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Category: Staff

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Faculty Advisor

Kevin Magerr

KEVIN MAGERR

Faculty Advisor

Mr. Kevin Magerr is a professional engineer with nearly forty years of experience in environmental protection.  Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Widener University and a Masters of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Villanova University, and has completed more than two dozen specialty courses and certifications throughout his career.  Recently retired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he worked in the Water Protection Division for thirty years. His work there, his numerous publications, and his teaching experience in several universities and at the high school level have been recognized by multiple awards, including the Gold Medal for Excellence in Government. Kevin continues teaching and advising at Temple University in several areas: Biotechnology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering at the graduate level, Environmental Science at the undergraduate level, and as Senior Faculty Advisor for the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University. Kevin is very active in the community by working with high school students in track and cross-country programs, being on the Executive Boards of the Global Water Alliance and the Nicholas Newlin Foundation for the Historic Newlin Grist Mill, and by providing technical assistance to the Chester, Ridley and Crum Watersheds Association. When not working he enjoys hiking and kayaking.

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Faculty Advisor

Maction Komwa, Ph.D.

MACTION KOMWA

Faculty Advisor

Maction Komwa is a multi-disciplinary researcher and educator with expertise and experience in geospatial technologies in support of climate and land-use change, biophysical sustainability of food production systems, conservation of natural resource and management.  He is currently teaching in the department of Geography and Geoinformation Science at George Mason University. For the past 11 years, Maction has collaborated and conducted research with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC on various projects related to policy framework for agricultural transformation, sustainable food security and nutrition, and crop monitoring for early warning using remote sensing techniques.

He received a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and obtained a Master’s in Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment (GISDE) from Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts. Maction will be returning as a Faculty Advisor for WYSE for the eighth time and he is very eager to meet the esteemed 2023 delegates.

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Faculty Advisor

Marieke Kester Jones

MARIEKE KESTER JONES

Faculty Advisor

Marieke graduated from George Mason University with a PhD in Environmental Science and Policy in 2017. For her dissertation research, she studied reproduction and chemical communication in the maned wolf with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. After graduation, Marieke was delighted to take a position at the University of Virginia as a Data Specialist, assisting life sciences researchers with data analysis. Aside from her deep passion for statistics, data, and endangered species conservation, Marieke tries to live sustainably, with a minimal carbon footprint. She bike commutes to work, is installing solar panels on her home, grows some of her own food, and plans to plant a large native pollinator garden this season.

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Faculty Advisor Staff

Jesi Hessong-Brown

JESI HESSONG-BROWN

Faculty Advisor

Jesi Hessong-Brown is a first generation WYSE-r! She attended the inaugural conference in 2010 and quickly became apart of the WYSE family. She has been a WYSE fall intern, summer intern, and faculty advisor. Since her first WYSE conference, Jesi has received her B.S. in Conservation and Environmental Biology with a double minor in Applied Conservation Skills and Non-Profit Studies from George Mason University where she graduate Magna Cum Laude and received the Senior Award in Biology for her undergraduate research. Jesi spent many years work in wildlife conservation before finding her true passion- teaching. Jesi has since completed her Masters in Education and is currently the wackiest middle school science teacher in her district. When not at work Jesi i is usually out rock climbing, hiking with her 1 year old daughter, looking for
amphibians, playing with her pet lizards or walking her two dogs Hobbes and Holly.

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Faculty Advisor

Gretchen Gorecki

GRETCHEN GORECKI

Faculty Advisor

Gretchen Gorecki (she / her) is the Natural Resource Manager at the Virginia Department of Conservation’s Division of State Parks. She works directly with district resource specialists to implement resource management activities across all 41 state parks in Virginia, including invasive species management, native species and pollinator habitat restoration, prescribed burning, and other beneficial stewardship activities. Gretchen relies on her GIS and mapping skills to provide additional support to these projects. She supports policy development, conducts regulation and guidance reviews, and promotes recreational and educational access for park visitors. She also serves as a DCR Prescribed Burn Crew Member and is working on becoming a Squad Boss. Gretchen was previously an environmental consultant, where she focused on natural resource program management, facility and environmental documentation programs, encroachment strategies, and geospatial analyses primarily for federal clients, including the U.S. Department of Defense. Gretchencompleted her MSc in Biodiversity, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh. She obtained her BS from the University of Mary Washington, where she double majored in Environmental Science and Geography, and received a GISc Certificate. She is a certified GIS Professional (GISP), completed a National Fellowship with the Environmental Leadership Program, serves on the board of the Friends of Lake Anna State Park, volunteers as a Virginia Master Naturalist, participates as a judge at Virginia regional science fairs, and is a tenor drummer with the UMW Eagle Pipe Band. She is also a Master Hiker after completing Trail Quest by visiting all of the Virginia State Parks. Gretchen enjoys outdoor recreation, including hiking, backpacking, sup-ping, and rock climbing, and spending time at her backyard farm with her four dogs, horse, rabbit, and cows.

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Faculty Advisor

Jonathan Essoka

Faculty Advisor

Jonathan D. Essoka is an avid urban environmentalist with an interest in promoting equity and sustainability in disadvantaged communities. He has an educational and professional background in engineering and environmental science and policy. Dr. Essoka earned his Doctorate of Philosophy in Environmental Science from Drexel University, where he researched the effects brownfields revitalization projects on environmental justice communities. For over 15 years he has served in an engineering capacity, as an environmental consultant and as a part-time instructor at several Philadelphia-area universities.

Dr. Essoka is employed as an engineer and scientist by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in Philadelphia. He engages his professional passion by working in environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically distressed communities to develop holistic environmental solutions for their residents. This includes administering multiple regulatory programs, applying sustainability principles, fostering partnerships and promoting environmental equity to encourage comprehensive urban watershed restoration. Recently, Jonathan assumed a new job responsibility as the Superfund & Technology Liaison to the Philadelphia office. In this position, he provides innovative technological solutions for contaminated site project managers and promotes research science to the regional office as a tool to address program issues.

In his “free” time, while not raising his young son, Dr. Essoka is co-Board Chairperson for Earth Force, a non-profit organization which “engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future.” Jonathan also sits on the Environmental Leadership Program’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Network Advisory Committee and contributes locally as Vice-Chairperson for Cheltenham Township’s Economic Development Task Force.

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Advisory Board Photographer

Meghan A.T.B. Reese

MEGHAN A.T.B. REESE

Photographer, Washington Scholars Program

Producer, Writer, & Photographer

Meghan Reese is a producer, writer, and photographer. Reese’s credits include producing and writing for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, History Channel, Smithsonian Channel, A&E, Animal Planet, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Family, PBS, Sony/IMAX’s 3Net 3D films, Capital TV Pakistan, the White House, and the Department of State. Reese also runs Ography, her own photography and multimedia shop, capturing events for the National Park Service, the White House, George Mason University, and many other businesses, families and couples. 

Reese’s first step into production was as a researcher and assistant director for WGBH PBS’s news coverage team, where Reese covered major news events including the 2008 presidential election, the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, and Boston’s Craigslist Killer. Prior to making the switch to television and film, Reese was an award-winning writer and editor for several newspapers, medical, health and lifestyle magazines, and executive editor of Today’s Dietitian Cookbook. Her writing career began in the Life section of USA Today, covering fashion, trends, and popular culture. Reese holds a journalism degree from American University, where she held several prestigious internships around the Metro area, including The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, and at the White House.

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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!