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
| First Name | Last Name | Hometown | Ask me about…… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swapna | Agarwal | Ashburn, VA | Careers, Student development |
| Jacqueline | Awadzi Calloway | Manassas, VA | Study Abroad, Housing, Disability Services, Internships, Equity, College Funding |
| Rhonda | Chezek-Peters | Alexandria, VA | Student living at home, Getting student involved in activities on campus |
| Nicole | Courtney | Fredericksburg, VA | Campus safety, first generation student support, career development/internship, student wellness, IT workgroup, and parent engagement |
| Melissa | Crowley | Fairfax, VA | making all families feel included, food insecurity, making visiting GMU affordable for families, getting more local families involved/connected, mentor families/parents |
| Karin | DiMaggio | Virginia Beach, VA | Community service |
| Chantel | Grant | Upper Marlboro, Maryland | Parent networking |
| Khari | Grant | Brooklyn, NY | Faculty engagement |
| Molly | Gravholt | Fairfax, VA (is where live now – I grew up in Minneapolis, MN and consider that my hometown) | I’m anxious to more deeply engage with the school and campus – excited to learn more |
| Joni | Hong | Lorton, VA | Student wellness and creating/supporting GMU community |
| Bonnie | House | Grimesland | Student food insecurity, access to food on campus and nutrition. |
| Stacy | Keating-Labas | Herndon, VA | Helping students forge deeper connections |
| Amy | Jospa | Plainview, NY | Parent involvement |
| Natalie | Mack | Alexandria, VA | Student Life/Community and Welcoming Incoming Students |
| Debbie | Messner | Marvin, NC | Dewberry School of Music, Center for the Arts |
| Karen | Patrick | Winston Salem , NC | Student support |
| Yasmine | Refaat | Fairfax | Ask me about 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. I’m passionate about helping families navigate these resources so they can better support their students. Whether it’s understanding campus services, getting involved in research and scholarships, or ensuring student well-being, I’m happy to guide families in finding the best ways to help their students thrive at Mason. |
| Michael | Robinson | Fairfax | Sustainability efforts, Innovation, Research, community, helping parents and students with the transition to success |
| 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, fund raising |
| Allison | Westbank | Leesburg | Educational and Cultural networking events |
| 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 | Events, Campus Organizations/Engagement, On-Campus Living Experience |
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