Marcela Hebbard is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Writing and Language Studies at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. As an educator, she integrates her teaching and service to meaningfully support student learning, engagement, and retention in core writing courses. She is also committed to advancing faculty development and student success initiatives within her institution and across the U.T. System. She holds five master’s degrees in areas including Religious Studies, Linguistics, and Higher Education Administration, as well as a doctoral degree in Women’s Studies. She is completing a Ph.D. in Composition and Applied Linguistics at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her pedagogical and research interests include writing pedagogies in the age of artificial intelligence and the construction of language and writing teacher identities. She has authored and co-authored several book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Her dedication to teaching has been recognized with multiple honors, including the 2016 Accessibility Achievement Award for supporting access for students with disabilities, the 2024 College of Liberal Arts Excellence in Teaching Award, and the prestigious U.T. System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2024. In 2025, she was inducted as a U.T. System and UTRGV Distinguished Teacher Fellow. Outside of academia, she enjoys indoor cycling, community volunteering, reading, and spending time with her husband and daughter.