LUCY JOHNSON
Advance Team Member
Lucy Johnson is from Rochester, New York and is currently a rising sophomore at George Mason University studying Government and International Politics with an interest in environmental policy. Outside of academics, she is a member of the school dance team, Zeta Tau Alpha, and is the Vice President of Events for Mason Ambassadors. She is excited to work her first summer with the Washington Scholars Program!
KOBE MOSLEY
Advance Team Member
Kobe Mosley is a 2018 alumnus of the sister program to WYSE, the Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) and has previously worked on the staff for that program as an intern in 2019 and junior faculty advisor in 2022. He graduated from Butler University with a bachelor’s degree in sports media in 2023 and is working towards earning his master’s degree in sports journalism from Indiana University – Indianapolis this summer. After graduation, he plans to work as a McLendon Fellow for the Horizon League in Indianapolis. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing sports, listening to his favorite podcasts, and doing the daily Connections puzzle.
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.
JOHN GOSSETT
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 Masters in Education both from the University of Arkansas.
ANNIE MAE WEISS
Arena Host, Washington Capitals and Reporter/Anchor, FOX 5
Annie Mae is in her third season in the NHL and second season in Washington, D.C. with the Capitals as the In-Arena Host. While hosting for the Capitals, she was also a Social Contributor for Bleacher Report: Open Ice in her opening season. Additionally, Annie Mae works for the Fox 5 morning team reporting morning news and traffic, and anchors Good Day DC. Prior to coming back to the DMV area where she grew up, she was a Broadcast Associate for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2021-22 season. She then went on to be a Social Correspondent on the NHL’s YouTube show “Third P3riod Live” covering Eastern and Western Conference Finals. Annie Mae has a B.A. in broadcast journalism from Penn State.
MEGAN EICHENBERG
Director of Communications & Publicity, The Washington Capitals
As director of communications & publicity for the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals, Megan Eichenberg oversees corporate communications surrounding the team’s initiatives across marketing, business, charitable and community endeavors, and youth hockey development. As the Capitals primary media contact for “off-ice” programming, Eichenberg works with Capitals players and staff to spotlight the organization through local and national media coverage. Eichenberg also oversees the production of the team’s annual lifestyle magazine W, a publication for Capitals fans that is geared toward profiling Capitals players away from the ice.
Eichenberg has served in communications roles with the Capitals since 2012. Prior to her employment with the Capitals, she served in communications internship roles with Monumental Sports & Entertainment and the University of Mary Washington (UMW) as well as in a community relations role with USO-Metro. Eichenberg received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from UMW and a master’s degree in sports industry management with a concentration in strategic marketing, communications and new media from Georgetown University.
PATRICK MONEY
Director of Freshman Admissions, George Mason University
Patrick Money is the Director of Admissions for Freshman Recruitment for George Mason University. After starting as a student employee at the Admissions office in 2006, he has spent the last sixteen years as a member of the Mason Admissions family helping students and families find the right college destination.
Patrick is a Mason alumnus x 2 with a B.A in Psychology and his M.A in Higher Education Administration. If he is not attending a Washington Nationals game in D.C, you will find him overseeing domestic recruitment strategy and implementation, admissions data management, and freshmen application review for Mason. Being busy is a must, but his love for coffee carries him through most of the recruitment cycle!
One of his favorite memories was when he made his initial decision to come to Mason back in 2006 after he saw the Men’s basketball team reach the final four live at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.! (He still talks about it like it happened yesterday, and shows no signs of changing that!!)
Patrick has a passion for higher education and even more so for George Mason University and the opportunities for an access-driven enrollment strategy. Whether it be about equitable enrollment practices, or the best places to eat while on the recruitment trail, he is always ready for a lively discussion and hopes to share it with all those who are interested.
CARMELLA BOYKIN
Associate Producer, The Washington Post TikTok Team
Carmella Boykin is an associate producer on The Washington Post TikTok team. She writes, shoots and edits news TikToks that often involve dancing to explain news topics. Previously, she worked as a local TV reporter in Rochester, NY where she started her TikTok account. Carmella joined the Post in December 2021 and holds a degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Syracuse University.
