Executive Committee
President
Lexey Bartlett (2026)
Professor of English
Fort Hays State University, KS
Lexey Bartlett holds a BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, an MA in Humanities from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a PhD in Literature from the University of Texas at Arlington. Her specialties include British Literature, Romanticism to the present; World Literature; and Mythology. She has been named as the nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships advisor for her university, and is a member of the National Association of Fellowships Advisors, serves as an Area Chair for the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association for both the Disability Studies area and the Mystery/Detective Fiction area, and serves as an English Literature session chair for the South Central Modern Language Association. She states that the most rewarding part of being involved with Sigma Tau Delta is “helping to create opportunities for students to get more involved in English and its related disciplines, and to connect with likeminded people. I also value working on ways to provide support for students and alumni to achieve their goals and contribute to our mission, whether through scholarship funding or other programs like the Classroom Library Grants.”
VP/President-Elect
Leigh Dillard (2026)
Associate Professor of English
University of North Georgia, Gainesville Campus, GA
Leigh G. Dillard holds a BBA in Marketing and an MA in English from the University of Georgia and a PhD in English from the University of Missouri. Her primary research interests are eighteenth-century British studies with particular attention to illustration and the novel, book history, and visual culture. She teaches classes in British literature, technical/professional writing, and composition on her home campus, and when she’s lucky, teaches in a summer study abroad program in London. Inducted into Sigma Tau Delta in graduate school, she has been the Advisor of the Alpha Upsilon Phi chapter in Gainesville, GA, since its chartering in 2014.
Immediate Past President
Shannin Schroeder (2026)
Professor of English
Southern Arkansas University, AR
Shannin Schroeder holds a BA and MA from Truman State University, and a PhD in English from Northern Illinois University. She teaches world literature and creative writing at Southern Arkansas University, where she also directs the Writing Center. Her research areas include magical realism, Frankenstein, popular culture and the American flag, and writing center practice. She has written a young adult novel about Ernest Frankenstein, and she co-authored a young adult novel with Officer at Large Kevin Stemmler. Schroeder reactivated her university’s Sigma Tau Delta chapter in 2000. She has served as a convention chair multiple times, and before her tenure as Vice President/President, Schroeder served as Secretary/Treasurer from 2007-2020.
Secretary
AmiJo Comeford (2028)
Associate Professor of English
Utah Tech University, UT
AmiJo Comeford holds a PhD from the University of Nevada, and teaches a variety of English courses, particularly courses in theory, gender, and women’s literature. A founding member of the Whedon Studies Association, her primary research and scholarly interests are currently in the field of popular culture, with an emphasis on gender and Joss Whedon’s work. She also has served as a member of the judging committee for the Whedon Studies Association’s annual juried award for best scholarship and currently serves as past-chair on the board of Utah Humanities, a state-wide organization that promotes and provides programming in humanities. She has been involved with Sigma Tau Delta since the beginning of her academic career as the founding Advisor of the chapter at Utah Tech University in 2007.
Officer at Large
Kevin Stemmler (2026)
Professor Emeritus
Clarion University, PA
Kevin Stemmler holds a BA and MA in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in English from the University of Pittsburgh. He retired as a Full Professor from Clarion University where he taught courses in Modern British Literature, Fiction Writing, Film, Gender, and Nonfiction Prose. He has published poetry and fiction in a variety of journals and anthologies. He worked with students to foster service projects in their communities, particularly with a long-running Reading for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser. He continues to foster the careers of young writers and future academics in the English profession. He has previously served on the Executive Board of Sigma Tau Delta as Eastern Regent, Vice-President/President Elect, President, and Immediate Past-President. Devoted to Sigma Tau Delta for several decades, Kevin received the Society’s Delta Award in 2012.
Executive Director
Matt Hlinak served as Assistant Provost for Continuing Studies & Special Initiatives at Dominican University in River Forest, IL, for eleven years. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Alpha Sigma Lambda, the national honor society for adult learners, including a term as Society President in 2019-20. He previously managed professional development programs at Northwestern University and has taught courses in English, communications, and legal studies at Dominican, Northwestern, Ellis University, and the University of Illinois. Matt holds a JD from Illinois and an MFA in Creative Writing from Northwestern. He lives in River Forest with his wife, two daughters, two geriatric cats, and a dog.
Associate Executive Director
Christopher Lockwood
Director of the National English Honor Society (NEHS) and ELA Honor Society
Christopher Lockwood holds a BA (Hons) from the University of Keele (UK) and Loyola University New Orleans, an MPhil (Cantab) from the University of Cambridge (UK), an MEd from the University of Buckingham (UK), a CSML from Harvard University, and a PGCE from the University of Buckingham (UK). Prior to joining the English Honor Societies, Christopher was a middle and high school principal, a teacher of Shakespeare, the Contemporary Novel, and Modern Drama, and an NEHS Chapter Advisor. Aside from his work at the English Honor Societies, he is a professional translator and works on the University of Buckingham’s PGCE program. He is a member of the Royal Society of Literature and the Chartered College of Teaching, and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Educators.
Regents
Eastern
Felicia Jean Steele (2026)
Assistant Professor of English
The College of New Jersey, NJ
States: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WV (International: Canada, Kuwait)
Felicia Jean Steele holds a BA in English from the University of New Mexico, an MA in English Literature and a PhD in English Language and Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include the History of the English Language, American Dialects, medieval and early modern British literature, and the literature of the “Inklings,” specifically J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. She has published scholarship on Beowulf, Seumas Heaney’s translation of Beowulf, Shakespeare’s Sonnets, and pedagogy for the History of the English Language. Steele is also the co-trustee for the Henry Roth Literary Trust.
Far Western
Michaelann Nelson (2028)
Associate Professor of English
Utah State University Statewide, UT
States: AK, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA (International: Guam)
Michaelann Nelson is an Associate Professor of English at Utah State University. She teaches courses in literary analysis, environmental literature, and 20th Century British literature to students throughout Utah over Zoom. Her research focuses on the rhetoric of wilderness in the Southwest. She is the advisor for the USU Statewide chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. She has won the USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences Undergraduate Mentor of the Year award, as well as the English Department Teacher of the Year award. She is also the director for the Writing Center on the USU Price campus. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway is one of her favorite books.
High Plains
Mary Clai Jones (2028)
Associate Professor of English/Humanities/Philosophy
Chadron State College, NE
States: CO, KS, MT, ND, NE, SD, WY
Mary Clai Jones holds a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Appalachian State University, an MA in English Literature from Appalachian State University, and a PhD in English Literature with a Gender and Women’s Studies certificate from the University of Kentucky. Her specialties include Nineteenth-Century British Literature, Early Twentieth-Century British Literature, World Literature, Literary Theory and Criticism, and Gender and Sexuality Literature. She practices New Historicist Feminist and Ecocritical approaches to texts in her scholarship. Her publications have been included in edited collections and Nineteenth-Century Gender Studies. She has been co-advisor and lead advisor for her chapter of Sigma Tau Delta at Chadron State College for six years. She states that the most rewarding part of being involved with Sigma Tau Delta is “encouraging students to get involved with the chapter on campus and the international Society. I love watching their confidence and curiosity boost when they participate in the regional and international conferences. I also enjoy connecting them to other people who have shared interests and help them find community.”
Midwestern
Amy Gates (2026)
Assistant Professor of English
Missouri Southern State University, MO
States: IA, IL, IN, MI, MN, MO, WI
Amy Gates holds a BS (English, emphasis in linguistics and minor in Russian studies) and MA (English) from Truman State University and a PhD (English Studies) from University of Illinois at Chicago. She teaches courses in British Romantic and Victorian literature, Shakespeare, medicine and literature, global arts and culture, literary theory, and composition. She has presented papers at numerous conferences and has published work in the Keats-Shelley Journal and Women’s Writing. She has been the Advisor of the Lambda Xi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta at Missouri Southern State University (founded in 1978) since 2018.
Southern
Heidi Williams (2026)
Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Composition
Tennessee State University, TN
States: AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA (International: Port of Spain, The Bahamas, Virgin Islands)
Heidi M. Williams holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition with a concentration in Writing Program Administration and has almost 20 years of experience teaching in Higher Education. Dr. Williams has dedicated her career to cultivating classroom spaces that enhance experiential educational opportunities through active learning environments that are dynamic, practical, and have larger civic implications. She has taught at three college institutions and in Zhejiang, China. Dr. Williams is deeply committed to education in multiple capacities. Outside of the institution, she homeschools her two daughters and is heavily involved in the Tennessee homeschool community.
Southwestern
Sonia Mae Brown (2028)
Associate Professor of Language and Letters
Philander Smith University, AR
States: AR, AZ, NM, OK, TX
Sonia Mae Brown was born in the United Kingdom and was raised in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a Masters in English with a focus in Creative and Professional Writing from Long Island University and a PhD in English from Howard University. She is currently the chair of the Division of Arts and Humanities at Philander Smith University, where she is an Associate Professor within the Department of Language and Letters. Dr. Brown joined the Tau Rho Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta in 2002 as an undergraduate student at SUNY Potsdam (New York). She has chartered the Alpha Psi Delta Chapter at Langston University in December 2021 and the Alpha Omega Theta Chapter at Philander Smith College, (now University) in March 2023. Dr. Brown was awarded the Sigma Tau Delta Elaine W. Hughes Outstanding Advisor Award in 2020-2021. Under her leadership, her chapters have been awarded the Chapter Project Grant in 2019 and the Classroom Library Grant in 2020.
Student Advisors
Isaiah Russell (2027)
Fort Hays State University, KS
Kaylee Jo Stocks (2026)
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Staff
Jeannine Szostak
Director of Society Operations
Jeannine has spent the bulk of her career in education, serving as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist/Vision Rehabilitation Therapist for students of all ages who are blind and visually impaired, as well as teaching undergraduate, graduate, and not-for-credit courses focusing on safety/disaster planning. She previously worked as the Assistant Director for the National Safety Education Center and as Assistant Director for NIU’s Affirmative Action office, where she earned certificates in both mediation and Title IX, and has served in private industry as a Construction Risk Manager and national recruiter in the energy sector. She holds a BA in Psychology, two MSEds focusing on blindness/vision impairments, and an MS in Industrial Safety/Disaster Planning, all from Northern Illinois University. She has four children, two boys and two girls, and an extremely social, 12-lb Pomeranian named Sherlock.
Katie Mudd
Director of Marketing & Communications
Katie Mudd holds a BA in English from the University of Kentucky, an MA in English from Eastern Kentucky University, and is a PhD candidate in English at Northern Illinois University where her research centers on women, beheading, and social order in Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur. She has taught developmental writing and freshman composition, as well as film and literature courses. Before returning to higher education, Katie was a copy editor and librarian for Thoroughbred Times, a weekly news magazine dedicated to the Thoroughbred racing industry. While with the Times, she worked on both the daily and weekly publications, as well as the annual Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac and the book Foundation Mares: How Outstanding Female Families Shaped America’s Breeding Industry. Katie joined Sigma Tau Delta during her time at EKU and was Vice President of the Sigma Epsilon Chapter. In 2015 Katie began working with the Central Office as a Graduate Assistant and became a full-time member of the team in 2016. She particularly enjoys the student-facing aspects of her job.
Namon Kent
Director of Technology
Originally from Florida, Namon Kent enjoys long walks with his wife Mary Jo and hanging out with his son and daughter, Randy and Rachel. When he is not spending time with his family, he plays a mean game of chess, enjoys short runs, and reading a good book.
Nicole Adams
Event Planner
Nicole Adams is a dedicated professional with a diverse background in organizational leadership and public administration. Holding a BA in Organizational Leadership and currently pursuing an MPA, Nicole brings a rich blend of process insight and practical experience to the office. As a devoted wife and mother of three, she balances family life with a passion for music as the Musical Director of the Rockford Barbershop Chorus in Rockford, IL. Nicole also shares her home with three beloved dogs, adding an extra layer of joy to her busy life. In addition to these roles, she serves as a Guardian ad Litem, advocating for the best interests of the elderly.
Dawn Jamrog
Membership Specialist
Dawn Jamrog has worked for the English Honor Societies Central Office for nine years. While she prefers to work behind the scenes, her favorite part of the job is getting to know and helping the Chapter Advisors. Before her current role with the English Honors Societies, Dawn volunteered and worked at her children’s schools before they graduated. She has worked in various customer service jobs over the past 30 years. In her spare time, she loves listening to music, reading, and going to concerts. She also loves to go on day trips and checking out new antique stores with her husband and two kids. She also has an adorable 11 year old cat, Kit.
Marge Clements
Nonprofit Administrator
Marge Clements comes to us from a varied, 21+ year career in banking, most recently with Wells Fargo. She was primarily focused on mortgage lending; however, also spent 10 years analyzing securities account portfolios as well. Simultaneous to her regular working hours, she helped to found a fledgling nonprofit in Charlotte, NC, called What if Everyone, Inc and is still on the Board of Directors for this organization. Her administrative strengths led to her Paralegal Degree and also to volunteering with other nonprofits in various positions including assisting in the formation of other grass-roots organizations. She is also currently an Organizer with the Ethels Group, a division of AARP.
Marge is currently an empty-nester with her son still living in Charlotte, NC, and her daughter in Denver, CO. She shares her home with her 2 lively Miniature Pinchers and is active in the community of Sycamore, IL. Her first love is for the Cubs baseball team and still says that the week of the World Series was the best week of her life!
Arshiya Bhasin
Technology Graduate Assistant
Arshiya Bhasin is a Master’s student in Management Information Systems at Northern Illinois University with over six years of experience in front-end development. She has worked as a Senior Software Developer at organizations including John Deere, Publicis Sapient, and Airtel Africa. In 2025, she joined English Honor Societies as a Graduate Assistant, where she leads automation, web, and systems initiatives across multiple programs to improve operational efficiency. Outside of work and academics, Arshiya shares her life with her husband, her “partner in crime,” who brings balance and joy to her busy schedule.
Elizabeth Addai-Owusu
Communications Graduate Assistant
Elizabeth Addai-Owusu is a Communications Graduate Assistant at Northern Illinois University, where she works with the Department of English. She oversees the English Honor Societies’ social media presence and helps market opportunities to student and Chapter Advisor members across multiple programs. Elizabeth’s interests lie at the intersection of communication, storytelling, and data-informed strategy, and she is especially passionate about student-centered engagement and community building through digital platforms.
Managing Editor of Publications
Carie S. T. King (2026)
Clinical Professor, Associate Director of Rhetoric
The University of Texas at Dallas
Carie King holds a BA in English (minor journalism) from Baylor University, an MA in Technical Writing from the University of North Texas, a PhD in Technical Communication & Rhetoric from Texas Tech University, and a postdoctoral year at the Center for Spirituality & Ethics at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She teaches rhetoric, technical communication, public speaking, and ethics. She has published a monograph, The Rhetoric of Breast Cancer, as well as several peer-reviewed articles in medicine, intercultural communication, and pedagogy. She was a medical editor for 14 years before returning to school and she has served as the editorial assistant of Technical Communication Quarterly as well as a reviewer for multiple communication journals. She was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta in 1989 and is a Chapter Advisor.
Executive Director Emeritus
William C. Johnson, PhD
Sigma Tau Delta Executive Director Emeritus (1982-2022)
Northern Illinois University, IL
Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
William Johnson holds a BA in English from the University of Chicago, an MA in History/English from the University of Iowa, and a PhD in English from the University of Iowa. His specialties include 16th/17th Century English Literature and the English and Continental Reformation. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, attending concerts, visiting museums, and (of course) reading. He is involved with National Council of Teachers of English, Modern Language Association, 16th Studies Conference, American Society of Association Executives, and the Association of College Honor Societies (of which he is a past president). He is proud that not only is Sigma Tau Delta one of the largest honor societies, but that it is one of the most active. He created and developed Sigma Kappa Delta (2-year English honor society) and the National English Honor Society for high school students (NEHS), and “grew” Sigma Tau Delta from 200 chapters 30+ years ago. He notes that he is “rewarded by the amazing achievements of our students, Chapter Advisors, Board of Directors, and the outstanding Central Office staff.”
NEHS Director Emeritus
Dave Wendelin, MA
Director of National English Honor Society Emeritus (2005-2022)
Jefferson County Public Schools, CO (retired)
Dave Wendelin served as Director of National English Honor Society from 2008 – 2023, having been a part of the original study group of educators who developed the foundations of NEHS. He holds a BA in English Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction, both from the University of Northern Colorado, and Principal Licensure from the University of Colorado. Dave taught high school English for twenty-five years before moving into central administration with Jefferson County Public Schools for twelve years. In succeeding years, he worked for several universities in adjunct positions and devoted ten additional years supervising student teachers for Metropolitan State University of Denver.
During his career, the National Council of Teachers of English played a major role in his development of leadership; he served as a member of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Secondary Section Steering Committee, Chair of the Standing Committee for Affiliates, and as NCTE Parliamentarian. He considers his work with National English Honor Society to be one of the highlights of his career. Dave retired in January 2023 after fifty-four years in education.
