Tag: 2019

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

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.

BRITNEY CROWE

Faculty Advisor

Allison Alberty

ALLISON ALBERTY

Advance Team Member

Allison Alberty is the Assistant Director of Outreach Events and Programs in the Office of Admissions at George Mason University. A proud (almost) double Patriot, she is both a George Mason and Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) alumna. Allison earned her BA in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations in Spring 2023 and is currently pursuing her MA in Strategic Communication. Outside of work and graduate school, you’ll find her at rock concerts, on a yoga mat, nurturing her growing plant collection, or finding the best new brunch spots in town.

ALLISON ALBERTY

Advance Team Member

Savannah Behrmann

SAVANNAH BEHRMANN

Politics and Congress Reporter

Savannah Rose Behrmann is a political and congressional reporter who currently covers the Senate and its leadership for CQ Roll Call. Previously, she served as the Senate correspondent for National Journal and as a congressional reporter at USA TODAY, where she led the newspaper’s coverage of both chambers of Congress. Beyond the halls of the Capitol, Savannah has reported from the campaign trail, covering the 2020 and 2024 elections, as well as the White House and the Supreme Court. She also frequently appears on air to discuss her reporting and analysis of Congress. Savannah is from Utah and attended George Mason University, where she graduated in 2018. She is a proud alumna of the Washington Journalism and Media Conference, which she attended as a National Youth Correspondent in 2013 and later served as a staff member for several years.

SAVANNAH BEHRMANN

Politics and Congress Reporter

Nadgeena Jerome

NADGEENA JEROME

Multimedia Journalist

A first-generation Haitian-American, Nadgeena Jerome is a dynamic multimedia journalist, on-camera host, and content creator with a focus on lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and entertainment. Over the past year, she has covered major cultural events including New York Fashion Week, Miami Swim Week, Arizona Fashion Week, and Swim Week Las Vegas, while continuing to produce engaging digital content for national media brands and her personal platform, The JooJoo Journey.

Previously, she served as a senior lifestyle reporter and assistant editor at The U.S. Sun, and has held on-air and digital roles at News 12, Talent Recap, and 2M Media Group in Washington, D.C.

Nadgeena is a proud alumna of George Mason University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2017. She is also a proud 2012 alumna of the Washington Journalism and Media Conference and is honored to return as a featured speaker, continuing to give back to the organization that helped spark and shape her path in journalism.

Outside of journalism, Nadgeena is a signed professional model, a nationally recognized pageant competitor, and the founder of The Unbroken Collective, a mental health initiative tied to her lifestyle brand. She placed 1st runner-up at the 2024 and 2025 Miss Virginia USA pageants and is currently completing her first children’s book. She also serves as an advocacy ambassador for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and is a Girls Write Now mentor.

NADGEENA JEROME

Multimedia Journalist

Previously, she served as a senior lifestyle reporter and assistant editor at The U.S. Sun, and has held on-air and digital roles at News 12, Talent Recap, and 2M Media Group in Washington, D.C.

Rondene Grinam

RONDENE GRINAM

Global Email Marketing Manager, Microsoft

Rondene Grinam is a global email marketing manager at Microsoft. Previously, she was a marketing specialist at Gartner, a leading business research and advisory company. In this role, she managed marketing campaign strategy through channels like email, web content, and social media. She also served as the communications lead for Gartner’s multicultural employee group.

She developed an early interest in communications as a writer for her high school news publications and columnist for her city’s newspaper. While attending George Mason University, she was involved in a variety of opportunities to develop a career around her passions for global communication, social media, and public relations.

An alum of the Washington Scholars Program for young aspiring communications professionals, she held a number of enriching internships throughout her undergraduate career, most notably in marketing at Northern Virginia Magazine and the British Embassy Washington. She has also refined her intercultural communication skills through studying abroad in France and Italy, and through interning for Italian travel agency Florence for Fun and George Mason’s Center for Global Education.

Rondene received a bachelor’s degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and minors in journalism and global affairs from George Mason University in May 2016. In December 2018, she earned a master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy.

She loves being a part of the WJMC family and is thrilled to be a part of the conference again this year.

RONDENE GRINAM

Global Email Marketing Manager, Microsoft

She loves being a part of the WJMC family and is thrilled to be a part of the conference again this year.

Megan Tucker

MEGAN TUCKER

Communication Faculty, George Mason University

Meg Tucker is an associate term professor for the Communication department. In the past, Meg served as the BA Program Director for the department from 2017-2020, and the Director of Academic Advising from 2020-2023. Previously, Meg has also worked full time in Washington D.C. at the National Communication Association on the student learning outcomes grant. She has formerly worked as an adjunct professor at NVCC. Meg received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and English (Journalism) from Christopher Newport University. Her Master of Arts in Communication is from George Mason University. In 2015, Meg earned her PhD in Higher Education with a focus in Communication from GMU. Her research interests include student development, communication and academic advising, interpersonal and organizational communication, media, identity, small group communication, student services, learning outcomes, assessment and marginalized student groups.

MEGAN TUCKER

Communication Faculty, George Mason University

Mark Hilburn

MARK HILBURN

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Mark Hilburn is an assistant principal at Millard West High School in Omaha, Neb., and adjunct professor in the College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media at the University of Nebraska Omaha where he was named the 2026 Adjunct Professor of the Year. For 16 years, Mark taught journalism and advised the MWHS Wildcat News broadcast, Catalyst newspaper, Prowler yearbook, Uproar radio, and Wildcat Sports Network livestreaming. His publications have been Pacemaker, Crown, All-American, Best in Show and NSAA State Journalism Championship winners, the first school inducted into the NHSPA Cornhusker Hall of Fame, and Mark has advised four Nebraska Journalists of the Year. Mark was named the Nebraska Journalism Teacher of the Year in 2015, was the first adviser to receive the Dr. Sherrie Wilson Outstanding Service Award for Journalism in 2019, and the JEA Future Administrator Award in 2020. Mark is the past President of the Nebraska High School Press Association, presents and judges at national JEA/NSPA and CSPA conventions and teaches journalism workshops across the country. He holds a doctoral degree in Education Leadership, and two Master’s degrees, Journalism and Mass Communication and Secondary Education Curriculum and Instruction, from the University of Nebraska. Mark is looking forward to his 9th summer as a faculty adviser at WJMC.