Author: Allison Dodson

Andrias White Murdaugh

ANDRIAS WHITE MURDAUGH

Anchor, This Morning on WTVR CBS 6

Andrias White Murdaugh, MBA, CMP, CSEP, CVP is an award-winning event producer and broadcast journalist, but her story begins right here on the campus of George Mason University.

After many undergraduate achievements, she was hired by the Office of Admissions and the Washington Scholars Program to serve as Director of Logistics for WJMC and WYSE. Little did she know, her time on staff provided her the foundation for her unexpected role as co-host of Virginia This Morning on WTVR CBS 6, Central Virginia’s only live, local, entertainment show. Simultaneously, she serves as Director of Events for McKesson Medical-Surgical, a fortune 9 company.

Before her days on-camera, she served as Senior Event Manager at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Senior Facility and Sales Manager for the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, Vice President of Strategic Events for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), and CEO of Andrias Events, LLC.

Her most notable events include United States Presidential Inaugural Balls, the World Gas Congress, the National Football League’s Washington Redskins Training Camp and Amazon re:Invent. While at CBCF, she also worked with 58 congressional offices to produce star studded award shows and televised productions, broadcasted on BET.

Andrias earned both a Bachelor of Science in Tourism & Event Management and a Master of Business Administration from Mason and served as adjunct faculty in the Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management Program. Andrias now lives in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia with her husband and fellow Mason alum David W. Murdaugh III, MBA and their two sons, David IV and Deion.

ANDRIAS WHITE MURDAUGH

Anchor, This Morning on WTVR CBS 6

Andrias White Murdaugh, MBA, CMP, CSEP, CVP is an award-winning event producer and broadcast journalist, but her story begins right here on the campus of George Mason University.

Assad Khan

ASSAD KHAN

Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs, George Mason University

Assad worked in DC radio veteran for over 15 years. Having started as an intern and
eventually an on-air personality at the Legendary 99-1 HFS, Assad was on iHeartRadio’s DC101 as a weekend/swing DJ. Focusing primarily on the alternative rock format, he has worked to engage the audience, build a rapport with
the listeners and educate students on the industry of radio. During college,
he was the promotions and public affairs director as well as a DJ of various
specialty shows at WWVU-FM (U92) at West Virginia University. In his
free time, he works as the Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs in the
College of Science at George Mason University.

ASSAD KHAN

Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs, George Mason University

Assad Khan, Undergraduate Programs Coordinator, COS. Photo by Creative Services/George Mason University[/caption]

Assad worked in DC radio veteran for over 15 years. Having started as an intern and eventually an on-air personality at the Legendary 99-1 HFS, Assad was on iHeartRadio’s DC101 as a weekend/swing DJ. Focusing primarily on the alternative rock format, he has worked to engage the audience, build a rapport with the listeners and educate students on the industry of radio. During college, he was the promotions and public affairs director as well as a DJ of various specialty shows at WWVU-FM (U92) at West Virginia University. In his free time, he works as the Director of Undergraduate Student Affairs in the
College of Science at George Mason University.

Katie Urban

KATIE URBAN

Communications Manager, Latham & Watkins

Katie Urban is a communications manager at Latham & Watkins, leading communications for the law firm’s professional development and training initiatives. Prior to joining Latham, Katie worked on the corporate communications team at Capital One, specializing in public relations, earned media engagement, and influencer strategy for Capital One’s flagship consumer credit cards. She has also worked at Arlington-based real estate developer CRC Companies, where she developed marketing and communications strategies to assist with property lease-ups, win new business, and recruit new talent to the firm.

In college, Katie interned at Conde Nast for Glamour Magazine in New York City and at the NBC News affiliate in Charlottesville, Virginia. She also was an editor and columnist for The Cavalier Daily.

Katie holds a bachelor’s degree in media studies and American studies from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in professional studies in corporate communications and public relations from Georgetown University.

KATIE URBAN

Communications Manager, Latham & Watkins

In college, Katie interned at Conde Nast for Glamour Magazine in New York City and at the NBC News affiliate in Charlottesville, Virginia. She also was an editor and columnist for The Cavalier Daily.

Steve Taglieri

STEPHEN TAGLIERI

Marketing and Communications Consultant and Founder, Kingdom Multimedia, LLC

Gillian Brassil covers securities litigation for Bloomberg Law. Prior to joining Bloomberg, she reported on federal politics for McClatchy’s California papers in DC. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University.

STEVE TAGLIERI

Marketing and Communications Consultant and Founder, Kingdom Multimedia, LLC

Steve Taglieri is a conservation and climate communications specialist who graduated from George Mason University (Class of 2022). With a background in conservation biology and photojournalism, Steve has paired the two disciplines to assist eco-friendly organizations grow their online presence and outreach strategies. Steve has worked and written for the Smithsonian Zoo and Magazine, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Reverse the Red campaign, the Institute for Advertising Ethics, and the American Forest Foundation. Most recently, he founded Kingdom Multimedia LLC, a creative agency creating green impact through communications and marketing strategies. Actively working with the Indian Land Tenure Foundation and The Nature Conservancy, Steve merges public relations, videography, and journalism to grow climate awareness at eco-oriented organizations that have not previously allocated resources to this mission.

Dawn Aponte

DAWN APONTE

Administrative Assistant, Washington Scholars Program

Dawn is an Administrative Assistant for the Washington Scholars Program (WSP) and K-12 Partnerships Program Office, within the Office of Admissions at George Mason University. Dawn joined the team in 2012, following a career with the U.S. Deptartment of Justice. She loves supporting the WSP summer programs, the students and their families, and her teammates. In her opinion, George Mason is an inspirational and progressive place to learn and serve. Dawn spends her free time outdoors as much as possible and loves to read and be with her young-adult children.

DAWN APONTE

Administrative Assistant, Washington Scholars Program

Paloma Coelho

Maria McComish

Anna Layden

Assistant Photographer

Anna Rose Layden is a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography, concentrating in Photojournalism, with a minor in Political Science from Rochester Institute of Technology in Henrietta, New York. She is an active member of the National Press Photographers Association, as well as the Asian-American Journalists Association of New York. Her work reflects a fascination with the extraordinary moments in everyday life, as well as coverage of current news events. She is constantly seeking out ways to further her understanding of the cultures around her, meet new people, and find the nearest Chick-Fil-A.

Kayla Sharpe

KAYLA SHARPE

Deputy Newsletter Team Leader at Bloomberg Industry Group

Kayla N. Sharpe is a Washington, D.C.-based digital journalist focused on media, society, and audience engagement. She is the deputy newsletter team leader at Bloomberg Industry Group where she oversees the production of more than 60 newsletters covering law, government, tax, and accounting. She previously served as an associate editor at Axios, working with reporters in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Twin Cities covering national and local issues. She has also worked at POLITICO as an engagement editor for subscriber strategy and as a digital producer, and at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting supporting student and freelance journalists covering under-reported global issues.

Kayla graduated from the College of William & Mary in 2017 with degrees in film and media and American studies and served as the inaugural digital media editor for the campus newspaper, The Flat Hat. Kayla’s reporting has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, receiving their 2017 Regional Mark of Excellence Award for In-Depth Reporting, and William & Mary, receiving the university’s 2016 Rex Smith Journalism Award. She was also selected for the National Press Foundation 2024 “Widening the Pipeline” Fellowship focused on newsroom leadership skills for journalists of color.

Kayla is proud to be an engaged William & Mary alumna and currently serves as the co-chair of the Young Guarde Alumni Council and as vice chair of the William & Mary Washington Center Advisory Board. She is also a member of the Lambda Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

Learn more about Kayla and view her work at www.kaylasharpe.com

KAYLA SHARPE

Deputy Newsletter Team Leader at Bloomberg Industry Group

Learn more about Kayla and view her work at www.kaylasharpe.com

Britney Crowe

BRITNEY CROWE

Faculty Advisor

Britney began her journey with WJMC six years ago when she nominated students for the program, and she continues to come back to this program as a faculty advisor. She is a mentor, teacher, co-worker, mother, and child of Christ. She is finishing her 27th year of teaching in Texas and she just distributed her 24th yearbook to a campus of 3000 students. She lives in central Texas near her grown children, and her companions include two kitties and her plants. Britney enjoys travel, hiking, camping, new foods, and gathering stories from strangers.