Kathleen Byrd

Professor
English
(360) 596-5339
kbyrd@spscc.edu
Office Hours: By appointment. Please email me to make an appointment.
20 306

I teach creative writing poetry, introduction to poetry, women's literature and English composition courses. Thematically, my courses often explore the intersection of literature, the environment, local ecological restoration efforts, and indigenous knowledge systems.  I have been involved with the Curriculum for The Bioregion Project for over two decades, and I have been a campus leader for climate curriculum, particularly for the Arts, Communication, and Humanities.  Please email me with questions about my work or courses.  I will respond promptly. I am not using my phone line on campus, so please use email for all inquiries. I can meet in Zoom or arrange to meet in person on campus.

Kathleen

I hold an MFA from Western Washington University in creative writing: poetry and an MEd from the University of Washington, Tacoma, with an emphasis on adult learning theory. My collection of poems, Last Resort, was published by Last Word Press in 2023. I served as the fourth poet laureate for Olympia, Washington during 2023-25. My article "Defining College Readiness From the Inside Out" is frequently cited for its understanding of attitudes and aptitudes that inform college-readiness. I am currently a contributing poet for the National Writing The Land Project, working for Nisqually Land Trust on poems related to their restoration work in the Ohop Valley. I work collaboratively with other artists to engage community in the arts and poetry writing, related to the environment and climate change. I lead workshops and facilitate community gatherings for poetry related to place and climate change, most recently with the Nisqually River Education Project and with The Thurston County Climate Action Group.