Category: Staff

Halli Harwood

HALLI HARWOOD

Junior Faculty Advisor

Halli Harwood is a rising junior at Elon University, studying strategic communications and business administration. After attending WJMC in the summer of 2021, and returning as an intern in the summer of 2022, Halli is excited to once again join the WJMC as a JFA. At Elon, Halli is an account executive at Live Oak Communications, a student-run marketing and advertising agency, is conducting undergraduate research on cruise lines and their communication methods regarding the environment, and is currently working as a freelancer for BOLD LA, where she interned last summer. By the time WJMC 2024 is in session, Halli will have just finished a semester abroad at USYD in Sydney, Australia, and would love nothing more than to talk about it!

Peyton Hodge

PEYTON ANN HODGE

Junior Faculty Advisor

Peyton Ann Hodge attended WJMC in 2021 and is now joining this year’s
conference as a Junior Faculty Advisor. She studies journalism at Ohio
University and currently writes for an entertainment news outlet, Celeb
Secrets, as well as her university’s chapter of Her Campus. When Peyton Ann remembers her time at the conference, she recalls the lifelong friends she met and the valuable resources she learned about. As a Junior Faculty Advisor, Peyton Ann hopes to help make this year’s attendees’s experience at the conference as wonderful as hers was.

Abigail Villacrusis

ABIGAIL VILLACRUSIS

Junior Faculty Advisor

Abby is a student at Virginia Wesleyan University double majoring in Communication and French. She enjoys competing in speech and debate and is on her school’s ethics bowl team. Additionally, she works in her school’s student activities office, assisting with planning and coordinating events. She attended WJMC in 2021 and can’t wait to come back!

Emma Taylor

EMMA TAYLOR

Junior Faculty Advisor

Emma Taylor is a rising sophomore at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She is pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in Anthropology/Sociology, as well as being on the pre-law track. Outside of the classroom, Emma is a member of Rhodes’ award-winning Mock Trial team, member of Kappa Delta Sorority, campus tour guide, and works as a student associate in the financial aid office. Emma is a 2021 WJMC alumna and served on the Advisory Board the following year. Her favorite part of WJMC was the connections she made and the knowledge she gained, and she cannot wait to meet all of the correspondents in July!

Katherine Brown

KATHERINE BROWN

Junior Faculty Advisor

Katherine Brown is a junior at Central Michigan University with a major in journalism and political science and a leadership minor. This past semester Katherine did the Disney College Program where she was a park greeter at the Magic Kingdom. This is her second year as a JFA, and she attended WJMC in 2021. Her favorite part of WJMC is making new friends from all over the country.

Ashley King

ASHLEY KING

Advance Team Member

Ashley King is the Event Coordinator in the Office of Admissions at George Mason University. Ashley started with the Office of Admissions in October of 2019 and is excited to support her second in-person conference. One of Ashley’s passions is to create visually engaging content by using her graphic design skills, so be on the lookout during the conference because you might just see one of her designs! Ashley earned her B.A. in Theater from George Mason University. In her free time you can catch Ashley going to concerts, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Ashley Larson

ASHLEY LARSON

Advance Team Member

Ashley Larson is from Parker, Colorado. She is a Sophomore at Grand Canyon University. She loves photography, specifically sports photography! She currently works for Grand Canyon University’s feminist publication HerGCU. She writes, photographs, and plans events for this publication.

Melissa Moore, MBA

MELISSA MOORE

Director of Logistics

Melissa Moore is the Associate Director of Events and Programs for the Office of Admissions at George Mason University and serves as the Director of Logistics for the Washington Scholars Program. Melissa attended WSP’s Washington Journalism and Media Conference as a high school student and worked as a staff member for the programs throughout her undergraduate tenure. She went on to receive both her B.A. in Communication and Masters of Business Administration from Mason. She has worked in events for the Washington Capitals (and has a ring to prove it!) and a tech startup before returning to her alma mater. Melissa is dedicated to fostering meaningful experiences through impactful events!

Dawn Aponte

DAWN APONTE

Administrative Assistant, Washington Scholars Program

Dawn Aponte 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. Dept. of Justice. She loves supporting the WSP summer programs, the students and their families, and her teammates. In her opinion, 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.

Kari Johnson

Faculty Advisor

Kari Johnson, CJE, just finished her 12th year of teaching and advising publications in the Kansas City, Mo. area. Her newspaper and yearbook staffs have earned numerous local, state and national awards from JEMKC, MIPA, JEA and NSPA. Kari loves teaching journalism and photojournalism, especially the First Amendment. She loves seeing the pride her students take in creating publications that are distributed throughout the school and community. Kari earned her B.S. in Journalism from the University of Central Missouri and her Master’s in Teaching from Park University. This will be Kari’s second summer at WJMC, having served as a Faculty Adviser in 2012. In addition to teaching, Kari loves to travel with her husband and two kids, Kayleigh, 7, and Wyatt, 2.