Author: Allison Dodson

Maddy Ploger

MADDY PLOGER

Senior Marketing Manager, Freedom Forum

Maddy Ploger is the senior marketing manager at Freedom Forum, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all. She’s been with the organization for the past seven years – starting out at the Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue in the marketing department and evolving into managing email communications, advertising, branding campaigns, and design for Freedom Forum. She has been part of a multi-million dollar brand awareness campaign, launching a merchandise store, and the promotion and design of dozens of events, galas, and festivals — all striving for the Freedom Forum’s vision of an America where everyone knows, values, and defends the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

A graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA, she earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising and communications and a master’s degree in professional business and communications. Maddy played Division 1 field hockey at La Salle during her four years there. In the past, she worked in sports marketing, promotions, and entertainment for La Salle Athletics, the Washington Nationals, and the Salem Red Sox.

MADDY PLOGER

Senior Marketing Manager, Freedom Forum

Kalea Perez

KALEA PEREZ

Consultant, Guidehouse

Kalea Perez is a healthcare consultant at Guidehouse, a Virginia-based firm for businesses and government entities, where she has spent the last three years supporting high-profile federal clients including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Specializing in strategic communications and project management, Kalea helps agencies drive mission-aligned initiatives and communicate complex goals with impact across our nation’s most prestigious healthcare offices.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies from the College of Charleston in 2022 and currently resides just minutes from campus with her dogs Winni and Goose.

A proud alum of the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC), Kalea attended in 2016, served on the Youth Advisory Board in 2017, and returned as an Advance Team member in 2019. Her journey from student to speaker reflects her passion for mentorship, public service, and the power of storytelling in shaping meaningful change

KALEA PEREZ

Consultant, Guidehouse

John Gossett

JOHN GOSSETT

Faculty Advisor

John is the broadcast journalism teacher and director of sports broadcasting at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Located just steps away from the University of Arkansas, John has built FHS TV into a nationally recognized program with students winning multiple Emmy’s along with numerous state awards. John is also a board member for the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association where his program serves as the media officer school. Originally from Dallas, Texas, John earned his B.A. in broadcast journalism and master’s degree in education both from the University of Arkansas.

JOHN GOSSETT

Faculty Advisor

Leah Garofalo

LEAH GAROFALO

Junior Faculty Advisor

Leah Garofalo is a Political Science student at Boston University. She was a National Youth Correspondent in 2023 and an Intern in 2024. She is excited to come back to the program for a third time this summer! WJMC has taught her so many lessons that she carries with her each day. In her free time, Leah is a part of the BU Mock Trial Organization, which is currently ranked 8th in the nation. She loves music, playing guitar, writing, and reading!

LEAH GAROFALO

Junior Faculty Advisor

Skylar Yung

SKYLAR YUNG

Junior Faculty Advisor

Skylar is a rising sophomore studying Advertising and Public Relations at the University of North Carolina’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media with a focus in Business Communications. In her free time, Skylar enjoys traveling, trying new things and talking about food. Skylar attended WJMC as a high school junior and returned the next summer as WJMC’s Logistics Intern. She jumped at the chance to return as a JFA to make more memories and deepen her understanding of journalism. WJMC has introduced many opportunities in Skylar’s life. As a JFA, she hopes to give students the same experience and impact that WJMC has given her.

SKYLAR YUNG

Junior Faculty Advisor

Patrick Money

PATRICK MONEY

Director of Freshman Admissions, George Mason University

Patrick Money is the Director of Admissions for Freshman Recruitment for George
Mason University. After starting as a student employee at the Admissions office in
2006, he has spent the last sixteen years as a member of the Mason Admissions
family helping students and families find the right college destination.

Patrick is a Mason alumnus x 2 with a B.A in Psychology and his M.A in Higher
Education Administration. If he is not attending a Washington Nationals game
in D.C, you will find him overseeing domestic recruitment strategy and
implementation, admissions data management, and freshmen application review for Mason. Being busy is a must, but his love for coffee carries him through most of the recruitment cycle!

One of his favorite memories was when he made his initial
decision to come to Mason back in 2006 after he saw the Men’s basketball team reach the final four live at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.! (He still talks about it like it happened yesterday, and shows no signs of changing that!!)

Patrick has a passion for higher education and even more so for George Mason University and the opportunities for an access-driven enrollment strategy. Whether it be about equitable enrollment practices, or the best places to eat while on the recruitment trail, he is always ready for a lively discussion and hopes to share it with all those who are interested.

PATRICK MONEY

Director of Freshman Admissions, George Mason University

Patrick Money is the Director of Admissions for Freshman Recruitment for George Mason University. After starting as a student employee at the Admissions office in 2006, he has spent the last sixteen years as a member of the Mason Admissions
family helping students and families find the right college destination.

Patrick is a Mason alumnus x 2 with a B.A in Psychology and his M.A in Higher Education Administration. If he is not attending a Washington Nationals game in D.C, you will find him overseeing domestic recruitment strategy and implementation, admissions data management, and freshmen application review for Mason. Being busy is a must, but his love for coffee carries him through most of the recruitment cycle!

One of his favorite memories was when he made his initial decision to come to Mason back in 2006 after he saw the Men’s basketball team reach the final four live at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.! (He still talks about it like it happened yesterday, and shows no signs of changing that!!)

Carmella Boykin

CARMELLA BOYKIN

Host and TikTok Producer, The Washington Post

Carmella Boykin is a host and TikTok Producer at The Washington Post. She writes, shoots and edits news TikToks that often involve dancing to explain news topics. Previously, she worked as a local TV reporter in Rochester, NY where she started her TikTok account. Carmella joined the Post in December 2021 and holds a degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University.

CARMELLA BOYKIN

Host and TikTok Producer, The Washington Post

Richard Todd Stafford

RICHARD TODD STAFFOR

Director of Communications, Honors College, George Mason University

Richard Todd Stafford is the Director of Communications in the Honors College at George Mason University. The Honors College gives the most motivated undergraduate students from all majors and backgrounds the support that inspires them to pursue their curiosity and undertake meaningful civic engagement and experiential learning opportunities. Dr. Stafford mentors and supervises the Honors College Communication team. Dr. Stafford has written, spoken, and taught extensively about cultural dimensions of climate change, energy, and the environment, including on the “Capitalism, Climate, and Culture” podcast, in the media, and at @richardtoddstafford on Instagram.

RICHARD TODD STAFFORD

Director of Communications, Honors College, George Mason University

Holly Bourquin

HOLLY BOURQUIN

Faculty Advisor

Holly teaches and advises the student newspaper at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida. In addition to teaching journalism for more than 10 years, she also teaches IB Film and has taught English at the high school, dual enrollment, and college levels. She is the advisor for her school’s Quill & Scroll International Honor Society chapter and oversees student print, web, and podcast media. She has over 20 years of writing, editing, and publishing experience and has overseen the publication of an international magazine and served on the Florida Magazine Association board of directors. She holds a master’s in English with a concentration in technical and professional communication from East Carolina University. Holly is passionate about delivering media instruction to students that is hands-on and mirrors real-world industry practices. Outside of the classroom, she works as a freelance writer, editor, and consultant. She loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, and cook.

HOLLY BOURQUIN

Faculty Advisor

Buzz McClain

BUZZ MCCLAIN

Director of Communications, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University

Veteran columnist, critic, reporter, and editor Buzz McClain covered movies and pop culture for 20 years at major magazines and wrote about music and musicians for a decade at the Washington Post before NBC Sports lured him away to cover rugby football. He now is director of communications for the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, which is also his alma mater and the school that taught him everything he needed to know about surviving a career in journalism.