The Washington Journalism and Media Conference

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Tag: 2022

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Speakers

Dr. Alan Byrd

DR. ALAN BYRD

Dean of Admissions, George Mason University

Alan Byrd began his tenure as Dean of Admissions at George Mason University in November 2020. With over 20 years of experience in enrollment management and community engagement, Dr. Byrd has a long, successful track record of leading, planning, and coordinating student recruitment and retention initiatives. He brings a team-oriented, data-driven recruitment approach to Mason that prioritizes exceptional service and commitment to student success.

Prior to Mason, Dr. Byrd was the chief enrollment officer at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He led UMSL to several new milestones for enrollment growth, diversity of the student body, the academic profile of incoming students, and graduation rates. Removing financial barriers for students was central to his work in St. Louis, where he developed innovative financial aid programs such as the “UMSL Grant” and “Finish Your Degree Scholarship” that reduced the average student loan debt at graduation by 12% and earned UMSL national recognition as a top 100 institution for social mobility according to U.S. News & World Report. 

Dr. Byrd received his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UMSL. He earned a B.A. in Communication and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Southeast Missouri State University.

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Speakers

Kayla Sharpe

KAYLA SHARPE

Deputy Newsletter Team Lead, Bloomberg Government

Kayla N. Sharpe is a digital journalist based in the Washington D.C. area. She is the Deputy Newsletter Team Leader at Bloomberg Government and previously worked as an Associate Editor at Axios — where she oversaw reporting teams in D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Twin Cities — at POLITICO as 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 & Media and American Studies and served as the Digital Media Editor for the campus newspaper, The Flat Hat. In addition to completing communications internships at the Brookings Institution, the Democratic National Committee, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Kayla has seen her reporting recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, receiving their 2017 Regional Mark of Excellence Award for In-Depth Reporting, and William & Mary, receiving their 2016 Rex Smith Journalism Award.

Kayla is proud to be an engaged William & Mary alumna and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Young Guarde Alumni Council and on the William & Mary Washington Center Advisory Board as Board Development Chair. Kayla currently lives in Reston, VA with her Australian Shepherd, Kirby, and her many houseplants.

Check out Kayla’s website

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Speakers

Daniela Pierre-Bravo

DANIELA PIERRE-BRAVO

TV Producer, MSNBC's "Morning Joe"

Daniela Pierre-Bravo is a best-selling author, public speaker and MSNBC reporter for Morning Joe.  She is a contributor and producer for NBC’s “Know Your Value” platform and co-author of Earn It!. A former Cosmopolitan magazine columnist, Pierre-Bravo has written on career advice, mental health, and financial wellness with an emphasis on women of color. Her work has been featured on the Today Show, Telemundo, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, New York Magazine, and more. Her new book “The Other: how women of color can own their power at work” will be published August 23, 2022.

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Faculty Advisor Staff

Britney Crowe

BRITNEY CROWE

Faculty Advisor

Britney has been teaching for 21 years north of San Antonio in a consolidated school district; eighteen years at the junior high and the last three at Samuel Clemens High School- both of which offer journalism electives. Journalism, photojournalism, advanced newspaper, and advanced yearbook are the disciplines she fosters to students who are lured by the energy and excitement she exudes because she LOVES watching the students fall in love with commitment to telling factual truth. 

Britney volunteers at photography contests to judge and critique competitors’ entries. She has students earning All-state Journalists awards, ATPI first places for digital construction, and for the first time ever The Stampede (yearbook) was awarded first place from NSPA. Britney belongs to JEA, ILPC, and ATPI and enjoys attending conventions with or without students. The high school where she advises takes pride in producing 7-9 print editions of newspapers, 4 magazines, and online newspaper, and a 296-page yearbook every year.

In her free time, Britney is raising twin fourteen-year-old girls, and a high school senior, Eagle Scout who will be graduating from both college and high school within the same month. She loves gardening, reading novels, and afternoon naps. Travel fuels her heart with confidence in humanity that “people are really good at heart.” -Anne Frank

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Junior Faculty Advisor Staff

Charles Hunter

CHARLIE HUNTER

Junior Faculty Advisor

Charlie Hunter is a rising senior at the University of Kentucky pursuing a B.A. in Integrated Strategic Communication with a minor in Theatre.  Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Charlie attended WJMC as a correspondent in 2018 and returned as an intern in 2019. Since then, he has specialized in digital marketing and content creation, working with Sony Music Entertainment, the Kentucky Kernel, and various organizations within the University of Kentucky. Charlie is also an actor, avid sports fan, and aspiring educator.

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Junior Faculty Advisor

Kobe Mosley

KOBE MOSLEY

Junior Faculty Advisor

Kobe Mosley is a rising senior at Butler University, studying sports media, journalism, and strategic communications.  Mosley was a national youth correspondent in 2018, an intern in 2019, and is so excited to return this summer as a JFA! Mosley is a huge fan of the NBA and WNBA and hopes to be a multimedia sports journalist after college.

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Advance Team Staff

Allison Alberty

ALLISON ALBERTY

Advance Team Member

Allison Alberty is a WJMC and George Mason alumna who currently works as a Washington Scholars Program Advance Team member. She graduated with a BA in Communication and a concentration in Public Relations and minored in Political Communications. During her time at Mason, Allison was the Social Media and Graphics Editor for the Fourth Estate, Vice President of Recruitment and Marketing for Kappa Delta Sorority and an Honors College student. In her current role, Allison creates social media content for Mason’s WSP programs and coordinates with the Events team to plan the summer conferences. In her free time, Allison enjoys going on Kiss cruises, attending rock concerts, and finding new brunch spots!

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Speakers

John Hollis

John Hollis, Communications Officer, Strategic Communications. Photo by: Ron Aira/Creative Services/George Mason University

JOHN HOLLIS

Media Relations Manager, George Mason University

John D. Hollis lists 17 years of daily newspaper experience, including nearly 10 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a lengthy stint as a correspondent for Time Magazine.  He has authored three books, including “Sgt. Rodney M. Davis: The Making of a Hero,” the 2018 hit that chronicles the inspirational life and death of the U.S. Marine who became Macon, Georgia’s lone Medal of Honor recipient following his death in Vietnam in 1967.  In 2013, Hollis teamed with former professional wrestler Lex Luger to pen “Wrestling with the Devil: The True Story of a World Champion Professional Wrestler – His Reign, Ruin, and Redemption.”  Over his career, Hollis has covered the Super Bowl, the Olympics, five college basketball Final Fours, the College World Series, the NBA and the NFL and major college football and basketball within both the ACC and SEC.  The University of Virginia and Woodberry Forest School alum is currently working as the Media Relations Manager at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

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Advisory Board Speakers

Savannah Behrmann

SAVANNAH BEHRMANN

Senate Correspondent, National Journal

Savannah Rose Behrmann is the Senate Correspondent for National Journal, where she roams the halls of Capitol Hill focusing on the legislative and bipartisan gridlock of Congress’ upper chamber.  Prior, she served as a Congressional Reporter at USA TODAY, where she led the newspaper’s coverage of both chambers of Congress. Previously, she worked as a Politics NOW Reporter at USA TODAY, covering breaking political news that ranged from the 2020 election, Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court. Beforehand, she was a News Associate at CNN. Savannah hails 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 then worked as a staff member for several years.

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Speakers

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.