Educator Writer Artist Designer

Design that moves people.

Learning design
for institutions.
Which is to say:
the humans inside them.

The moments that change how leaders think are the ones they feel first. I build those moments — and the programs, curricula, and materials that carry them forward. Twenty years across higher ed, K–12, and creative practice.

Based in Austin; at home in the world.

Curriculum design Leadership programs Workshops & keynotes Instructional media Writing for leaders Open educational resources Essays & books Curriculum design Leadership programs Workshops & keynotes Instructional media Writing for leaders Open educational resources Essays & books
Point of view

Beauty makes learning possible.

People change when a moment catches them off guard — an unexpected visual, a carefully crafted question, an instance of true connection. My work is the intentional design of learning moments like these.

Services

Three ways we might collaborate.

From strategic program design to one-off workshops — shaped to the institution, the moment, and what the work demands.

01

Workshops, webinars & speaking

In-person and virtual sessions for educators and organizations navigating change. Recent work has centered on writing craft, adult learning theory, and how AI is reshaping how we read, write, and think.

  • Writing & composition workshops
  • AI in teaching & learning
  • Keynotes & panel facilitation
Book a session
02

Instructional media & writing

Creative deliverables that make learning legible: explainer videos, visual syllabi, facilitation guides, and learning products. I also write for leaders who need to say something well. Strong copy and clear visual thinking, together — scripted, designed, and intentionally built for your specific needs.

  • Explainer videos & scripts
  • Writing & speechwriting for leaders
  • Graphic design & copywriting
Bring me a project
03

Program & curriculum design

Designing coherent learning arcs — from cohort-based programs to semester-long online courses, faculty institutes, and open educational projects. A designer’s eye on learning; an andragogue’s eye on design.

  • Leadership program design
  • OER textbooks & courseware
  • Curriculum audits & revision
Start a conversation
Selected partners

Building a Second Brain Geo-Indigenous Alliance Space4Innovation National Center for Teacher Residencies Texas Higher Ed Coordinating Board The University of Texas at Austin Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Catch the Next

Selected work

A curated portfolio.

Selected projects spanning the range — illustrated essay, physical product, explainer videos, facilitation tools, graphic design, live webinars. More available on request.

Conference of the Birds — illustrated leadership allegory Scrollytelling essay 01

Conference of the Birds

An illustrated retelling of Farid al-Attar’s 13th-century Persian poem as a meditation on leadership, collective wisdom, and the leader within. Original writing and hand-drawn illustrations.

Leadership development
Atlas of Learning Design — flip-card dashboard of facilitation protocols Interactive tool 02

Atlas of Learning Design

A deck of 132 facilitation protocols — connectors, close-reading structures, movement, adult learning frames — across 11 categories. Every card flips to its steps and cites its source. Built for a team of learning designers.

Learning design
Soil Types Explainer still Explainer video 03

Soil Types Explainer

Scriptwriting for a collaborative explainer video on Texas soil classifications, produced with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension for agricultural audiences.

Science communication
Writing as a Process video still Conceptual video 04

Writing as a Process

A conceptual video on the origins of process pedagogy and how it shapes writing instruction in the college classroom.

Faculty development
Friction-Free Syllabus Design — interactive, cognitive, emotional pyramid Essay & guide 05

Friction-Free Syllabus Design

A UX-informed approach to rewriting the college syllabus — part critique, part practical instructor guide.

Curriculum design
PARA in Notion title slide Pop-up webinar 06

PARA in Notion

A session on mindful productivity and Notion-based PARA for Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain community.

Knowledge management
Failure Lab sketchnotes — What is failure? Sketchnotes & essay 07

Failure Lab Sketchnotes

Live-drawn sketchnotes from a workshop on how we frame failure — paired with a written reflection on disappointment, desire, and drive.

Visual thinking
More projects available on request
Writing

Books, essays & marginalia.

I’m a collector and curator of information. Most recent obsessions live in the newsletter; slower thinking lives in the books.

1000 Years of Storytelling cover 2024
Curriculum Guide
Indigenizing Education for Climate Action cover 2023
Scholarly Anthology
Reading, Writing & Thinking in the College Classroom cover 2021
College Faculty Handbook
An Open Companion to Early British Literature cover 2019
Higher Education Textbook
About

One semester at a time.

Portrait of Allegra Villarreal — black-and-white with red glasses, books in the background

Years of unschooling as a teenager lent me unstructured time to think, to find connections and explore my passions for literature, art, and history. Eventually I entered formal schooling again, this time as an adult learner, and it was through my classroom experiences — both as student and teacher — that I came to care deeply about education and how people learn.

I earned a GED at sixteen and enrolled at community college shortly after, which instilled in me a deep appreciation for the importance of accessible education. I went on to earn a Joint Honours degree in International Relations and Middle East Studies from St. Andrews in Scotland, and then a master’s in creative writing from St. Anne’s College, Oxford, in 2008.

When I returned to the U.S., I began a career as a community college instructor, and have since taught literature, composition, and humanities for twenty years across three countries, three states, and seven institutions. As an extension of that work, I’ve spent over a decade as an adult learning designer and facilitator, focused on creating inclusive, impactful learning for a range of audiences. My own experiences — and those of the thousands of students I’ve taught — have shaped a commitment to weaving creativity and a love of learning into every project I take on.

My primary work today is at The Holdsworth Center, where I serve as a Director of Superintendent Programs — designing leadership development for Texas public school superintendents and those who aspire to be. Beyond that, I consult selectively across K–12 and higher ed, and I’m a writer of essays and fiction, an artist working in oil, ink, and (lately) my iPad, and a passionate notetaker — a collector and curator of information. These passions bring a creative lens to my consulting work, where I help individuals and organizations unlock their creative potential, design inclusive educational experiences, and cultivate mindful productivity.

If you’re seeking a partner to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education, creativity, and personal fulfillment — I’d be honored to collaborate.

Teaching
20 years across 3 countries, 3 states, 7 institutions
Graduate work
Oxford · St. Andrews
Published
Four books, plus essays and reviews
Based in
Austin, Texas
Watch: A short film about my path
Contact

If my work sparks something, let’s talk.

Whether it’s a workshop, a curriculum project, a speaking engagement, or a long lunch about how people learn — I’d love to hear from you.