Odyssey Project
Emily Auerbach
Professor of English; Executive Director of the UW Odyssey Project
Emily Auerbach is a professor of English and the executive director of the life-changing UW Odyssey Project (odyssey.wisc.edu). She is also the co-host of Wisconsin Public Radio's University of the Air and teaches Tuesday Morning Booktalks.
Emily Azad
Program Manager, UW Odyssey Project
Emily (Em) Azad is the program manager for the UW Odyssey Project and provides support for all areas of the program.
Brian Benford
Success Coach, UW Odyssey Project
Brian Benford, Odyssey ’07, supports Odyssey students and alumni facing obstacles that stand in the way of pursuing higher education. Brian has worked for numerous community-based organizations in Dane County for over 30 years.
Gwendolyn Coale
Odyssey Assistant Coordinator
Gwendolyn Coale is an Assistant Coordinator for UW Odyssey Project! She graduated from UW-Madison with a Masters of Social Work degree and a focus on policy and administration. As a first-generation college student, she shares Odyssey’s passion for accessibility in education. She is also interested in criminal justice reform and alternatives to incarceration.
Email: gwendolyn.coale@wisc.edu
Jennifer Fandel
Odyssey Beyond Bars Instructor & Tutor Coordinator
Jennifer Fandel (MFA, Minnesota State Univ) has taught poetry in prisons, women's shelters, parks & rec programs, and grade schools. She worked in publishing for more than a decade. Her published work includes poetry, book reviews, and nonfiction books for children and young adults. Learn more at jenniferfandel.net.
Sarah Lensmire
Odyssey Assistant Program & Development Manager
Sarah's role at Odyssey includes a variety of work across a range of administrative areas, including support for communications, event planning and coordination, annual fund management, and general program assistance. She graduated from UW–Madison with a BA in English and Gender Studies.
Kevin Mullen
Assistant Professor, DCS; Director of Adult Education, UW Odyssey Project
Research areas: public humanities, multi-generational learning, literacy studies. Kevin Mullen is an Assistant Professor of Continuing Studies and the Director of Adult Education for the UW Odyssey Project. His work focuses on expanding access to higher education for low-income adult students from marginalized communities, especially the role that writing plays in creating a stronger sense of self-efficacy, voice, and community. In addition to the core Odyssey class, he has taught English 100 (Introduction to College Writing) courses for Odyssey alumni and incarcerated students in the Odyssey Beyond Bars program. He also oversees the Odyssey Family Learning Center, where past and present students can come with their children to work on homework with a team of tutors.
Jenny Pressman
Director of Development & Community Partnerships
Jenny Pressman secures support from individuals, foundations, organizations, and businesses in support of the Odyssey Project's mission.
Ben Shannon
Teaching Faculty, UW Odyssey Project
Ben has a PhD in History from the University of Wisconsin, with a focus on protest movements in the 1960s. As an instructor, he teaches courses for both Onward Odyssey and Odyssey Beyond Bars. He also helps coordinate the Family Learning Center and tutoring team.