The Mason Parent and Family Council (PAFC) was established to provide opportunities for parents and families to become actively engaged, informed members of the George Mason community by serving as ambassadors for the university and prospective and current families. Members of this special group meet once per semester and advise New Student and Family Programs of important issues facing families at Mason.
Meet the Parent and Family Council
| Name | Hometown | Ask Me About… |
|---|---|---|
| Swapna Agarwal | Ashburn, VA | Careers, Student development |
| Jayita Basak | Mclean, VA | New student family communication |
| Jaya Bhat | Baltimore, MD | Building GMU community/ Technology |
| Carol Brown | Springfield, VA | New student success, transfer and first-time students. Disability services and differently abled student opportunities |
| Rhonda Chezek-Peters | Alexandria, VA | Student living at home, student involvement |
| Karin DiMaggio | Virginia Beach, VA | Community service |
| Joni Hong | Lorton, VA | Student wellness and creating/supporting GMU community |
| Bonnie House | Grimesland, NC | Student food insecurity, access to food on campus and nutrition |
| Amy Jospa | Plainview, NY | Parent involvement |
| Debbie Messner | Marvin, NC | Dewberry School of Music, Center for the Arts |
| Terrie Peterkin | Beaverdam, VA | STEM |
| Yasmine Refaat | Fairfax, VA | The many resources available to help students succeed at GMU, including academic support, student health and wellness services, financial assistance options, and opportunities for leadership and career development |
| Rosina Romain | Beltsville, MD | Student internship and job opportunities. Helping students find clubs/groups where they can fit in. Financial literacy for students |
| Cherice Taylor | Los Angeles, but Stafford for the past 22 years | Transitioning from high school to college, multiple kids at 3 different colleges at the same time, local family, on-campus living, parent involvement, military benefits, food allergies |
| Dawn Timmons-Jones | Stafford, VA | Living In-State/Locally, Student in a Fraternity, School of Business/Business Major, Empty Nest Adjusting |
| Kathleen Varnes | Springfield VA | Community relations, helping out of state students, fundraising |
| Pam Williams | McLean, VA | Programming focused on student and family support, including Patriot Pantry, Mental Health, DEI, Financial Literacy, Mentorship/Leadership Development, New Family Support, and Scholarships & Grants |
| Allyson Zak | Richmond, VA | Student involvement and on-campus living |
For information on membership, visit our Council Membership page. For questions regarding the Parent and Family Council, contact Camille Clark, Associate Director of Family Programs, at (703) 993-2475 or cclark62gmu.edu