Write Ahead
An After-school and Summer Writing Program
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Meet The Team
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At Write Ahead, we believe that learning to craft clear and compelling arguments can be both effective and enjoyable—when taught using proven methods. Research-backed techniques help our students write with greater clarity, depth, and confidence, while also completing assignments more efficiently. Our mission is to help young thinkers apply their critical thinking skills to produce insightful, well-structured writing that communicates their ideas with strength and purpose.
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Our educators bring a deep passion for teaching and a strong commitment to student growth. They combine subject-matter expertise with empathy and enthusiasm, creating a supportive environment where students feel challenged and motivated. With a keen eye for writing development and a talent for building rapport, our team helps each learner elevate their work and take pride in their progress.
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Hillary Madge
Founder
Hillary is the founder of Write Ahead and a passionate, highly experienced teacher of analytic writing. For over seven years, she has helped students develop the skills they need to excel in ELA and history—and to become confident, capable writers across disciplines. Hillary holds a Bachelor of Science from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Her professional background spans engineering, Wall Street, high-tech marketing, and serving as head of content for a leading cybersecurity company.
Drawing on this diverse experience, she brings real-world insight into why clear, persuasive writing matters—not only in school but in every professional setting. Hillary believes that the ability to craft a well-supported argument is at the heart of both academic achievement and career success. She teaches with clarity, structure, and warmth, guiding students through a systematic writing process within a supportive and engaging classroom environment.
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Dr. Leslie Laud,
Education Doctorate
Advisor
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Dr. Leslie Laud has taught students how to write for nearly 20 years as a classroom teacher, has researched and developed writing instruction methodology, and now serves as a nationally recognized writing-staff instructor and consultant to hundreds of schools. She developed an approach to writing instruction that is based on evidence-based research proven to drive results, described in her top selling book Releasing Writers: Evidence-Based Strategies for Developing Self-Regulated Writers (2017)”. Her approach is used in hundreds of schools in New England, as well as in over 50,000 classrooms throughout public and private school across the US.
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Dr. Laud holds a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Columbia University, where she has also taught teacher education courses. She conducts empirical research studies on the most effective ways to teach writing, publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at prestigious conferences such as Learning & the Brain, Society for Scientific Studies of Reading, International Literacy Association (ILA), National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE) and locally at Massachusetts Reading Association (MRA). In addition to authoring Releasing Writers: Evidence-Based Strategies for Developing Self-Regulated Writers (2017), she also published Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Middle School Literacy Instruction (2012).
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Cynthia Gumbert
Advisor
Cynthia has a 19 year career in the tech industry as a marketing leader at both large (Dell, CA Technologies) and smaller, fast-growing startups. She has used her combination of technology, business, and leadership background to mentor dozens of people early in their careers on skills needed to succeed. While skills in tech and digital are so central to many careers today, Cynthia is passionate about communication, writing, and story-telling - skills that in the end lead to personal and organization-wide success. She has degrees from MIT, Tufts, and Harvard Business School and is a mom of two school-aged boys. She is thrilled to work with WriteAhead and their mission to help students early on gain life-long skills and confidence in writing.
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Maggie Rymsz
Instructor
Maggie Rymsza is a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in history and classics. She has worked for the Kislak Center for Rare Books and Manuscripts and the American Philosophical Society and published her first book, chronicling the history of her hometown. Maggie has worked in education and curriculum development for over six years with Write Ahead as well as other organizations.
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Maggie's passion for teaching is rooted in the belief that students can only learn when they are surrounded by dedicated educators who are truly excited about their subjects. She aims to inspire in students a similar passion that leads them to see the beauty and complexities of the world in a way that affirms their own lives.
Emma received her Master's in Teaching from the University of Rochester and her undergraduate degree from Bard College. She is certified to teach General-ed English and English to Speakers of Other Languages. Emma spent 6 years teaching English in the Rochester City School District, where she specialized in writing instruction. Her passion for fostering language development infuses her work as a writing instructor. She has been working for Write Ahead since 2021.