Ms. Raina Zelinski is a life-long New Orleanian, transplanted from Northern Canada when she was but 5 years old. After studying political science at Tulane University, she received a BA in English from the University of New Orleans and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in English (2010) as well as a Master’s Degree in Teaching Secondary English (2015). Ms. Z, as she likes to be called, has taught rhetorical writing, creative writing, critical thinking, and literature to  students at UNO, SUNO, and Dillard University. In 2013 she transitioned to secondary education and after testing the waters in local schools, most happily landed at NOCCA’s Academic Studio in 2016. In addition to pursuing her love of text analysis and teaching, she writes poetry and short stories, as well as dabbles in dance and charcoal sketching.