and instructional materials.
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Mentoring Year 8 students for the Shakespeare Festival.
Lecturer of English Language and Literature 2012-2016
H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
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Teaching day, evening, weekend, and online courses in English language and literature: Shakespeare and Other Authors; Cultural and Literary Theory; Elements of Literature; English Composition I; English Composition II; Reading and Vocabulary; Sentence Structure and Style.
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Preparing course outlines, instructional materials, and course assignments.
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Creating online classrooms in Moodle for all courses.
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Developing, reviewing, and updating course learning outcomes and objectives.
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Assisting the Department Head with planning the curricula.
Book and Magazine Editor and Writer 2009-2012
aLookingGlass Creative, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
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Founding and heading the book publishing branch of the firm.
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Procuring titles and authors for the publishing company.
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Conceptualizing, executing, editing, publishing, and marketing titles.
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Writing and editing a yearly residents’ guide and a monthly magazine.
English Teaching Assistant 2007-2008
Lycée Watteau, Department of English
Valenciennes, France
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Providing concentrated instruction in English pronunciation, literature and verbal expression to post-baccalaureate and high school students.
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Instructing non-native speakers in translation, literary interpretation, and poetics.
Teaching Fellow 2004-2006
Johns Hopkins University, Department of Writing Seminars
Baltimore, Maryland
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Instructing undergraduate students in courses designed by the department.
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Designing intersession courses for the college to offer.
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Instructing courses accepted by the intersession planning committee.
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Creating syllabi and lesson plans based on departmental recommendations.
Professional Service
Associate Editor, Smartish Pace Poetry Review 2003-Present
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Marketing and hosting poetry readings and issue release parties.
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Representing the magazine at conferences.
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Judging the Beullah Rose Poetry Prize for Women.
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Soliciting poetry from underrepresented populations.
Poetry Editor, Moko: Caribbean Arts and Letters 2013-Present
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Selecting poetry for the journal.
Judge, Jersey Festival of Words Poetry Prize 2022-Present
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Judging the poetry competition in all categories from child to adult.
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Presenting the winners with their prizes at the prize giving ceremony.
Workshop Leader, Orchard House Psychiatric Hospital April 2024
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Creating a bespoke poetry workshop for residents of Orchard House.
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Hosting a workshop for willing participants.
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Giving feedback to students on their poems.
Workshop Leader, Ballet d’Jèrri April 2024
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Creating a bespoke poetry workshop for the dancers of Ballet d’Jèrri.
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Hosting a workshop for the company, choreographer and intern.
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Giving feedback to students on their poems.
Inspiring the Future, St Lawrence Elementary March 2023
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Giving primary school students an awareness of the role of a poet and the pathway to this career.
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Speaking and reading poetry at the school assembly.
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Giving feedback to students on their poems.
Host, The Text Radio Hour, Hautlieu School 2021- 2022
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Hosting a weekly radio show with musical choices, poetry, and performances based on weekly themes.
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Interviewing authors and musicians on the show.
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Inviting students to perform poetry and plays on the show.
Judge, Shakespeare Festival, Jersey College for Girls 2019-2021
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Attending the annual Shakespeare Festival for Year 8 students.
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Creating a judging matrix for all judges.
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Judging the different interpretations based on the matrix criteria.
Professional Committees
Heads of Department Committee, Highlands College 2022-Present
Community & Sustainability Board, Highlands College 2022-Present
Education, Training & Employment Pathways Committee, His Majesty’s Prison 2022-Present
Faculty Performance Evaluation Task Force, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2015-2016
Humanities Department Marketing Committee, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2014-2016
Information Literacy Committee, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2013-2016
Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2013-2016
Oral Communications Assessment Committee , H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2014-2016
Accreditation Self-Study Committee, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College 2012-2015
Peer Workshops and Presentations
Lecturer, Marking for Mechanics Workshop
Faculty Advisor, Bloom’s Taxonomy and Table of Specifications Workshop
Panelist, “Using technology to teach literature.” BVI Literacy Council Conference
Certificates
Certificate in Communication Access UK, 2023
Certificate in Deaf Awareness & Communication, 2023
Certificate in Emergency First Aid at Work, 2023
Certificate in First Aid for Mental Health, 2023
Certificate in Safeguarding Adults at Risk, 2023
Disclosure & Barring Service Enhanced Certificate 2022