Kimberly Phinney, M.Ed.
Book Author @ Baker Publishing Group
About
I'm the author of a forthcoming book on art, faith, and belonging with Baker Books (2027). My debut poetry collections, Of Wings and Dirt (2024) and Exalted Ground (2025), were released as bestsellers in several poetry genres. I'm the founder of the faith-based community, TheWayBack2Ourselves.com. TWBTO is an authentic Christian community for creatives and leaders centered on belonging. We provide a rooted network for seekers, dreamers, and believers with a literary journal, podcasts, retreats, cohorts, and creative services, such as editing, graphic design, marketing, publishing, counseling, and spiritual direction. My writing has been published with Christianity Today, Ekstasis Magazine, Solum, Fathom, Ruminate, Radix, Calla Press, The Dewdrop, and more. My poetry has won several awards: a Pushcart Prize nomination (2024), the Bright Wings Audience Choice Award with Ekstasis (Christianity Today), and runner-up in the Fathom Poetry Contest (2023). You can hire our team for writing, editing, creative counseling services, and publishing, as well as guest speaking, consulting, and podcasting. See our offerings and faith community at www.TheWayBack2Ourselves.com. ... With over 20 years in education as an AP English teacher, a department head, and now a professor, I have made it a priority to be a student of life. It's my goal to serve God, my students, and my community in a big-hearted way. I operate best in high-expectation, high-trust, high-autonomy workplaces, as I serve and lead others toward excellence because I expect excellence from myself. I teach my students to function the same way, viewing them as co-pilots as we venture together. I live by two phrases I've written over my years of teaching: "people over paper" and "the master teacher renders herself unnecessary." This means if I do my job correctly, I am putting people first with an honest, relational approach, and my students will become such free-thinking, self-taught scholars that they will no longer need me at all. I'm most proud of my teaching awards that came from my students, the NSHSS Educator of the Year Award (2022), the Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award (2021), and the University of Chicago's Outstanding Educator Award (2020). After nearly losing my life in 2021 from critical illness, I felt called to pursue my doctorate in Community Care and Counseling. My research specializes in the integration of art, faith, and belonging and their therapeutic effects on spiritual health, as well as community systems. My story was covered by ABC News and Good Morning America.
United States
Greater Tampa Bay Area
Higher Education
Think Tank, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Scholarly Research, Public Services, Publishing, Community Management, Non-fiction Writer, Literary Writing, Manuscript, Public Speaking, Storytelling, Teaching English as a Second Language, Critical Thinking, Staff Development, Educational Leadership, Team Leadership, Education Reform, Problem Solving, Instructional Design, K-12 Education
Experience
Book Author
Baker Publishing Group
I am writing a book on art, faith, and belonging with Baker Books (2027). It’s tentative title is The New Christian Renaissance: God's Commission to Beautify the World and How It Saves Culture, Churches, and Souls.
The Good Neighbors Fellowship (Fellow-Scholar)
Interfaith America
Chicago, IL
I was graciously nominated by Dr. Karen Swallow Prior and selected as one of ten scholar-practitioners to join The Good Neighbors Fellowship in order to continue the work of inspiring and equipping evangelicals to build bridges across differences in our polarized society. The Good Neighbors Project's aim is to narrate a new story of how evangelicals can live faithfully and neighborly in a world they don’t control, nurture the next generation of evangelicals as they wrestle with how to live out their faith in a polarized and contentious climate, and nourish Christian communities through relationships, resources, and collaborative efforts towards the common good.
Freelance Writer
Christianity Today
-Bright Wings Poetry Audience Choice Award: "An Ode to Hard, Dark Nights" will be published with Ekstasis Magazine in 2024 -Invited devotional writer for Christianity Today's Advent Devotion 2024
Visiting English Professor (Level 2)
Chamberlain University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Evangelical Press Association: Judge for Higher Goals Competition
Evangelical Press Association
I am a judge for the Evangelical Press Association's Higher Goals Writing Competition in the areas of poetry and blog feature.
Founder, CEO, Publisher of TheWayBack2Ourselves.com and The Way Back Books
The Way Back to Ourselves
Tampa, Florida, United States
The Way Back to Ourselves is an authentic faith-based community committed to providing writing, editing, hybrid-publishing, educational, and counseling services, as well as a literary journal and podcast, to help creatives and leaders grow spiritually and find more peace and purpose within themselves--all so they can love, lead, and live with their whole selves as they work to impact their families and communities for positive change. Website: www.TheWayBack2Ourselves.com Services: counseling, writing services, content creation, editing services, training/speaking, educational services and consultation Listen to us at The Way Back Podcast on Spotify and Apple.
Published Writer, Editor, + Content Creator
-Founder/Editor: www.TheWayBack2Ourselves.com -Author with Baker Books -Author of Of Wings and Dirt (2024) and Exalted Ground (2025) -Published widely in Christianity Today, Ekstasis (Inkwell), Fathom, Solum, Calla Press, Truly Co., Clayjar, Ruminate, The Dewdrop, and more
Published Author
Wipf and Stock Publishers
United States
My debut poetry collection, Of Wings & Dirt with Wipf and Stock Publishing, debuted as a best-selling and #1 new release in poetry on Amazon with 5-star reviews. I am at work on my second collection of poetry with working title Exalted Ground out in 2025, as well as a literary nonfiction work on suffering, healing, and wholeness.
ELA Consultant and Curriculum Designer
ThinkCERCA
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Head of English Department, AP English Instructor, and Teacher Mentor
Cambridge Christian School
Tampa, Florida, United States
Overview of Awards, Distinctions, Accomplishments: -Winner of the Outstanding Leadership Award in Education with the Education 2.0 Conference 2023 -Good Morning America: Health Story and NSHSS Educator of the Year 2022 -ABC Action News Segment: National Educator of the Year 2022 -Phinney Family College Scholarship for Mental Health and Disabilities Awareness 2023 -2022 NSHSS Claes Nobel Educator of the Year -2022 Marquis Who's Who in America for contributions in Education and Literacy -2021 The Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction Award -Literacy Outreach with author Jordan Raynor and Lewis Elementary School -2020 Outstanding Educator Award from the University of Chicago -Distinguished Level 3 Educator and Teacher Mentor Courses taught: AP Lit, AP Lang, Creative Writing, English 11 Honors, English 10 Honors, Writing Lab 9, etc. Leadership: Depart. Head, Curriculum Design, Mentor Teacher at Level 3 Distinction, Accreditation and CCS Strategic Plan Committee, CCS Academic Advancement Committee, CCS Technology Committee, Professional Development Contributions: Founder and Sponsor of NEHS, Initiator of AP Capstone Program, SLI Mental Health Sponsor, Senior Sponsor, Creative Arts J-Term, Writing Seminar, Creative Writing Club, CCS Blog Contributor
Education
Liberty University
Community Care and Counseling
Research dissertation on the intersection of the arts, belonging, faith, and mental health.
Liberty University
English
University of South Florida
Secondary English Education
2004-2006 Fulltime Internship at Brandon High School- 12th Grade English Honors and Regular Part-time Internship at Alonso High School- 10th and 11th Grade English Honors Part-time Internship Weightman Middle School- 8th Grade English Honors
Goddard College
Creative Writing with Novel Writing Concentration
Kimberly Phinney, M.Ed.'s Contact Information
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