Organizational Development and Learning
About Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day
Each year, Mason designates a day for bringing faculty and staff together for professional and personal growth, known as Faculty-Staff Enrichment Day (FSED). FSED offers professional and personal development workshops, lunch, and a chance to network with Mason colleagues.
All Mason employees are invited to participate! Supervisors are encouraged to provide flexibility during work hours for their teams to attend.
This year's theme is Mapping Your Future: Discovering Mason's Treasure! Explore new paths, unlock potential, and discover hidden treasures within yourself and your work.
🗓️ When: Wed, October 25, 2023 | 9 AM – 4 PM
📍 Where: The Johnson Center (Fairfax)
Time | Event |
---|---|
8:15 – 8:45 am | Sign-in and Refreshments – Dewberry Hall |
9:00 – 9:45 am | Keynote – JC Cinema |
10:00 – 11:00 am | Breakout Sessions – JC 3rd floor |
11:15 am – 12:15 pm | Breakout Sessions – JC 3rd floor |
12:30 - 1:45 pm | Lunch and Resource Fair – Dewberry Hall |
2:00 – 2:55 pm | Breakout Sessions – JC 3rd floor |
3:00 – 3:10 pm | Raffle and Refreshments – George's |
3:15 – 4:00 pm | Application Stations – JC 3rd floor & George's |
Navigating Transition: How to Get From Where We Are to Where We Need to Be
Presented by Lewis Forrest and Sheldon Tate
Johnson Center Cinema
Change is a constant in our lives. Whether personally or professionally, individually or collectively, we all experience it. Often times, change is not chosen, but rather seems to choose us. How do we take ownership of this phenomenon and leverage it to our benefit? Are there better ways to prepare for and maneuver through the change/transition process than what comes naturally to us?
Based on William Bridges's book Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, this session will present a unique perspective on how those experiencing change—or facilitating the change experience for others—can best approach the concept.
Meet the Speakers!
Lewis E. Forrest II
Associate Dean for University Life
Lewis E. Forrest II, M. Ed. is currently an Associate Dean for University Life at George Mason University. His current portfolio includes – Mason Recreation, The Early Identification Program (EIP), and The Office of International Programs and Services. He also has responsibilities related to awareness and education initiatives specific to campus Well-Being; these initiatives include the CliftonStrengths Academy, Mason’s on-line Resilience Badge program, and the Well-Being and fitness app BurnAlong. Lewis was recently recognized with the 2023 Nancy Murphy Mason Spirit Award.
He has over 20 years of professional experience in higher education and is an Alum of Mason (1996) receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in African American Studies. In 2005 he received his Master’s degree in K-12, Counseling and Development and was recognized by the College of Education and Human Development for outstanding achievement and academic excellence. His professional experience extends to several years serving as a Professional School Counselor in Prince William County Public Schools.
Sheldon Tate
Executive Director of Recreation, Mason Recreation
Tate is an accomplished campus recreation leader with a considerable amount of experience. He is an active participant in NIRSA (the governing body of campus recreation), where he is focused on promoting student success and creating inclusive environments across the nation. He brings a diverse set of skills and experiences in the field of recreation, student affairs, higher education, executive coaching, and research. His vast expertise in culture building, strategic planning, relationship building, and project management have been valuable in creating and implementing effective programs and initiatives. He has managed recreation personnel at all levels and in fast paced environments. Known best for his passion, personality, and ability to foster intrinsic motivation, Tate is driven by the desire to impact the lives of others just as his was at the beginning of his journey.
Tate received a Master's degree in Leisure Services Management from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas. Tate is expected to receive his Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Texas Christian University in the 2023-24 school year. When not working to promote high-quality recreation programs, he works as a NCAA Division 1 basketball official in multiple conferences. He enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and most importantly, trying to keep up with his wife Devin and their four kids.
10 – 11 am
10 Strategies for Navigating Conflict
Kimberly Jackson Davidson and Sarah Ahmed
3rd Floor, Meeting Room B
This workshop is designed to introduce or remind participants of practices that promote mindfulness of available personal choices during interpersonal engagements with others who inevitably differ from the participants in their cultures, worldviews, and ways of communicating. The workshop will commence with an interactive presentation that includes a brief overview of the elements of the conflict cycle, an emphasis on the value of self-empathy as a foundation for remembering the dignity of others when we communicate in tense situations, and ten practical tips that can help navigate conflict. The information shared will be reinforced through an activity, and the workshop will close with a period of Q&A.
Chartering Your Path and Building Your Brand Via Social Media
Philip Wilkerson
3rd Floor, Meeting Room C
We often encourage students and young professionals to market their skills on social but often forget to do the same thing for ourselves as mid-career professionals and career switchers. During this year, you will learn the importance of continuously building a personal brand on social media and using it as a tool for career growth and exploration.
Cultivate Well-Being Through Mindfulness and Movement
Julia Morelli
3rd Floor, Meeting Room D
Are you curious about ways you can enhance your well-being by making small changes? Resilience is the ability to successfully adapt to challenging life experiences through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. It is a skill that can be cultivated, and it is vital to personal and professional growth. This interactive workshop provides the opportunity to learn about different types of rest associated with well-being and a chance to experience mindfulness practices that can help strengthen your resilience.
Come explore patterns of thinking that can affect your well-being, and practice various forms of moving meditation and stretches. Some movements and postures are calming and others are energizing. There is no one path to cultivating well-being, and this session can help you learn what works best for you. Come as you are and dress comfortably.
Leading a Life of Meaning and Purpose Driven By Your Values
Melissa Bevacqua and Karen Beck
3rd Floor, Meeting Room E
When it’s time to make a life decision, do you have a framework? Who or what guides your decisions? Do you know who you really are and what you stand for? Identifying and examining your deepest values can help you tap into your authentic needs. But how do you do that? What is the vehicle you’ll use to do this exploration?
This engaging session will help define and refine your potential values, exploring what’s meaningful to you through reflection, to determine what you need to declare as the next steps in your life. The presenters will provide questions to interrogate what is in your heart. With this clarity, knowing how your values show up in your life, your work, and your relationships, you can then build a life of intentional purpose, resilience and engagement. You’ll have the foundational concepts to discern which of your values factors into the future decisions you will face. You’ll leave this session energized to take what you’ve learned about yourself to shape your journey moving forward.
ProjectConnect Program for Faculty and Staff: A Sneak Peek
Stacey Ellis and Zareena Khan
3rd Floor, Meeting Room F
The ProjectConnect program is designed to support faculty and staff looking to strengthen their social skills, build connection, create community, and enhance workplace well-being at Mason. Through this interactive “sneak peek” session, participants will be introduced to the Project Connect model, including the program format, individual and employer benefits from participation, and feedback from past participants! Icebreakers and small group connection activities will be facilitated to promote positive network expansion.
Resilience First Aid: Quick Resilience Techniques to Relieve Stress and Restore Calm
Laura Buckwold
3rd Floor, Meeting Room G
If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or anxious, increasing your resilience can not only lower your stress and restore calm and balance, but also recharge your energy, renew your focus and revive your passion for what you love to do. If your life is fine at the moment, you can build your resilience now to better prepare for adversities yet to come and deal with the daily challenges of life with greater ease.
This workshop introduces participants to fundamentals of resilience based on scientific research and provides the opportunity to practice tools and techniques that can be done anywhere, anytime. You will learn simple practices which quickly boost your resilience and help you find your calm center, even in high stress situations. You will recognize how your brain reacts to stress and discover how to shift to a more positive response, preventing burnout and restoring balance. The techniques and practices learned in this workshop can be applied to all aspects of life – work, home and community, and increase your emotional, mental and physical well-being.
11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Constructive Conflict Engagement
Mara Schoeny and Dr. Susan Allen
3rd Floor, Meeting Room A
In this workshop, participants will engage with concepts and skills useful for staff and faculty encountering conflicts in their daily work. Conflict comes in many forms and presents different challenges depending on the setting, issues, and people involved. Participants will work with their own scenarios to practice initiating difficult conversations and collaborative problem-solving, as well as reflection on personal orientations to conflict.
Empower Yourself Through Coaching
Robyn Madar and Laura Phelps
3rd Floor, Meeting Room F
Did you know that Mason offers professional coaching at no cost to faculty and staff? Join us to learn more about what coaching is and how you can take advantage of this resource, whether you’re looking for a thought partner to help you navigate a change, a confidential and empathetic ear, or someone skilled in reframing challenges or goals and providing new perspectives. See your challenges through a coaching lens and familiarize yourself with coaching, mentoring, and consulting resources at Mason in this interactive session.
Positive Leadership
Miles Lowe
3rd Floor, Meeting Room C
Join us for this session as we unpack Kim Cameron's Positive Leadership tools–research and industry-leading practices that we can use to foster resilient and productive, well-being-focused teams across Mason!
Savoring the Good: Introduction to Positive Brain Change
Laura Buckwald
3rd Floor, Meeting Room G
Would you like to grow a more positive outlook on life and overcome the natural focus on negative events and feelings? This workshop introduces you to techniques and practices which help you to skillfully use your mind to encode positive experiences into the physical structure of the brain, creating a lasting positive mindset. Science has shown that our brains constantly change through experience. To get positive experiences to “stick” in our brains, we must create and savor beneficial experiences. Autumn is a particularly wonderful time to take a step back and savor the beauty around us, and in this introductory session, we will explore how we can use this special time to make lasting positive mindset change. We will train our brains to concentrate on life’s positive aspects, enhancing our happiness and helping us to develop enduring inner strengths such as vitality, resilience, positivity, emotional balance, confidence, and compassion. These inner strengths are vital for managing stress and life's challenges and will enable you to give more to others while maintaining your own self-care.
Understanding Change Using the SCARF Model
Andria Rollinson
3rd Floor, Meeting Room D
David Rock’s SCARF® model is based in neuroscience and details five social factors that affect how individuals feel and behave within a team. This course will walk learners through the model to help them understand their thoughts and emotions as it pertain to change. Not everyone responds to change in the same way; some people may embrace it, while others may resist it or fear it. The SCARF model can support creating a more positive and productive change culture. This session includes an accompanying assessment which gives the learners a better understanding of their relative sensitivity towards different types of social drivers and factors for each domain of SCARF®.
2:00 – 2:55 pm
Are We Preparing Students to Lead Positive Change?
Nick Lennon
3rd Floor, Meeting Room B
A global pandemic, corporate scandals, and rampant political and racial polarization have highlighted many examples of unethical leadership. Are we preparing students to lead positive change? The need for improved ethics education, for both current and future leaders, is abundantly clear, but the traditional approach to leadership ethics is incomplete. Scientific research from the new field of behavioral ethics can help us better prepare students to lead positive change, regardless of whether they have a leadership position or not. Behavioral ethics, which draws upon psychology, cognitive science, evolutionary biology, sociology, and related fields, can improve ethical decision-making in a manner that can lead to more ethical climates in groups, organizations, and society as a whole. Attend this session to come away with actionable ideas, and ready to use tools, for infusing behavioral ethics into your work.
Charting Your Path: Navigating Workplace Growth, Conflict and Community Building
Panel, Human Resources and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
3rd Floor, Meeting Room F
Learn alongside Mason’s Human Resources and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion experts about best practices in professional development and how inclusivity empowers employee growth and retention. Join us for an interactive panel discussion that explores the institutional synergy between HR and DEI. Additionally, unpack opportunities to drive personal and institutional innovation and growth!
Compassionate Conversations
Dr. Erikca Brown
3rd Floor, Meeting Room G
This learning opportunity encourages and supports Compassionate Conversations as a skillful communication practice. Compassionate Conversation refers to the skillful ways that people can talk together so that we feel understood and more able to understand one another. Participants will learn to stay grounded while engaging in difficult conversations, recognize and set healthy boundaries to ensure psychological safety, recognize and work with our own obstacles to empathy, and build collaborative language system of functional vocabulary with which to engage in healthy conversations. Participants will develop skills for communication and interaction across cultures and expand opportunities to engage in authentic and compassionate communication to exchange multiple perspectives and lived experiences around inclusive excellence, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
Health Promoting Universities: A Systems-Level Framework for Promoting Well-Being in Higher Education
Stephanie Funkhouser
3rd Floor, Meeting Room D
Well-being in higher education is recognized as a crucial component of the college experience and has been prioritized by institutions across the globe. With direct influence on student success, well-being has been imbedded into virtually all aspects of university culture. This emphasis has led to an ever-evolving landscape for well-being promotion on college campuses. As the landscape evolves, it is important to be aware of current trends to best support students. Inherently, “well-being” is a multidimensional and highly subjective concept, relying on individual perceptions for its definition. As a result, individual level interventions are a popular approach to promoting well-being. While individual level interventions play a key role in student success both in and beyond the classroom, the landscape of well-being promotion is gravitating toward systems-level change. This shift is easily demonstrated by the rising popularity of Health Promoting Universities. This session defines Health Promoting Universities, describes the relationship between health and well-being, and explores the framework for systems-level well-being promotion in higher education.
Setting Performance Goals and Objectives
Andrew Lane
3rd Floor, Meeting Room E
This session helps participants understand why setting goals is crucial to performance achievement and success. By using SMART goals and objectives in performance planning, employees will learn how to direct their work, inform supervisors and colleagues of their progress, document success, and create opportunities for growth and professional development.
Application Stations
3:15 – 4:00 pm
Guided Meditations and Writing Activities
Katie Clare
3rd Floor, Meeting Room C
In this active learning session, give yourself time to begin processing and savoring the learning and connecting that happened over the course of the day. Time will be devoted to guided meditations and writing activities. Our activities will be helpful to you no matter which sessions you attended throughout the day. If you feel overloaded with information and ideas or overstimulated from the day, join this session for a quiet, meaningful finish.
Navigating Your Networks
Jennifer Beck-Wilson
3rd Floor, George's
Join your fellow Mason colleagues for an interactive session where you can get to know each other while sharing key takeaways from the day and how you can apply them to your team/department!
Start Growing Your Own Greens at Mason’s Greenhouse
Donielle Nolan
Presidents Park Greenhouse (located near Ike's Dining Hall)
Visit the Presidents Park Greenhouse on campus to learn about growing and harvesting fresh greens and veggies! Receive an in depth tour of the hydroponic and aquaponic systems within the greenhouse that grow food for one of the campus dining halls, and hear about the science behind how it all works. Gain hands-on experience with the growing process, including seed sowing, organic pest management, indoor composting and general plant care. Take home your own baby houseplant and free microgreen grow kit. Prepare to have your perspective changed when it comes to eating veggies.
Sarah Ahmed
Program Coordinator, Office of the University Ombudsperson
Sarah Ahmed Atif (Sarah) enriches the Mason community as the Program Coordinator in the Office of the University Ombudsperson (Ombuds Office). She joined the office in 2022 after earning an MS in 2021 from the Jimmy and Roselyn Carter School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and working as a manager at the Carter School’s Transitioning Justice Lab. Before her graduate studies at the Carter School, Sarah traveled an educational and career path that now informs her work as a trained mediator and circle keeper. Sarah’s undergraduate degree is in Applied Psychology and Fine Arts, and she earned an MBA with a concentration in Management and Marketing from Pakistan. Over the years, Sarah has worked in the consulting world, higher education, headed Human Resources and Recruitment departments for significant firms, and established a center to promote international collaboration in higher education. During her career, Sarah has engaged with community members, NGOs, government agencies, and donors, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the United Nations. In addition, Sarah has taught management sciences to graduate students as an adjunct. She is a practitioner with a global perspective and passion for teaching and learning. She is a member of IOA and Virginia Mediation Network.
Dr. Susan Allen
Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution
Coming soon!
Karen Beck
Leadership Coach
Beck is an executive and leadership coach who brings a deep understanding of the challenges facing leaders and listens to their narrative. She came to coaching after retiring from a 30-year career with the federal government. She pursued coach training after seeing the powerful results for leaders who collaborated with a coach and embraced the opportunity to explore changes in themselves. The growth in these leaders was so profound that it ignited Karen’s passion to become a coach and serve as an agent for change.
A graduate of George Mason University’s Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance program, Karen earned her Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accreditation from the International Coaching Federation. Using these skills, Karen has coached a diverse range of clientele in the federal sector, employees in local government, and managers in both the private and non-profit sectors. Karen has been a part of the coaching cadre supporting Mason’s Leadership Legacy program since 2018. A life-long learner, Karen is a frequent participant in continuing coaching education programs. Prior to moving to this area, she earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in Russian and East Central European Studies. Karen is passionate about sharing her time with various local community programs in Northern Virginia and serves in the swimming pool with Fairfax County’s Adaptive Aquatics Program for swimmers with mobility challenges and volunteers in the circulation workroom at the Kings Park library. Karen is also an active member of the League of Women Voters in Fairfax.
Jennifer Beck-Wilson
Program Manager and Organizational Development Specialist, Human Resources
Jennifer Beck-Wilson has been Program Manager and OD Specialist in the Organizational Development and Learning (ODL) unit within HR since September 2021. In her role, she is responsible for managing Mason’s Leadership Legacy Program (LLP), Emerging Leaders Supervisor Series (ELSS), and Supervisor Boot Camp (SBC). In addition, she engages with units and departments across Mason to support culture improvement, team-building, strategic planning, change management, and other endeavors necessary to achieve our mission. As part of this work, she is certified to facilitate Gallup Strengths, Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0).
Prior to joining Mason, she served in a variety of roles at the National Center on Education and the Economy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all K-12 students have equitable access to a high-quality education.
Jennifer holds a certificate in Organization Development from Georgetown University, a Master of Education from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Arts from American University.
Melissa Bevacqua
Director of Admissions for Transfer Recruitment
Melissa has served in a Director’s level role in the Admissions Office at Mason since 2017, during which time, George Mason has recorded historic enrollment growth. She was recognized as leading an award-winning team at Mason. Melissa brings twenty-two years of enrollment management experience from large, public, comprehensive, R1 institutions to small, private, liberal arts schools. Melissa presents her work at national and regional conferences, and is often sought out as a subject matter expert and speaker regarding the college search process.
Melissa has also served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Health Administration and Human Resources at The University of Scranton, and was recognized as a recipient of the Provost’s Part-Time Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Melissa graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Spanish, and earned a Master's degree in Human Resource Management from The University of Scranton. She received the Outstanding Human Resources Administration Graduate Award.
Claire Brandt
Senior Designer, Office of University Branding
As a designer with twenty-plus years of experience, Brandt has worked for small creative agencies as well as international finance and law firms. An artist, Brandt has shown her work in Seattle, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Washington D.C. Brandt has been awarded residencies at the Studios at Mass MOCA, the Horse and Art Research Program, and Jentel Arts Foundation, among others. Brandt received her A.B. from Harvard, where she majored in English and American Literature and received her MFA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. Brandt was raised in Bellingham & Tacoma, Washington and now lives and works in the D.C. area.
Dr. Erikca Brown
Inclusive Education Manager, Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Dr. Brown joined George Mason in September of 2022 with 20 years of experience creating and maintaining equitable educational opportunities. As the Inclusive Education Manager, Dr. Brown plans, develops, implements, and evaluates educational programs focused on Anti-Racism and inclusive excellence. Dr. Brown facilitates programs and events across the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) spectrum for staff, faculty, students, and alumni. She consults, collaborates, coordinates, supports, and leads academic and administrative units to develop organizational capacity (skills, awareness, concepts, competency, and dialogue skills) for effectuating their Inclusive Excellence Plans.
Laura Buckwald
Adjunct Faculty, School of Integrative Studies
Laura Buckwald is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Integrative Studies, teaching Foundations of Resilience and Well-Being (INTS-356). She obtained an M.A.I.S. in Leadership, Resilience, and Well-Being from GMU and is a HeartMath Certified Resilience Advantage Program Trainer, a Positive Neuroplasticity Certified Trainer, and a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Laura is also the Founder and Director of the Human Vitality and Resilience Center. Before coming to Mason, Laura spent 32 years with the U.S. Government in the foreign service, working extensively overseas in high-stress environments.
Kimberly Jackson Davidson
University Ombudsperson, Office of the University Ombudsperson
Kimberly Jackson Davidson was appointed in the spring of 2023 to launch a new Office of the University Ombudsperson (Ombuds Office), following five years without Mason enjoying an ombuds presence. Before coming to Mason, Davidson spent two decades at Oberlin College in Ohio, holding positions in the Office of the Dean of Students and as Visiting Lecturer in African American Studies. During her final five and a half years there, she served all campus constituencies as Ombudsperson and Director of the Yeworkwha Belachew Center for Dialogue (YBCD).
Davidson’s primary practices rest on the foundations of social justice mediation, conflict management coaching, reflective structured dialogue, and nonviolent communication, among other strategies. Her experience includes studies in conflict transformation and interpersonal communication modalities. Davidson is active within the International Ombuds Association (IOA) and the Virginia Mediation Network (VMN). She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Spelman College and an M.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in African Literature.
Stacey Ellis
Faculty/Staff Engagement Program Manager, Human Resources
Stacey is the Faculty and Staff Engagement Program Manager in Human Resources and a Project Connect certified facilitator. Stacey brings over 15 years of higher education experience, including diverse experiences in Student and Academic Affairs. In her current role, Stacey works with the Faculty and Staff Engagement team to offer and support a variety of programs and events, including well-being, rewards and recognition, flexible work, the Gallup Faculty and Staff Experience survey, engagement trainings, and other faculty and staff engagement activities. Stacey holds master's degrees in Kinesiology/Exercise Physiology and Health and Wellness Promotion, along with a graduate certificate in Student Affairs Administration. Stacey is passionate about faculty and staff connection, engagement, and well-being and is always looking for new ways to collaborate with Mason faculty and staff.
Stephanie Funkhouser
Health and Well-Being Coordinator, Student Health Services
Stephanie Funkhouser is a registered nurse and Certified Health Education Specialist® currently working as the Health and Well-Being Coordinator with Student Health Services. A two-time alum, she earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and her Master of Public Health at George Mason. Throughout her career, she has worked to combine her experiences from both fields to develop holistic and equitable programming that empowers individuals to take their health into their own hands. Stephanie is passionate about advancing health and well-being at George Mason University and is dedicated to promoting health literacy on campus through collaboration and partnership.
Zareena Khan
Assistant Director of Student Well-Being Programs, Center for the Advancement of Well-Being
Zareena is the Assistant Director of Student Well-Being Programs in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and the program lead for ProjectConnect. She also collaborates with Housing and Residence Life to support residential students and student staff well-being through educational resources and programs.
Zareena’s passion for college student well-being started when she served as a peer health educator as an undergraduate student. She has worked in college health promotion in various capacities since 2015. Zareena comes to Mason having previously worked at the George Washington University’s Office of Health Promotion & Education, where she designed unique opportunities for students to engage all dimensions of well-being as part of the Raise Up GW student well-being initiative.
Zareena earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, with a concentration in Public Health Education, in 2016 from James Madison University. She also earned her Master of Public Health in Health Promotion in 2019 from George Washington University. Zareena has been a Certified Health Education Specialist® since 2016.
Andrew Lane
Director, Performance Management & Employee Engagement, Human Resources
Andrew is a human resources professional with over 20 years of comprehensive HR experience in employee relations, performance management, training and development, and employee engagement. He joined Mason in June 2022 and comes with a long history of public service, working for many years with various local and state government agencies. In his current role as the Director of Performance Management and Employee Engagement, Andrew and his team oversee the Gallup Faculty and Staff Experience survey, recognition and rewards programs and events, and performance evaluation processes, among many other employee engagement and well-being initiatives.
Nick Lennon
Director, Leadership Education and Development Office
Nick received his BA in Psychology from Hamilton College and his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. Nick started working at Mason in June 2011 and is the Director of the Leadership Education and Development Office (also known as LEAD). LEAD’s Vision is “more effective ethical leaders for the world.” LEAD provides leadership training, resources, services, and recognition to empower students to create positive change. Much of Nick’s work is focused on ethics and leadership. He has traveled extensively in the US, Europe and Asia and loves to meet people from different cultures.
Miles Lowe
Trainer and Organizational Development Consultant, Human Resources
Coming soon!
Robyn Madar
Interim Assistant Vice President, Talent Management
Director, Organizational Development and Learning, Human Resources
Robyn has worked in organizational development and learning at Mason for the past 17 years in various roles, focused on facilitating and delivering professional development programs for faculty and staff that support self-development in leadership, communication, and interpersonal dynamics. In her organizational development work, Robyn listens to leaders and teams to help them work more creatively, collaboratively, and cohesively. She is a lifelong learner and, after careful listening and discussion, seeks to discover and implement innovative tools that spark insight, conversation, and positive change. As a member of HR’s leadership team, Robyn’s focus is on creative solutions for engaging Mason’s talented faculty and staff so they can contribute their unique talents to the university’s mission, participate in a feedback-rich culture, feel a sense of purpose and belonging, and see their impact.
Robyn holds an MA in English Literature from George Mason University. Her undergraduate degrees are from Western University in London, Ontario. Robyn is a certified coach in the EQ-i 2.0 and EQ-i 360 emotional intelligence assessments, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and MBTI Step II. She holds a Gallup Specialist Certificate in Strengths-Based Education and a certificate in Change Management from the Association for Talent Development. Robyn is a Certified Trainer for Crucial Conversations and Crucial Conversations for Accountability. She is a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory.
Julia Morelli
President/Executive Director, GMU Instructional Foundation/Capitol Connection
Julia Morelli teaches mind-body practices (yoga, qigong, and meditation), and she began connecting them to stress and conflict engagement over twenty years ago. Using mindfulness and movement to create and manage change adds balance to her life, and it feeds her soul to share these techniques with others. Her roles include President of the George Mason University Instructional Foundation (GMUIF), Senior Fellow with the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, and Mason Enterprise Advisory Board member. She is a mediator and enjoys serving as a workplace coach and trainer for Human Resources. She co-authored, Developing Embodied Awareness and Action in Conflict Resolution, a chapter in Faith and Practice in Conflict Resolution (March 2016, edited by R. Goldberg).
Donielle Nolan
Greenhouse and Gardens Program Manager, Office of Sustainability
Doni Nolan has worked at Mason for over a decade sharing her passion for urban agriculture and gardening. They say her enthusiasm is contagious as she teaches about the science of growing food, like aquaponics and organic pest management.
Laura Phelps
Consultant and Program Manager, Workplace Coaching
Laura is a creative and passionate life and career coach who works with clients in transition to create positive, lasting change and lead more fulfilling personal and professional lives. Her professional experience includes over 15 years in higher education administration including student support, communication, strategic planning, reporting, assessment and organization and leadership development. In addition to her private coaching practice, Laura oversees George Mason University’s workplace coaching program. She is certified in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the EQ-i 2.0 and holds a Professional Certified Coach credential from the International Coaching Federation.
Laura holds a master’s degree in Organizational Development and Knowledge Management from George Mason University. She earned a graduate certificate in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Performance from the university. She completed her coach training through the Coaches Training Institute.
Andria Rollinson
Trainer and Organizational Development Consultant, Human Resources
Andria Rollinson is an accomplished Learning & Development practitioner with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing effective learning strategies. With a passion for unlocking the potential of individuals and organizations, Andria has successfully guided numerous companies in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors through strategic learning initiatives working with a diverse group of professionals, keeping them knowledgeable, highly informed, and empowered to work to their fullest potential.
Andria currently serves as a Trainer and Organizational Development Consultant on the Organizational Development and Learning team in Mason’s HR department where she designs, develops, and facilities a variety of trainings and executes OD interventions that help the Mason community solve problems and improve organizational performance.
She holds a MS in Public Management from Florida A & M University and an MS in Human Resource Management from Georgetown University. She is a Master Trainer, Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Certified in Crucial Conversations, and Certified in Brain Based Conversation Skills and Brain Based Coaching. She is currently working towards her Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential through the International Coaching Federation.
Mara Schoeny
Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict
Schoeny teaches courses in research and evaluation methods, and interpersonal and community conflict resolution. Their research, and practice, focuses on community conflict, education and training, and dialogue processes.
Philip Wilkerson
Employer Engagement Consultant, University Career Services
In his role at the university, Wilkerson serves as a liaison between employers and the GMU community to make sure career opportunities such as jobs and internships are made aware to students, faculty/staff, and alumni. He oversees the following industries: Media, Arts. Entertainment, Journalism, Public Relations, Graphic Design, Sports & Recreation, Hospitality & Tourism, and Technology & Engineering. In the past, he was awarded "Employee of the Month" for GMU in September 2019, the” Forty under 40” list for GMU Black Alumni, “Forty under Forty” for the Northern Virginia area through the Leadership Center for Excellence as well as being a recipient for the "Pillar Award" which is for a GMU staff member who supports Black students. He is also the faculty advisor for the Iota Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and the GMU NAACP chapter. In his free time, he hosts a podcast called Positive Philter which focuses on well-being and Toastmasters.