2026 Communication Career Forum
Hosted by Mason COMM and the Insight Committee: all event information and registration can be found here!
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM EDT
Johnson Center, Lettered Meeting Rooms (third floor)
Gain career advice and network with some of the nation's leading communication professionals.
Sign up for small group mentoring sessions with public affairs specialists, media producers, journalists, health communicators, marketers, and more!
Registration is required.
Please remember to dress to impress (business casual) and research the mentors if you are planning to attend (see mentors list below for more information)!
How The COMM Forum Works:
- There are 5-7 Communication themed mentoring sessions.
- The rooms and mentors stay in the same room the entire duration of the event.
- Students are free to choose which mentoring session they would like to sit in.
- Students must register in advance in order to attend a mentoring sessions.
- Students can attend one or multiple sessions.
Networking and Mentoring Sessions Schedule:
8:30am to 9:00am: Student and Mentor Check-in and Networking Breakfast with Insight Committee members and Mentors (Johnson Center third floor West lounge area next to lettered meeting rooms A-G)
9:00am- 9:20am: Welcome & Introduction to the Mentoring Sessions (5 minute warning until first session begins)
9:25am to 9:55am: First Mentoring Session (20-25 minutes)
10:00am to 10:25am: Second Mentoring Session (25 minutes)
10:30am to 10:55am: Third Mentoring Session (25 minutes)
11:00am to 11:25am: Fourth Mentoring Session (25 minutes)
11:30am to 11:55am: Fifth Mentoring Session (25 minutes)
12:00pm: Last mentoring sessions conclude
12:00pm to 12:30pm: Stick around to chat and network with any mentors you were not able to meet!
Mentoring Sessions:
Click the mentors names below to learn more information about them!
Room 1 (JC ROOM A): Broadcast and Digital/Print Journalism
Annie Yu,(WUSA9 Anchor)
Jummy Olabanji,(WRC-TV NBC Washington)
Manuela Silva, (Reporter & AJI Fellow-NOTUS)
Marcella Robertson, Anchor & Reporter- WUSA9 (Insight Committee Member Facilitator)
Room 2 (JC ROOM B): Media Production
Rob Hargreaves, (Discovery Communications)
Nathan Crawford, (NBC Richmond, VA)
Anna Wood, (Community TV and AV Manager at Erickson Senior Living)
Brian van de Graaff (travel and lifestyle host for Good Morning Washington on ABC7 [WJLA-TV] & Insight Committee Member Facilitator)
Room 3 (JC ROOM C): Public Relations Agency & In-House
Natalie Dow, (PR Account Manager at Merritt Group)
Logan Rice, (Strategic Communications & Content Strategy, Google Cloud, Automotive, Manufacturing, & Logistics)
A'Darien Johnson, (Brand Strategist & Communications Leader at CACI)
Chad Tragakis, (Director of Communications-Northrop Grumman & Insight Committee Member Facilitator)
Room 4 (JC ROOM D): Advocacy Communications
Dave Christman, (VP at National Beer Wholesalers Association)
Brendan Jones, (retired last year as CEO from Blink Charging, recently joined the board for the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason)
Susana Castillo, (Communications Director for the Government of the District of Columbia at Executive Office of the Mayor Muriel Bowser)
Patrick Delaney, (Director, Federal Government Affairs-Walmart Inc. & Insight Committee Member Facilitator)
Room 5 (JC ROOM E): Communication By Other Names
Rhy Weithe (Digital Communications Coordinator, NOVEC)
Courtney Arroyo, (Assistant Coordinator of Communications and Community Engagement, Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS)-Fairfax County Government
Warren Brown, (Heven Aerotek)
Chantée Christian, (Chief Executive Officer [CEO]- My Best SHIFT & Insight Committee Member Facilitator)*
Room 6 (JC ROOM F): Strategic Use of Social Media & Influencer Marketing
Melissa Judy, (Social Media Manager- @VaDOTNOVA [Virginia Department of Transportation])
Kyley Sitton, (Deputy Director of Social Media at the Washington Post)
Julie Murphy, (President- Sage Communications & Insight Committee Member Facilitator)
Room 7 (JC ROOM G): Sports Communications
Zach Hamilton, (3x Emmy Winning Sports Television Producer at Monumental Sports Network)
Julie Donaldson, (anchor/reporter for WTTG FOX5 DC)
Nick Ashooh, (Emmy-winning television and sports radio personality with 106.7 The Fan and The Team 980, as well as the Locked On Podcast Network)
Bill Rohland, (Play by Play Voice/Color Analyst for George Mason Men's and Women's Basketball & Insight Committee Mentor Facilitator)
*Mentors subject to change
