Meet the PALA 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 and Applied Liberal Arts (PALA), 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 is a PhD Candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University. An educator, poet, spoken word artist, and activist, Darius writes poems about grief, liberation, emancipation, reflection through the lens of a teacher of color and experiencing Black boy joy. His poems have appeared in the NY English Record, NCTE English Journal, Pearl Press Magazine, ëëN Magazine, and many more. Recently, he was featured on WCBS and highlighted the importance of Black male educators in the classroom.

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 teaching in the MS in Translation & Interpreting program. She is the author of the novels The Center of Things, No Ordinary Matter, and A Man of No Moon, and she co-authored Girls: Ordinary Girls and Their Extraordinary Pursuits. Her translations from the Italian include books by the authors Natalia Ginzburg, Primo Levi, Giacomo Leopardi, Curzio Malaparte, Anna Maria Ortese, Paolo Maurensig, and Pope John Paul II. She has taught literary translation at Princeton University and she co-founded the Bronx Academy of Letters, an NYC public high school and middle school. She is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship.

Alicia Kubes is responsible for the administration of PALA’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 PALA. She also loves video games, like the sims, animal crossing and pretty much anything in VR.