The Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Meghan A.T.B. Reese

MEGHAN A.T.B. REESE

Photographer and Videographer

Meghan is a producer, director, and writer whose credits include National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, History Channel, Animal Planet, Amazon Prime, PBS, Microsoft, Facebook, and NASA. She is also a photographer for the National Park Service, where she has covered three presidential administrations at her assigned park, The White House. Her photography has been featured by The National Park Service, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Wall Street Journal, PBS, and more. Prior to transitioning to television and film, Meghan was an award-winning writer and editor, beginning her career at USA Today. She holds a journalism degree from American University and is completing her Master’s in journalism at Emerson College.

MEGHAN A.T.B. REESE

Photographer and Videographer

Meghan is a producer, director, and writer whose credits include National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, History Channel, Animal Planet, Amazon Prime, PBS, Microsoft, Facebook, and NASA. She is also a photographer for the National Park Service, where she has covered three presidential administrations at her assigned park, The White House. Her photography has been featured by The National Park Service, The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Wall Street Journal, PBS, and more. Prior to transitioning to television and film, Meghan was an award-winning writer and editor, beginning her career at USA Today. She holds a journalism degree from American University and is completing her Master’s in journalism at Emerson College.

Amanda Gard

Junior Faculty Advisor

Amanda Gard was a national youth correspondent of WJMC15 and is currently in her second year at the University of Florida. She studies telecommunication production with an outside concentration in sport management. She is a freelance technical director for the SEC Network where she works on the broadcasts of UF sports. Amanda is also a multimedia captain for Dance Marathon and the communication’s director for the Make-A-Wish team in Chi Omega. She is extremely excited to return for her second year as a JFA to meet the correspondents of WJMC18, and hopes they are ready for the best week of their life!

Angelica Walker

Junior Faculty Advisor

Angelica Walker is a WJMC 2014 Alum from Lynchburg, Virginia. She is currently a Junior Communications major at George Mason University. She double minors in Sports Communications and African and African American Studies. On George Mason’s campus, Angelica is heavily involved in both the Black Student Alliance and the Mason Ambassadors. One of her favorite quotes is: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”–Nelson Mandela

Elysse Vernon

Junior Faculty Advisor

Elysse is a junior at Florida State University studying Public Relations and Political Science. She currently serves as the Director of Communications for both the FSU National Organization for Women and the FSU College Democrats. She previously interned for the Florida Clerks of Court and freelanced for Womensenews.org. Elysse couldn’t be more excited to return to WJMC for her second year as a JFA!

Lexie Tubell

Junior Faculty Advisor

Lexie Tubell is a rising junior in George Mason University’s honors college with a major in Communication and a concentration in Journalism. Lexie has been very involved with film and journalism for a number of years, from starting an award-winning news program at her high school and working at her local newspaper, to having a film in a New York film festival and being named Videographer in her sorority, Chi Omega. Lexie attended the Washington Journalism and Media Conference in 2015 and returned as a Speaker Intern in 2016 and a Junior Faculty Advisor in 2017. She is super excited to come back again for another year as a Junior Faculty Advisor and get to work hands on with the new correspondents and make it an amazing experience.

Matt Rasgorshek

MATT RASGORSHEK

Faculty Advisor

Matt is the journalism advisor at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska. He has advised video and online publications that have received state, regional and national recognition. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Broadcast Advisor of the year by the Journalism Education Association as well as as one of the country’s top journalism advisors by the Dow Jones News Fund. Prior to teaching journalism, Matt worked behind the camera as a newscast director, producer, videographer and editor in local affiliates in Omaha and Phoenix. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, running and playing golf.

MATT RASGORSHEK

Faculty Advisor

Matt is the journalism advisor at Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska. He has advised video and online publications that have received state, regional and national recognition. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Broadcast Advisor of the year by the Journalism Education Association as well as as one of the country’s top journalism advisors by the Dow Jones News Fund. Prior to teaching journalism, Matt worked behind the camera as a newscast director, producer, videographer and editor in local affiliates in Omaha and Phoenix. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, running and playing golf.

Matt Schott

MATT SCHOTT

Faculty Advisor

Matt is the publications adviser at Francis Howell Central High School in Cottleville, Missouri, where he just completed his 19th year advising the newspaper, yearbook, web and broadcast programs. His students have been the recipients of numerous national, state and local awards. He’s been honored twice by the Dow Jones News Fund, was the 2010 Missouri Journalism Teacher of the Year, and his school’s teacher of the year in 2018. In 2019, he was named one of six recipients of the Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award. Prior to teaching Matt worked at newspapers in Missouri, Illinois, and Florida as a design editor. Matt is married with two kids and two dogs. In his spare time, he’s a freelance photographer specializing in sports photography.

Melissa Larson

MELISSA LARSON

Faculty Advisor

Melissa Larson is excited to return to WJMC for her 10th year as a Faculty Advisor for the Pink Group.  Melissa taught technology, photography, and journalism for 14 years, before leaving the classroom to chase dreams, and is now working at Edpuzzle making educational videos. She advised yearbook and online publications which received numerous state and national awards. In 2014, she received the “Rising Star” Award from the Journalism Education Association. In 2013, she was recognized as one of nine Apple Award Finalists for Secondary Educator of the Year in the Douglas County School District. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, photography, reading, hiking, and traveling.

Chrissy Wiedemann

CHRISSY WIEDEMANN

Student Support

As a teacher for 19 years, Chrissy enjoys working with students in English and journalism at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. 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 team head to the Final Four. (Florida continues to be her least favorite team.) When she can, Chrissy loves to see live music in DC, enjoy summers on the beach and traveling to other countries. Chrissy is excited to return to Mason for WJMC and can’t wait to meet new friends this summer!

CHRISSY WIEDEMANN

Student Support

As a teacher for 19 years, Chrissy enjoys working with students in English and journalism at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. 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 team head to the Final Four. (Florida continues to be her least favorite team.) When she can, Chrissy loves to see live music in DC, enjoy summers on the beach and traveling to other countries. Chrissy is excited to return to Mason for WJMC and can’t wait to meet new friends this summer!

April van Buren

APRIL VAN BUREN

Faculty Advisor

April van Buren, M.J.E., advises yearbook, broadcast, a journalism website, and also teaches various digital media classes including graphic design and web design at East High School in Madison, Wisconsin. She has taught journalism for 18 years, including at Parkway Central High School near St. Louis, Missouri and at Mesa Vista Middle and High School in rural New Mexico. She has been an adjunct professor for the communications department at the University of New Mexico-Taos. From 2010 to 2013, she served as the New Mexico director for the Journalism Education Association (JEA) and as the vice president of the New Mexico Scholastic Press Association. She earned her National Board certification in language arts in 2012, and studied journalism, education and library sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She was the 2013 New Mexico Adviser of the Year and is currently on the Board for the Kettle Moraine Press Association and as the broadcast contest director for JEA.

APRIL VAN BUREN

Faculty Advisor

April van Buren, M.J.E., advises yearbook, broadcast, a journalism website, and also teaches various digital media classes including graphic design and web design at East High School in Madison, Wisconsin. She has taught journalism for 18 years, including at Parkway Central High School near St. Louis, Missouri and at Mesa Vista Middle and High School in rural New Mexico. She has been an adjunct professor for the communications department at the University of New Mexico-Taos. From 2010 to 2013, she served as the New Mexico director for the Journalism Education Association (JEA) and as the vice president of the New Mexico Scholastic Press Association. She earned her National Board certification in language arts in 2012, and studied journalism, education and library sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She was the 2013 New Mexico Adviser of the Year and is currently on the Board for the Kettle Moraine Press Association and as the broadcast contest director for JEA.