Dan Harrison, Ph.D.

Dan has over twenty years experience teaching writing. He has worked in both university and secondary school settings and has proven to be effective at establishing and running writing center programs. Besides being a passionate leader, Dan is a special educator with expertise in neurodiversity and is certified in the application of universal design. His work as a researcher, teacher, and author has been deeply shaped by the themes of disability, cultural identity, and racial justice, as well as neuro- and linguistic inclusivity. Dan is originally from Oklahoma and a proud citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma where he is also a registered tribal poet. He now resides in Lynchburg, Virginia with his family.

Education and Employment History

Our jobs and education do not define us. However, they tell a story, though only in part, of where we've been and what we've done. To capture it all would take much more than short bullet points, but these at least start the conversation.

Professional Certificate (Harvard University - Boston, MA)

Universal Design of Learning (UDL) credential through Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, supported directly by CAST - the developers of UDL (2026)

Ph.D. (Marywood University - Scranton, PA)

Degree: Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies, an interdisciplinary doctorate supported by both the education and professional studies departments in conjunction with outside committee members' support from Withrop and BYU. Focus: Leadership within the neurodiverse writing center, disability, and the teaching of English contexts (2023-2025)

M.Ed. (University of Lynchburg)

Special Education for General Curriculum K-12, w/ SpEd teaching license and adminstrator endorsement (2025-2027)

Ph.D. & M.A. (University of Nevada, Reno)

MA in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages, Applied Linguistics. PhD (ABD) -Curriculum and Instruction, focusing on critical literacy (2000-2007)

B.A. (Howard Payne University - El Paso Campus, TX)

Theology (1995-1998)

Writing Educator / Writing Center Coordinator (New Vistas School - Lynchburg, VA)

Teaching writing for grades 9-12 at a neurodivergent-focused school, as well as teaching technology/media/communication and Spanish while also supervising a peer-to-peer writing center (2023-present)

Adjunct English Professor (University of Lynchburg)

Teaching first year English Composition combined course. Previously taught Senior Symposium and served on the Center for Community Engagement Advisory Board (2019-present)

Curriculum/Design Manager (Dish Network - Inglewood, CO)

Initially managed forty customer engagement employees in the Office of the President escalations division ∙ Later managed curriculum/design teams producing online corporate trainings for 10,000+ employees around the world (2010-2014)

Lecturer / Writing Center Coordinator (Kuwait University)

Founder and Coordinator for KU’s only Writing Center (over 10 teachers/tutors) ∙ Taught and rotationally coordinated three different English technical writing courses each semester 

Lecturer (University of Nevada, Reno)

Taught a combination of Freshman and ESL composition courses, and upper-level linguistic courses ∙ Awarded one special education teacher support assistanship and two linguistic research assistanships as well as one 2yr teaching lectureship (2000-2003)

Professional Memberships

Organization Name Role
National Indian Education Association General Member
Secondary School Writing Centers Association Board Member & Capital Regional Rep
Council for Exceptional Children Diversity Committee Member
International Writing Centers Association Accessibility Committee Member
National Council of Teachers of English General Member

Academic Publications

Presentations & Panels

Date Title Organization Place
11/19-22/26 “Beyond Curriculum: How the Writing Center Allows Both Students and Faculty to Imagine, Innovate, and Inspire” NCTE Philadelphia, PA
11/19-22/26 “Ideas that Illuminate: Empowering Student Imagination and Innovation in Secondary School Writing Centers” NCTE Philadelphia, PA
10/7/26 “Creating Agency Together: Writing Centers Created by Native American Student Clubs” NIEA Buffalo, NY
6/23/26 "Empowering the Neurodivergent Writer and Writing Tutor in an AI World" Landmark College's Summer Institute Putney, VT
3/13/26 “Fanning the Neuro-Spark: Using AI in the Writing Consultation” SSWCA Storrs, CT
2/27/26 "Reconciling All Things: Confronting Racisim and Inequity" Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Team, DoC Lynchburg, VA
2/17/26 “IWCA Accessibility Committee Knowledge-Sharing Event” IWCA Online
1/20/26 "MLK Day's 'And Still We Rise': One Table, Many Voices" University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA
12/11/25 “Digital Roundtable: Neurodivergence in the Writing Center” SSWCA Online
11/3/25 “Neurosparking: Helping the Neurodivergent Writer” VAIS Richmond, VA
12/12/24 “Digital Roundtable: AI in the Writing Center” SSWCA Online
11/4/24 “Superhero, Changemaker, Advocate: Exploring Neurodiversity in the Writing Center” VAIS Richmond, VA
11/25/20 "Eco-warriorism: Applying Indigenous Wisdom" Legacy International Bedford, VA
1/24/20 "Eco-Justice: The Impact of Systemic Racism on the Earth" Many Voices One Community Lynchburg, VA