EMMA TAYLOR
Advance Team Member
Emma Taylor is a rising junior from Charlotte, North Carolina who currently attends Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She is a Political Science major and an Anthropology/ Sociology minor on the pre-law track. At Rhodes, she participates in Mock Trial as a captain, serves as a campus tour guide, works in the Financial Aid office, and is a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She looks forward to her third summer on George Mason’s campus!
ASHLEY LARSON
Advance Team Member
Ashley attended the Washington Journalism and Media Conference as a correspondent in 2018, returned as an intern in 2019, and has worked in various roles on the Advance Team for the last three summers! Ashley earned her B.S. in Sport and Performance Psychology from Grand Canyon University in 2024 and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Applied Social Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. In her free time, Ashley enjoys watching the Denver Broncos, listening to Taylor Swift, and reading.
LISA GARDNER
Faculty Advisor
Lisa Kick Gardner spent almost 20 years in broadcast journalism, most of that in television news. As a morning and evening TV news anchor, reporter and a radio morning show host, she has been asked to speak to numerous charity and community groups, businesses and school kids of all ages. (She’s even entertained on a cruise ship!) Lisa and her husband Steve have been a part of the Charlotte Country Day community since 2010 as Young Life leaders and Lisa started teaching in 2015. She’s currently the Podcast/Journalism and Public Speaking instructor. She and Steve have two children, Grace a junior at Appalachian State and Grant is a senior who plans to attend Davidson College in the fall of 2025.
FIONA JOHN
Junior Faculty Advisor, Alum 2022
Fiona is a rising sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth pursuing a major in
interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in international social justice and a
minor in media studies. She participated in the WJMC during the summer of ‘22 and
had the best time of her life! Fiona loved Washington D.C. and the George Mason
campus, and she can’t wait to go back and see everyone there!
JOHNATHAN BURCH
Junior Faculty Advisor
Johnathan Burch is from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a rising sophomore at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, pursing a major in Politics & Law and minors in Health Equity and Philosophy. He is interested in pursuing a career in medical law, focusing on healthcare policy. Attending WJMC in 2021 was an unforgettable experience that Johnathan will cherish forever. He learned about the various forms that journalism can take on, met professionals in the field, and built new relationships with other National Youth Correspondents from across the nation. The relationships he made just a few years ago have blossomed into a vast network of individuals with similar interests. Although the students in his cohort may have chosen different career paths, they share an interest in breaking down barriers to improve society for the better. Returning as an alum to make this a memorable experience for other students is what makes WJMC even more special for him.
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.
SARAH KELLY
Junior Faculty Advisor, Alum 2022
Sarah is an avid reader and writer from Purcellville, Virginia. At home, she loves to spend time with her family and dogs out in nature. During the school year, she’s further north studying journalism at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When not reading fantasy or typing up stories, she can be found spinning a flag with the UMass colorguard team.
SAMANTHA PACH
Junior Faculty Advisor, Alum 2023
Samantha is from central Connecticut and is a rising sophomore at Penn State University! She intends to major in broadcast journalism and minor in digital trends and analytics and theater. At Penn State she is a comedy host on a late night talk show, Nittany Talk, and helps run the social media for the schools longest running newspaper, The Daily Collegian. She attended WJMC in 2023, and is so excited to be back this summer as a JFA!
MARK LUSSIER
Junior Faculty Advisor, Alum 2023
Mark is a rising sophomore at Hofstra University, studying journalism and minoring
in political science. He attended WJMC in the summer of 2023 as a rising high school
senior and as an intern in 2024. He loved every minute of both experiences. His love
for journalism was sparked when he was interviewed by a local reporter while he was
volunteering for Jahana Hayes’ campaign for Congress in 2018. The unmatched
energy and spirit from his WJMC 2023 color group only made him more excited
about possibly joining the profession. Mark is incredibly excited to return to
WJMC for the third year in a row as a Junior Faculty Advisor. He will strive to
make WJMC even more enjoyable while giving the same amazing experience to other aspiring journalists.
LEAH GAROFALO
Leah C. Garofalo is a junior from the suburbs of Philadelphia. In school, she leads her school’s Critics and Awards program (Cappies team), co-founded her school’s Fashion Club, and is on the executive board of the orchestra. Outside of school, Leah loves dancing, exploring her town, reading, and creating music. She hopes to become a journalist in the future, and is immensely grateful for the experiences that WJMC has provided her.
