CHRISSY WIEDEMANN
As a teacher for 19 years, Chrissy enjoys working with students in English and Journalism at Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA. Chrissy received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from George Mason University. A proud Patriot, she connected to an international community there and developed her love of writing. As part of Patriot Nation, she traveled to Indianapolis in 2006 to watch the Cinderella basketball team head to the Final Four. (Florida continues to be her least favorite team.) No English teacher has loads of free time during the school year, but when she can, Chrissy loves to see live music in DC. Summers on the beach and traveling to other countries are also favorites of hers. Chrissy is excited to return to WYSE and can’t wait to meet new friends this summer!
CHRISSY WIEDEMANN
As a teacher for 19 years, Chrissy enjoys working with students in English and Journalism at Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA. Chrissy received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from George Mason University. A proud Patriot, she connected to an international community there and developed her love of writing. As part of Patriot Nation, she traveled to Indianapolis in 2006 to watch the Cinderella basketball team head to the Final Four. (Florida continues to be her least favorite team.) No English teacher has loads of free time during the school year, but when she can, Chrissy loves to see live music in DC. Summers on the beach and traveling to other countries are also favorites of hers. Chrissy is excited to return to WYSE and can’t wait to meet new friends this summer!
Kelly Cardew is the Associate Director of Admissions at George Mason University. Kelly received her B.A. in English from Newberry College in 2017, worked in the admissions office at Newberry upon graduation and began working at Mason in the summer of 2018. During her time at Mason, Kelly has recruited and worked with prospective students in various states, oversees the office’s telecounseling team and serves as the liaision to the Mason Athletics program to support recruited student-athletes applications. Kelly received her M.A. in Higher Education from George Mason this past May.
Allison is the Assistant Director of Outreach Events and Programs in the Office of Admissions at George Mason University. A proud (almost) double Patriot, she is both a George Mason and Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) alumna. Allison earned her B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations in Spring 2023 and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Strategic Communication. Outside of work and graduate school, you’ll find her at rock concerts, on a yoga mat, nurturing her plant collection, or finding the best new brunch spots in town.
Julia is a Junior at George Mason University pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science 
Julie Walker completed her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology from the University of Florida. Her research focuses on the influence of climate change on coastal ecosystems and investigating the potential for the advancement of coastal wetland management. Prior to her graduate studies Julie worked at the Chesapeake Bay Program, where she was a part of the Stewardship goal team aimed at increasing science literacy, public access, and land protection. In her current position as a Postdoctoral Researcher for the University of Massachusetts and USGS Woods Hole, she works on utilizing geospatial data to assess the influence of historical human modifications on salt marsh vulnerability to sea-level rise. In her spare time, Julie likes exploring nature, whether it’s paddleboarding, taking pictures while hiking, or walking her dog.
Born and raised in Fairfax, VA, Thomas is a George Mason alum, where he received his B.S. in Environmental Science. While at George Mason, Thomas was involved with Student Government, Greek Life, and was an Orientation Leader. After graduating, Thomas went on to work for the University of Chicago Marine Biological Laboratory as a lab assistant before moving to Baltimore to teach middle school science. He is now a teacher in Fairfax, VA. His hobbies include going to the movies, rock climbing, and volleyball.
Ben Rich is an AP Environmental Science and Physics teacher at the Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) in Montclair, NJ. After earning a BA in Physics at Colgate University he earned a MEd at the University of Maryland. As the Sustainability Coordinator and Green Roof Director at MKA, he leads both students and faculty in making the school more environmentally friendly and led the school to earn the Green Flag Award from Eco-Schools USA twice. During each summer from 2013-2018 he traversed the US on an electric motorcycle making Youtube videos to encourage quicker EV adoption. Now he drives a Tesla Model 3 across the US, with his latest trip traveling 21,000 miles in 2 months. He is the Co-Chair of the Montclair Environmental Commission, leading projects to reduce the carbon footprint of the town. In his free time he hikes mountains, paddle boards on rivers, and swing dances in NYC.