Austin, TX Writer · Artist · Designer

Designing at the edges.

Learning design
for institutions
in transition. Essays, art & teaching, too.

I design learning experiences for leaders and institutions navigating complexity — drawing on sixteen 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 Open educational resources Essays & books Curriculum design Leadership programs Workshops & keynotes Instructional media Open educational resources Essays & books
Point of view / Nº 01

Some of the most generative learning happens at the threshold — where disciplines, identities, and ideas brush or blur against each other. My work, across K–12 leadership, higher education, and creative practice, is to design the conditions for that kind of learning to take root.

Services / Nº 02

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

Program & curriculum design

Designing coherent learning arcs — from aspiring-superintendent programs and faculty institutes to open educational resources and college courses. A designer's eye on pedagogy; a pedagogue's eye on design.

  • Leadership program design
  • OER textbooks & courseware
  • Curriculum audits & revision
Start a conversation
02

Instructional media & design

Creative deliverables that make learning legible: explainer videos, visual syllabi, facilitation guides, marketing collateral, and learning products. Strong copy and clear visual thinking, together.

  • Explainer videos & scripts
  • Graphic design & copywriting
  • Facilitation tools & products
Start a conversation
03

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
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 / Nº 03

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
Spark Cards: 99 Icebreakers Learning product 02

Spark Cards: 99 Icebreakers

A deck of 99 question cards for classrooms and community gatherings — designed, written, and shipped as a Gumroad product.

Self-published
Soil Types Explainer still Explainer video 03

Soil Types Explainer

Scriptwriting for a collaborative explainer video on Texas soil classifications, produced for agricultural extension audiences.

Texas A&M AgriLife
Friction-Free Syllabus Design — interactive, cognitive, emotional pyramid Essay & guide 04

Friction-Free Syllabus Design

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

Educreatively Noted
PARA in Notion title slide Pop-up webinar 05

PARA in Notion

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

Building a Second Brain
Failure Lab sketchnotes — What is failure? Sketchnotes & essay 06

Failure Lab Sketchnotes

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

Educreatively Noted
Toward Common Purpose: facilitation guide Facilitation guide 07

Toward Common Purpose

A four-part facilitation guide on work styles, educator identities, and building shared purpose in teaching practice.

Faculty development
Writing as a Process video still Conceptual video 08

Writing as a Process

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

Higher education
More projects available on request →
Writing / Nº 04

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
KDP · 2024
Indigenizing Education for Climate Action cover 2023
Pressbooks · 2023
Reading, Writing & Thinking in the College Classroom cover 2021
Pressbooks · 2021
An Open Companion to Early British Literature cover 2019
Pressbooks · 2019
About / Nº 06

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 / Nº 07

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.