Martha Silano attended public schools in central New Jersey, graduating from Metuchen High School in 1979. She received her BA from Grinnell College and her MFA from the University of Washington. Silano was inspired by her father to become an instructor. He taught for many years at Kean University and as professor emeritus at University of Arkansas. Silano began her teaching career at the Everett Naval Base in Everett, WA, then subsequently held positions at Seattle Central Community College and Edmonds Community College before joining the BC faculty in 2005. Silano empowers and motivates her students with a challenging, flexible, and dynamic teaching style and a facilitated learning approach. Students gain expertise by joining a close-knit community of diverse students with similar tasks and goals. Silano champions student-centered learning, welcoming student innovations for achieving success. Along with being a veteran instructor, Silano is a poet of national stature, authoring four full-length collections and contributing to numerous magazines and anthologies. When Silano isn’t teaching or writing, she enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, swimming, reading, and spending time in the outdoors.