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Category: Leadership

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Advance Team Leadership Staff

Melissa Moore

MELISSA MOORE

Director of Logistics

Melissa Moore is the Assistant Director of Events for the Office of Admissions at George Mason University and the Director of Logistics for the Washington Scholars Program.   Melissa attended WSP’s Washington Journalism and Media Conference as a high school student and worked as a staff member for the programs throughout her undergraduate tenure. She received her B.A. in Communication from GMU in 2018 and has since worked in events for the Washington Capitals (and has a ring to prove it!) and a tech startup before returning to her alma mater. In her free time, Melissa enjoys riding her bike around Washington D.C.’s National Mall, going to local sporting events, and traveling.

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Leadership Staff

Ali Dodson, MS, MPP

ALI DODSON

Associate Director, Washington Scholars Program

Ali Dodson is the Associate Director of the Washington Scholars Program. She has a B.S in Conservation Biology from George Mason University, and an M.S. in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology and M.P.P in Environmental Policy from University of Maryland. Her master’s research focused on student perception of environmental issues, which she then used to create and teach a summer Living Learning Community for University of Maryland’s Upward Bound Program. Before going to Maryland, Ali worked with the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a national competition for high school students in the marine sciences. Before coming to Mason, Ali worked with the EPA, where she was an ORISE fellow researching coastal wetlands. In her free time, she attempts to grow her own vegetables, hangs out in her big back yard with her dogs, and sings karaoke as often as possible.

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Leadership Staff

Lauren Jackman

LAUREN JACKMAN

Speaker Lead

 Lauren is the Speaker Lead for WYSE. Lauren has a television production background,
including interning at MTV, working as a White House and Special Events producer for a
24-hour cable news network, and managing television shoots for international news crews for the U.S. Department of State. She loves using her experience in the field to book the best speakers for WYSE and the incoming National Youth Delegates and believes that journalism is still one of the best jobs on the planet. She earned a B.A. in print journalism from American University and an M.A. from George Mason University.

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Counselor Leadership Staff

Rachel Cleaver, MPA

RACHEL CLEAVER, MPA

Student Support and Senior Associate Director, K-12 Partnerships

Rachel is the Senior Associate Director of K-12 Partnerships in the Office of Admissions.  In this role, she creates and oversees partnerships that help bring more students to the Mason campus.  She works with many departments and organizations across the campus as well as the community as a whole to talk about the great things happening at George Mason as well as College Access and Success overall.  Rachel oversees bringing groups of students of all ages to campus and you will often see her corralling large groups of middle school students around campus. Rachel provides general support to the Washington Scholars Program. Prior to coming to George Mason, Rachel has extensive experience leading the programmatic efforts at two college access and success programs on the East Coast, Let’s Get Ready and The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund. She has extensive experience in curriculum design and program management and in helping under-served high school students achieve their college dreams.  She earned BS degrees in Elementary Education and Human/Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and a Masters in Public Administration from George Mason University. She loves living in Washington, DC and looks forward to welcoming you here this summer!

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Leadership Staff

Elena Johnson, M.Ed.

ELENA JOHNSON

Director, Washington Scholars Program

Elena is the Director of the Washington Scholars Program (WSP) which includes the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) and the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE).  As the director, she works to create fulfilling conference experiences by developing curriculum for the programs, as well as recruiting professional faculty and nationally recognized speakers in the fields of journalism and the media and environmental science.  Under her leadership the programs have tripled in size and furthered their reach through key partnerships. Elena also manages several key partnerships for the Office of Admissions that focus on dual enrollment programming and college access initiatives. Prior to working in the Office of Admissions, Elena worked as a College and Career Specialist helping high school students explore their educational and career goals and choices. Elena earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and her Masters in Education from George Mason University.

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Leadership Staff

Richard Friesner, Ph.D.

RICHARD FRIESNER, PH.D.

Program Director, Washington Youth Summit on the Environment

 Dr. Friesner is the Director of the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment.  Richard develops the summit’s curriculum, identifies and recruits exceptional faculty and nationally recognized speakers in a variety of environmental disciplines and specialties, and coordinates with a fabulous group of staff in the Office of Admissions to make the summit an unparalleled experience for the student delegates attending. Richard earned a BS in Environmental Studies/Chemistry, a MS in Environmental Engineering & Science at the University of Kansas, and a PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University. Prior to working with WYSE Richard was affiliated with the US Geological Survey (USGS) and as an environmental consultant for a nationwide engineering consulting firm. Richard also has extensive experience with student leadership experiences both at the University of Kansas and with the Boy Scouts of America. Richard Currently works for NEIWPCC, a regional commission that helps the states in the northeast preserve and advance water quality.