Meet the Publishing, Writing, and Media Team

Kristine Rodriguez Kerr's, EdD, research interests include new literacy studies, educational justice, online learning, and curriculum development. As a qualitative researcher, Kristine seeks to explore and understand multimodal composing practices in both traditional and non-traditional spaces of learning. As an educator in an increasingly connected and digital world, Kristine strives to engage, challenge, and inspire her students at all levels to become better communicators, critical thinkers, effective storytellers, and accomplished professionals. To that end, she works to encourage creative and critical reflections as students develop practices of writing and revision that prepare them to live in the world as thoughtful and active contributors.

Kristine believes that it is critical for professional writers to strive to understand the affordances of new and emerging communication technologies, digital literacy practices, and the shifting relationships between authors and audiences in conventional and interactive contexts.

Kristine earned a doctorate in Communication and Education from Teachers College Columbia University and an MA and BA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Paul Amodeo is an Assistant Director at the Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media (PWM), where he oversees the Summer Publishing Institute (SPI), as well as numerous other department initiatives. Paul started at SPS in 2017, where he was an event coordinator at the Office of Events. Prior to working at NYU, Paul had an extensive career in the performing arts. When not at NYU, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, and improving his golf game.

Darius Phelps, PhD, is a poet, writer, and scholar whose work centers the liberatory possibilities of poetic inquiry, culturally responsive pedagogy, and critical literacy. A former elementary school teacher and now professor, he mentors pre-service educators in reimagining classrooms as spaces of resistance, restoration, and radical love. His scholarship amplifies the voices of historically marginalized students, exploring how poetry can serve as both pedagogy and prophecy. Drawing inspiration from Black literary traditions, personal narrative, and student testimony, Darius uses his own poetry to foster healing, identity reclamation, and joy in the margins. His work has been featured by NCTE, School Library Journal, and many others where he continues to advocate for education that honors everybody, every story, and every voice.

Christian Doyle joined the Publishing department in 2022, and is responsible for aiding the assistant directors of both the MS in Publishing and Summer Publishing Institute (SPI). Before joining NYU, Christian spent a year tutoring high school level math at Abraham Lincoln High School, through SAGA Innovations, a non-profit designed to supplement the educational inequity in underprivileged communities. He earned his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross, and his Master’s in Irish Literature and Culture from University College Dublin. 

Jenny McPhee is the author of The Center of Things, No Ordinary Matter, and A Man of No Moon. She is co-author of Girls: Ordinary Girls and Their Extraordinary Pursuits. Her essays and stories have been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Words Without Borders, The Massachusetts Review, Airmail, Glimmer Train, and Zoetrope among others. Her award-winning translations from Italian include works by the authors Anna Banti, Massimo Bontempelli, Cristina Campo, Fausta Cialente, Beppe Fenoglio, Natalia Ginzburg, Giacomo Leopardi, Primo Levi, Elsa Morante, Anna Maria Ortese, Curzio Malaparte, Paolo Maurensig, and Pope John Paul II. She is a co-founder and board member of the Bronx Academy of Letters, an NYC public high school and middle school. She is the recipient of a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature.

Alicia Kubes is responsible for the administration of PWM’s arts and humanities programming. Alicia previously worked at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she managed the Moving Image Archiving & Preservation M.A. program from the time it was launched in 2003. She is a former recipient of the NYU Distinguished Administrator Award, the first recipient of the Alan Stark Award from the Association of Moving Image Archivists, and is the founding president of New York University Toastmasters. She has a B.A. in Art History from Boston University, an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from NYU Steinhardt, a Certificate from the Administrators Cultural Training Institute at NYU, and a Certificate in Arts Administration from NYU SPS.

Celeste Williams, a Higher Education Professional with a background in university administration and student support services, began her career at New York University as an administrative aide, dedicating 8 years to the role. Later, she spent nearly 14 years at Rutgers University, advancing to roles such as Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Vice Chancellors at the Chancellor's office, and serving as Administrative/Student Coordinator in the Office of Student Academic Success. Celeste holds degrees in Fashion Design and Liberal Studies, and she earned a Master's in Education from Rutgers University. Deeply committed to service, she volunteers as an academic coach for a non-profit, providing tutoring and college preparation for students from under-resourced communities. Beyond her professional endeavors, Celeste enjoys spending quality time with her family, cherishes the arts for inspiration, and explores culinary experiences as an avid foodie, experimenting with cooking and trying new recipes.

Anne Maguire joined the team in 2015 from the Calvin Klein print archive. She has worked as a moving image librarian, starting at the Prelinger Archives, and an archival film researcher at Getty Images. Maguire has worked independently with experimental filmmakers including Barbara Hammer in History Lessons and The Female Closet. She is a lifelong political activist and wrote the book, Rock the Sham!

Victoria has been an NYU community member since July of 2021. She received a B.A. in Digital Media Production at Manhattanville College in 2018, and has a passion for anything creative like music, visual art, video production and more. Prior to her time at the university, she was a Candy Room Associate at M&M’s World in Times Square! She started out at the bookstore and transferred to SPS a little over a year later to take on an AA II role for PWM. She also loves video games, like the sims, animal crossing and pretty much anything in VR.