Biography
Dr. Barbara O’Byrne is Director of the Literacy Education Program and the Central West Virginia Writing Project at Marshall University. These organizations focus on exploring practices that foster literacy and learning while celebrating the written and spoken word. The Literacy Education Program collaborates with the Central West Virginia Writing Project to host conferences, summer institutes, book studies, and workshops for educators. In partnership with the West Virginia Department of Education, the Central West Virginia Writing Project sponsors the annual West Virginia Young Writers Contest and the Laura Tracy Baisden Award for the Exemplary Teacher of Writing. Dr. O’Byrne’s graduate teaching emphasizes writing in schools and writing for professional audiences. She has published her work in national and international publications, as well as literary journals. She finds inspiration and motivation while cycling on the rail trails in the Mountain State.