The Washington Journalism and Media Conference

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Advisory Board

Mark Bauman

MARK BAUMAN

Chief Executive Officer, Virtual Wonders

Mark Bauman currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at Virtual Wonders, a multi-plaform 3D media company that creates immersive experiences for every major media platform. Mr. Bauman is an award-winning International Media and Communications Executive with more than 20 years experience developing broadcasts, publications, and new media businesses and outreach strategies. Before his tenure with Virtual Wonders, he worked with The National Geographic Society and served as a radio correspondent, Bureau Chief, and Producer for ABC News both domestically and abroad.

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Advisory Board

Chuck Todd

CHUCK TODD

Meet the Press Moderator & Political Director, NBC

Chuck Todd is the 12th moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. He also serves as Political Director for NBC News. He is a political analyst for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today, and MSNBC, including Hardball with Chris Matthews. In addition to his on-air analysis, Todd has been responsible for all aspects of the network’s political coverage, including maintaining contact with the campaigns and serving as the point person for political news and information. He is based in NBC News’ bureau in Washington, D.C. Before joining NBC News, Todd was the Editor-in-Chief of National Journal’s – The Hotline, Washington’s premier daily briefing on American Politics.

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Uncategorized

Beth Jannery

Beth Jannery has more than 25 years experience in Communication and Media. Jannery is the Director of Journalism for the Department of Communication. Her work was recently featured in The Washington Post.   She is a former journalist who covered the Pentagon. She was the Communication Officer for Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. 

Jannery is a member of the Advisory Board for The Washington Journalism and Media Conference, Faculty Liaison for The Insight Committee and Faculty Advisor for the Society of Professional Journalists. Jannery is author of the Journalism and Communication textbook What’s the Story? The Art of Writing & Communication (2nd Edition pending publication 2018) as well as author of several non-fiction books and novels.

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Uncategorized

Ali Dodson, MS, MPP

ALI DODSON

Associate Director, Washington Scholars Program

Ali Dodson is the Associate Director of the Washington Scholars Program. She has a B.S in Conservation Biology from George Mason University, and an M.S. in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology and M.P.P in Environmental Policy from University of Maryland. Her master’s research focused on student perception of environmental issues, which she then used to create and teach a summer Living Learning Community for University of Maryland’s Upward Bound Program. Before going to Maryland, Ali worked with the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a national competition for high school students in the marine sciences. Before coming to Mason, Ali worked with the EPA, where she was an ORISE fellow researching coastal wetlands. In her free time, she attempts to grow her own vegetables, hangs out in her big back yard with her dogs, and sings karaoke as often as possible.

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Counselor Leadership

Rachel Cleaver, MPA

RACHEL CLEAVER

Senior Associate Director, K-12 Partnerships

Rachel is the Senior Associate Director of K-12 Partnerships in the Office of Admissions. In this role, she creates and oversees partnerships that help bring more students to the Mason campus. She works with many departments and organizations across the campus as well as the community as a whole to talk about the great things happening at George Mason as well as College Access and Success overall. Rachel oversees bringing groups of students of all ages to campus and you will often see her corralling large groups of middle school students around campus. Rachel provides general support to the Washington Scholars Program. Prior to coming to George Mason, Rachel has extensive experience leading the programmatic efforts at two college access and success programs on the East Coast, Let’s Get Ready and The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund. She has extensive experience in curriculum design and program management and in helping under-served high school students achieve their college dreams. She earned BS degrees in Elementary Education and Human/Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and a Masters in Public Administration from George Mason University. She loves living in Washington, DC and looks forward to welcoming you here this summer!

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Leadership

Elena Johnson, M.Ed.

ELENA JOHNSON

Director, Washington Scholars Program

Elena is the Director of the Washington Scholars Program (WSP) which includes the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) and the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE).  As the director, she works to create fulfilling conference experiences by developing curriculum for the programs, as well as recruiting professional faculty and nationally recognized speakers in the fields of journalism and the media and environmental science. Under her leadership the programs have tripled in size and furthered their reach through key partnerships. Elena also manages several key partnerships for the Office of Admissions that focus on dual enrollment programming and college access initiatives. Prior to working in the Office of Admissions, Elena worked as a College and Career Specialist helping high school students explore their educational and career goals and choices. Elena earned a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and her Masters in Education from George Mason University.

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Speakers

Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith is the Global Chief Communications Officer of The BitFury Group – a leading technology company in the transformational financial technology sector dedicated to the breakthrough innovation of the Blockchain. Jamie is leading global initiatives designed to fundamentally change the way the larger global community does business, transfers value, and opens up new doors to prosperity for billions of people throughout the world.

Jamie has dedicated her career to making lives better, enhancing security, and ensuring opportunity is available to all. Jamie brings nearly two decades of communications experience to her role as Global CCO, serving at the highest levels of government and the private sector. She previously served as Special Assistant to President Obama and deputy White House press secretary, Executive Vice President at Edelman Public Relations where she oversaw multi-channel media strategies, Director of Public Affairs for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and General James Clapper, Communications Director for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation under its then Chairman John D (Jay) Rockefeller IV, Traveling Press Director for Secretary Hillary Clinton’s 2008 Presidential Campaign, Communications Director for former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and The Albright Group, LLC. and policy aide to Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-NY).

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Speakers

Assad Khan

Khan is a DC radio veteran for over 15 years. Having started as an intern and eventually an on-air personality at the Legendary 99-1 HFS, Khan can currently be heard on iHeartRadio’s DC101 as a weekend/swing DJ. Focusing primarily on the alternative rock format, Khan 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.

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Speakers

Ian Bush

Ian Bush is an anchor, reporter, and editor at KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and a reporter for the CBS Radio News network. In 2008, he was named one of national radio’s ’30 Under 30′ by Edison Media Research. Now, sadly, he’s over 30. Bush is KYW’s technology editor, but his reporting is diverse: he was part of the Murrow Award-winning play-by-play team that broadcast the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, and he was honored by the Associated Press for a series on young voters. Bush is a 2004 graduate of Villanova University. A proud Wildcat, he served as news director at the campus radio station, WXVU-FM, where his documentary ‘Voices of Reading’ earned the first AP award for station. He received his master’s degree in 2006 — and had the distinction of being the first to graduate in Villanova’s new master’s program in communication. He got his start in radio anchoring local news on WDIY-FM in Bethlehem, Pa., an NPR affiliate, while at Notre Dame High School (Green Pond) and in between two-a-days in the pool. Connect with Ian on Twitter: @ianthebush

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Speakers

Rodger Smith

RODGER SMITH

Instructor, Communication Minor Director & WGMU Faculty Advisor, George Mason University

Professor Rodger Smith is a professor of Communication at George Mason University. He is currently teaching COMM 359 Media Management, COMM 148 Radio Workshop 1, COMM 354 Radio Production, COMM 348 Radio Workshop 2 and COMM 372 Sports and the Media.

He is currently the faculty advisor for WGMU, the campus online radio station. Professor Smith’s interest in Communications came from an interest in the cause and effect of programming and how the media affects culture, daily life and technology. His previous work in radio includes working for WFTR Front Royal, Virginia where he was a news director (1986-1988), sports director and mid-day on-air talent (1988-1989) and a morning drive personality (1990-1992). He also worked as an advertising/production director for WUSQ Winchester.

Professor Smith was honored in Who’s Who in the Media and Communications in 1997-1998. Professor Smith also serves as the public address announcer for football and basketball games at his Alma Mater, Warren County High School in Front Royal, VA.