SOC Staff

Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale

Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale

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Director of Graduate Services

Sharmeen Ahsan-Bracciale joined SOC in April 2008 as the Director of Graduate Services. Prior to her role at SOC, she served as the Administrative Director of the Executive Development Program at The George Washington University School of Business. P... [More]

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202-885-3940
SOC - School of Communication


Carl Beimfohr

Carl Beimfohr

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Associate Dean for Administration & Planning

Ed, who joined SOC in May 2010, brings an unusual background with dual career tracks in media and higher education management. On the media side, Ed has been an entrepreneur in FM radio, a trained actor (SAG & AFTRA member), video producer/director (... [More]

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202-885-2244
SOC - School of Communication


CharLynn Bolden

CharLynn Bolden

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Grants Manager

CharLynn Bolden joined SOC in October 2009 as the Grants Manager. She has contracts and management experience where she worked for the DC Office of the State Superintendent, DC Justice Grants Administration, and IBM, where she spent nearly a decade. ... [More]

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202-885-2110
SOC - School of Communication


Laura BonDurant

Laura BonDurant

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Assistant Dean, Student & Academic Affairs

Laura BonDurant joined the SOC in Janauary 2010. Prior to her role in the SOC she served as the Director of the Center for Academic Success at The Catholic University of America. Previously she was the Assistant Dean at Georgetown University's School... [More]

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202-885-2054
SOC - School of Communication


Bryan Bourgault

Bryan Bourgault

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Faculty Affairs Coordinator

Bryan Bourgault joined the School of Communication in March 2012 as the Graduate Services Assistant. Before joining SOC, Bryan had been the Communications Coordinator for an education-based nonprofit in Boston advocating for crucial reforms to help a... [More]

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202-885-2040
SOC - School of Communication


Casey Bridgers

Casey Bridgers

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Academic Program Assistant

Casey Bridgers joined the AU School of Communication in January 2011. As the Academic Division Coordinator, she supports the division directors and adjuncts, and also maintains the schedule of classes.Prior to joining the SOC staff, Casey spent two y... [More]

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202-885-3175
SOC - School of Communication


Youzeng Chen

Youzeng Chen

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Media Production Technician

Works primarily in the Media Production Center, assisting Director of Media Operations to ensure the TV facilities operate efficiently at all times that involve the creation of high quality video and digital media programming. Responsible for all the... [More]

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202-885-3889
SOC - School of Communication


Amy Eisman

Amy Eisman

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Director, Media Entrepreneurship & Interactive Journalism

Amy Eisman is director of the MA in Media Entrepreneurship, launched in 2012, and of the 13-year-old weekend MA in Interactive Journalism. She previously was SOC's Director of Writing Programs. Eisman was an editor with Gannett for 17 years, first as... [More]

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202-885-2106
SOC - School of Communication


Jonathan Elker

Jonathan Elker

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Media Production Technician

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202-885-2132
SOC - School of Communication


Frank Fitzmaurice

Frank Fitzmaurice

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Director of Technology Services

Frank Fitzmaurice joined the School of Communication after spending more than thirty years in Washington news and media organizations. At SOC he oversees the technology staff at the school's various labs and classrooms, as well as the Wechsler Theate... [More]

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202-885-2027
SOC - School of Communication


Christine Frezek

Christine Frezek

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Academic Advisor

Christine Frezek joined the School of Communication in September of 2009. She is an academic advisor working with students who have last names beginning N through Z. Christine worked in advising and career development for 4.5 years prior to coming to... [More]

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202-885-2090
SOC - School of Communication


Jill Grinager

Jill Grinager

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Associate Director, Graduate Services

Jill Grinager is the Associate Director of Graduate Services. Jill is academic advisor for doctoral students, fields prospective student inquiries and manages the application process for all incoming School of Communication graduate students. A membe... [More]

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202-885-2091
SOC - School of Communication


Jill Swiatowy Heitzmann

Jill Swiatowy Heitzmann

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Assistant Director, Undergraduate Recruitment & Retention

Jill has been with the School of Communication since September 2009, leading recruitment and retention initiatives for undergraduates in the School of Communication. She works with SOC student leadership groups and special programs such as the SOC Am... [More]

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202-885-2038
SOC - School of Communication


Kristian Higgins

Kristian Higgins

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Financial Operations Manager

Kris is the Financial Operations Manager for SOC's research centers housed at the New Mexico Ave. offices: thee Investigative Reporting Workshop, J-Lab, and the Center for Social Media. Prior to joining SOC Staff, Kris was with AU's Washington Colleg... [More]

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202-885-2679
SOC - School of Communication


Kimberly Husted

Kimberly Husted

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Strategic Program & Events Coordinator

Kim Husted joined SOC in January 2012 as the Strategic Program and Events Coordinator. Immediately prior to her role in SOC, Kim worked as the Business Manager at Round House Theatre. Kim has a strong background in event and program logistics, workin... [More]

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202-885-2220
SOC - School of Communication


Jean Kinnahan McGee

Jean Kinnahan McGee

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Graduate Academic Advising Coordinator

Jean McGee serves as the graduate advisor for all graduate students, full-time, part-time, and weekend, in the School of Communication. She has been working with the SOC graduate students since 2006. Prior to that she worked with SOC undergraduate st... [More]

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202-885-2078
SOC - School of Communication


Elizabeth Komoroski

Elizabeth Komoroski

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Senior Administrative Assistant

Elizabeth currently assists in the Dean's Office at SOC. Prior to AU, Elizabeth was a Project Manager at Mentor (mentoring.org) assisting with a grant matching mentors with at-risk youth. Prior to Mentor, she worked in International Relations at the ... [More]

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202-885-2158
SOC - School of Communication


Jacques Ledbetter

Jacques Ledbetter

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Theatre & Video Services Manager

Jacques Ledbetter is originally from North Carolina, and graduated from American University's School of Public Affairs in 2006. He began working for the School of Communication in October 2003 as a projectionist in the Wechsler Theater. He now manage... [More]

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202-885-2042
SOC - School of Communication


Jeffrey Madison

Jeffrey Madison

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Media Services Manager

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202-885-2888
SOC - School of Communication


Ellen Mata

Ellen Mata

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Senior Administrative Assistant

Ellen Mata joined the School of Communication staff in the summer of 2008 as the Senior Administrative Assistant for the undergraduate office. She previously worked at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School as the Attendance Monitor to the Middle School ... [More]

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202-885-2089
SOC - School of Communication


Sharon Metcalf

Sharon Metcalf

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Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships & Programs

Sharon Metcalf blends a strong background in communications with strategic partnerships in media and education. She gained journalistic insight from several perspectives, working in Washington DC for two network news bureaus – ABC World News and NBC ... [More]

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202-885-2074
SOC - School of Communication


Theora Milledge

Theora Milledge

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Senior Manager, Web & Marketing Communication

As Senior Manager of Web and Marketing Communication, Tia oversees strategy and content development for the SOC website and coordinates social media and marketing campaigns designed to better engage current and prospective students, alumni and donors... [More]

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202-885-3695
SOC - School of Communication


Laura Murray

Laura Murray

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Assistant Dean for Budget & Facilities

Laura Murray has been a staff member at American University since 1977. Currently she works as the Assistant Dean for Budget and Facilities in the School of Communication. Her unit is responsible for the school’s administrative needs such as budget m... [More]

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202-885-2063
SOC - School of Communication


Jessica Ortiz Torres

Jessica Ortiz Torres

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Academic Advisor

Jessica Ortiz Torres joined the School of Communication in September of 2011. She is part of the undergraduate academic advising team and will be working with students whose last name begins with G through M. Jessica has worked in academic advising f... [More]

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202-885-2088
SOC - School of Communication


Kristi Plahn-Gjersvold

Kristi Plahn-Gjersvold

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Director of Projects

Kristi Plahn-Gjersvold is SOC’s Chief of Staff, working with the Dean as well as faculty and staff of the School of Communication in developing initiatives for the School’s centers, institutes, projects and campaigns, as well as providing leadership ... [More]

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202-885-2059
SOC - School of Communication


Zachary Prichard

Zachary Prichard

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Manager of Computing Labs

Zack took over the position of Computer Labs Manager for the School of Communication in August 2008. Prior to that, he spent two years working within the SOC’s Office of Technology as a graduate student in the Film Video program. In his role as Labs ... [More]

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202-885-2093
SOC - School of Communication


Rose Ann Robertson

Rose Ann Robertson

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Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, SOC

Rose Ann Robertson was a newspaper reporter and wire service editor for 20 years, editing and directing coverage of plane crashes, natural disasters and national and state elections. She has been at AU since 1993. She is a former president of the Was... [More]

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202-885-2002
SOC - School of Communication


Jodi Tirengel

Jodi Tirengel

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Online Learning Coordinator

Jodi joined the School of Communication in December 2011 as the Online Learning Coordinator. Prior to this role, she served as the Assistant Director of Admissions in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University. Previously, she ... [More]

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202-885-2025
SOC - School of Communication


Marc Tomik

Marc Tomik

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Enrollment Specialist

Marc Tomik joined the School of Communication in October 2008 as the Graduate Services Assistant. Before joining SOC, Marc had been an undergraduate at American and served as a teaching assistant and the student representative to the Board of Trustee... [More]

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202-885-2272
SOC - School of Communication


Geoffrey Turner

Geoffrey Turner

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TV Film Equipment Specialist

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202-885-2092
SOC - School of Communication


Michael Wargo

Michael Wargo

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Online Content Manager

Michael Wargo joined the School of Communication in October 2009. He is an AU SOC alum, graduating with his MA in Broadcast Journalism in '07. He updates and maintains the SOC Web site. He works on page production and creation for new projects and pr... [More]

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202-885-2103
SOC - School of Communication


Melanie Werner

Melanie Werner

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Budget Coordinator

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202-885-2084
SOC - School of Communication


Sean White

Sean White

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Assistant Director of Technology Services

Sean White is a twice-over alumnus of American University, receiving his B.A. in Literature in 2004 and his M.S. in Information Technology Management in 2008. He has served the School of Communication in various capacities since 2000, joining the ful... [More]

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202-885-2053
SOC - School of Communication


Kaitlin Whitman

Kaitlin Whitman

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Manager of Photographic Services

Kaitlin Whitman joined the School of Communication in August 2012. She is an AU SOC alum, graduating with her BA in Visual Media in '09. Kaitlin oversees SOC's Photography Lab, maintaining the darkrooms, classroom studio, and equipment used by photog... [More]

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202-885-2094
SOC - School of Communication