About Us
Our Mission
The Lab builds students’ confidence in their professional communication skills through supportive one-on-one coaching. We assist students with the presentations and documents that are designed to help them transition from academic communicators to successful workplace communicators.
Our approach is student driven; we encourage students to analyze assignments, ask critical questions, and consider their work from the audience’s perspective. Our goal is for students to leave with concrete revision strategies for creating effective documents and presentations that they can apply to future assignments and workplace tasks.
Our Coaches
PWL coaches are experts in workplace communication and committed, experienced teachers.
Dominique Bourg Hacker
Dominique has been working as tutor, teacher, and editor for 20 years. She is passionate about making the composition process more transparent and helping presenters and writers meet their goals. Dominique prioritizes listening and will spend time during appointments asking questions, so students can talk through their ideas, explain their challenges, and receive the feedback they seek. Working with Dominique, students will revise and collaborate with confidence.
Michael Haen
Mike has been tutoring writing since 2012 and teaching writing and presenting since 2013. He enjoys helping writers and presenters think critically and intentionally about their choices in writing and speaking, so that their message meets the needs of their audience. In one-to-one and group coaching, Mike focuses on giving feedback to students that strengthens their deliverables and helps them develop their confidence and competence as communicators in professional contexts.
Amanda Kenny
Amanda has been teaching writing and presenting skills in academic and professional contexts for over 20 years. She believes that every student has the capacity to be successful, given enough time and support. She loves working with students in the Lab because it centers on students’ unique questions and goals. Amanda offers coaching and feedback at any stage of the composition process, from brainstorming to creating a preliminary outline to practicing a presentation in a formal dress rehearsal.
Emily Kohlhase
Emily has been tutoring writing since 2011 and teaching writing and presenting since 2013. She loves working on communication skills in a one-on-one or small-group setting because students can get a firsthand view of the impact their work has on audiences. She knows that communicating well is easier said than done, and she likes the way that individual coaching gives students the opportunity to test out new strategies and get immediate feedback in a low-stakes setting.