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.