Executive Council

Executive Council

Paul Allvin, Vice President and Chief Brand Officer

Paul Allvin has more than 30 years of experience in brand stewardship, communications, marketing, and journalism, having led strategic communications and brand stewardship teams at The University of Arizona, Make-A-Wish America, the USO, and America’s Promise Alliance.

Before joining George Mason University Allvin was the president of his own consulting company, Cloud-2-Ground, Inc., which offered strategic communications and branding services to nonprofit and higher education organizations.

As Associate Vice President of Communications at The University of Arizona from 2004 to 2010, he led all communications at a time that included the transition of university presidents and a university-led mission to Mars. He was tapped to serve a year and a half as interim Vice President of External Relations, leading all university communications, marketing, government relations and executive events efforts. Allvin joined the university team after serving as director of communications and chief speechwriter for then-Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano.

As the chief brand strategist for Make-A-Wish, Allvin led the organization’s complete rebrand in 1999-2000, and returned in 2010 to oversee a worldwide brand refresh that put the 36- nation network of Make-A-Wish chapters and affiliates under a single, unified brand identity and strategy for the first time in its history. Under his leadership, Make-A-Wish enjoyed status as one of America’s five most beloved charity brands.

At the USO, he led a brand refresh from 2015 to 2018 that positioned the USO as America’s leading military- and veteran-serving organization as it celebrated its 75th anniversary. The public rewarded the USO with lead military/veteran support brand status in 2017.

Allvin is a graduate of The University of Arizona School of Journalism. He lives and works in Falls Church, Virginia with his wife, Rhian; and their three children, Austin, Eli, and Isabel.

Ann Ardis, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences*

Ann Ardis earned her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (1988) and is known internationally for her scholarship on turn-of-the-century British literature and culture and modernist studies. She is also known for her work on the transformations of print media and the Anglo-American periodical press at the turn of the twentieth century. She is the author of New Women, New Novels: Feminism and Early Modernism (Rutgers UP, 1990) and Modernism and Cultural Conflict, 1880-1922 (Cambridge UP, 2002) as well as numerous articles and book chapters.

She is co-editor of three edited collections: Virginia Woolf Turning the Centuries (Pace, 2000), Women’s Experience of Modernity (Johns Hopkins UP, 2002), and Mediamorphosis: Print Culture and Transatlantic Public Sphere(s), 1880-1940 (Palgrave, 2008). She recently completed a term of service as co-editor of Modernism/modernity, the official journal of the Modernist Studies Association (Johns Hopkins UP). Ardis comes to Mason from the University of Delaware, where she served as senior vice provost for graduate and professional education.

Before that role, she was the deputy dean of Delaware’s College of Arts & Sciences and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Research Center, which supports collaborative multidisciplinary research, teaching, and creative activity anchored in the humanities.

Sharnnia Artis, Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer

Sharnnia Artis, Ph.D. serves as Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at George Mason University, a position she accepted in 2021. Artis plans, guides, and advises Mason leadership on diversity, equity, inclusion, and affirmative action matters and anti-racism activities and works to enhance and embed these values into all aspects of university operations.

Artis is a University Affiliate Faculty in the College of Engineering and Computing with research and teaching interests centered on the use of socio-technical systems to improve STEM diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Her research focuses on the resiliency of students from underrepresented groups in STEM.

Artis previously served as Assistant Dean of Access and Inclusion in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, both at the University of California, Irvine. She created and sustained student success programs for undergraduate students from various underrepresented groups and established outreach programs for high school and community college students, among other initiatives. Artis secured a $5 million endowment to sustain and expand existing infrastructure to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Artis is the co-founder of The Niela Project, a research project funded by the National Science Foundation, designed to increase the understanding of the experiences of Black doctoral women and how those experiences impact their academic persistence and overall well-being in computing and engineering. In addition, she has published over 50 refereed manuscripts in technical journals, book chapters and conference proceedings.

A native of Chesapeake, Virginia, Artis earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Industrial Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech. She loves spending time with her partner and daughter traveling, enjoying sports, and trying new foods.

Trishana Bowden, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations, President of George Mason University Foundation

Trishana Bowden joined George Mason University in March 2019 as the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations and President of the George Mason University Foundation.

As the Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations and President of the Foundation, Trishana reports jointly to the President of the university and the Foundation Board of Trustees, working harmoniously with a multitude of highly engaged and energetic university and foundation partners. She is responsible for developing, executing, and evaluating all aspects of the university’s comprehensive fundraising program, including annual giving, major and leadership giving, corporate and foundation relations, planned giving, alumni relations, research and prospect management, development services, and donor cultivation and stewardship.

Trishana will provide vision and direction for University Advancement with a clear focus on future fundraising after the completion of the record-setting Faster Farther campaign, which concluded in December 2018. She will provide strategic leadership and direction for post-campaign analytics, reporting, and followup, while working with key leadership to develop clear priorities and a plan for future support through pipeline development, alumni engagement, and participation strategies.

Bowden came to Mason from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, where she was the Vice President for Advancement, responsible for providing strategy, leadership and direction for fundraising, alumni and parent relations, campaign planning, and implementation. Her accomplishments there included diversifying and strengthening Goucher’s donor base and pipeline to build a culture of philanthropy, which led to a doubling of overall giving to the institution in less than three years.

Prior to her work at Goucher, Trishana was the Associate Dean for External Relations at the University of Maryland’s Francis King Carey School of Law. She also served as Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement at American University Washington College of Law and has held development positions at the American Lung Association of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. She received a B.S. in Mass Communication/Media Studies from Towson University in 1991.

David Burge, Vice President, Enrollment Management

David Burge has served as Vice President for Enrollment Management at George Mason University since July 2015. 

Before coming to Mason, he served as Executive Director of Admission Services at Arizona State University and oversaw the execution of new student enrollment strategy for undergraduate and graduate, domestic and international students.

Other professional experience includes the University of Kansas and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, holding senior leadership roles within each institution’s Office of Admissions and Scholarships.

He is currently the immediate past-president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC,) a professional organization of more than 15,000 school counselors and college admission professionals. Prior to serving in the NACAC Presidential Cycle, Mr. Burge served as President of the Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling, an affiliate of the national organization.

He has recently served on a number of panels/sessions focusing on the role and impact of public higher education – the Social Mobility Symposium, TargetX User Conference, and as the welcome speaker at the annual meeting for NACAC.

A native Kansan, his academic background includes two degrees from the University of Kansas: an undergraduate degree in English Literature and a master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership.

Sharon Cullen, Director, Presidential Administration & Advancement Liaison

Sharon Cullen manages all aspects of the president’s activities and commitments, engages in university-related initiatives and oversees the President’s Office operations, along with the members of the presidential administrative team. She works closely with the president, senior administration, and across a broad spectrum of the university.

Ms. Cullen is a member of the Executive and President’s Councils. She is an alum of the Leadership Legacy program (Cohort 2) and is also engaged in the university’s well-being initiative. 

In June 2007, she received a Certificate of Achievement for her accomplishments and contributions to the president and Mason. In December 2011, she was presented with a Presidential Citation for assisting in the apprehension of a campus perpetrator.

Ms. Cullen joined Mason’s Office of the Provost in January 2000 and transitioned to the President’s Office in 2001. Prior to joining Mason, she was involved in academic administration at Georgia Tech, Augusta College, the University of North Dakota and Northern Virginia Community College.

She is a graduate of Duluth Business University with a concentration in legal administration and holds a paralegal certificate with 10 years of related experience in various areas of the law. She is also a member of the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education (NAPAHE).

Deb Dickenson, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Deb Dickenson was appointed the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration in December 2022, after serving as the Interim Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance. She joined Mason as the Vice President for Finance in August 2019. Ms. Dickenson assists the university's academic leadership, administrative management and board members in the efficient and effective monitoring, management, and control of the financial resources of the university, supporting innovation and strategic initiatives.

Prior to George Mason, Ms. Dickenson served for two years as Assistant Dean and Principal Business Officer for finance, planning and fiscal operations for the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In that role she was responsible for planning, organizing, executing, evaluation and monitoring the school’s financial functions and five-year strategic planning to ensure that academic and fiscal needs were met. Ms. Dickenson’s prior experience in administrative and financial management leadership positions includes several years at GW as AVP for Financial Management and serving as the GW Comptroller, where she directed all financial reporting, accounting, and financial operations for the university. Her background includes financial leadership positions at two large non-profit organizations, Marriott International, Inc., Price Waterhouse, LLP, and Arthur Andersen & Co.

Ms. Dickenson earned her MBA in finance from the University of Texas at Austin and her BBA in accounting from Southern Methodist University. She received her CPA from the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where she was granted a chartered global management accountant designation.

Jackie Ferree, Senior Vice President, Operations and Business Services

Jackie Ferree joined George Mason University in 2023 as their first Senior Vice President of Operations and Business Services. In her role, Ferree oversees Facilities and Campus Operations, IT Services, Auxiliary Services and Operations, Real Estate and, Capital Strategy and Planning.

Before joining Mason, Ferree was the interim Chief Operating Officer at William & Mary. Since joining William & Mary in 2015, Ferree served as Associate Dean of Finance and Administration at the School of Business, followed by Associate Vice President for Business Services and Organizational Excellence, before stepping into the interim COO position last October.

Her contributions at William & Mary include an integral role in creating a comprehensive university housing and dining plan, as well as the associated public–private financing partnership. Ferree also oversaw the adoption of a new dining contract and the implementation of university-wide business intelligence reporting. 

Before coming to William & Mary, Ferree worked in finance and administration at George Washington University (GWU), as well as at the private business Sterling Commerce and nonprofit Battelle. She has taught as an online graduate adjunct professor at GWU since 2014 and continues to do so.

Megan Healy, Interim Chief of Staff

Dr. Megan Healy joined George Mason University in 2022 as Special Advisor to the President. Dr. Healy builds strategic partnerships between Mason and businesses to develop strong collaborations that support business growth, economic development, talent development and innovation. She strives to make sure all Virginians have access to Mason through small business development, transfer from community colleges, upskilling or reskilling through industry credentials and completion of one of Mason’s degree programs. As a liaison to many state and community leaders around the Commonwealth, Dr. Healy truly believes higher education is the strongest foundation to individual prosperity and community vitality.

Dr. Healy served on Governor Northam’s Cabinet as Virginia’s first Secretary of Labor which oversaw all issues affecting workers in the Commonwealth, including workplace safety, worker discrimination and rights, employment benefits, and licensing and occupational regulations. As the Commonwealth’s highest-ranking workforce officer, she led a range of regional, state, and federal programs that connected Virginians to the skills, training, and opportunities they needed to thrive in the 21st century economy as well as made education more affordable from early childhood to higher education.

Having started her career as a science professor at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Dr. Healy keenly appreciates how education can change lives and communities. Prior to joining the Northam administration, she served as Virginia’s first Director of STEM-H under Governor McDonnell and Governor McAuliffe before returning to the Virginia Community College System as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academics and Employer Partnerships. Dr. Healy is a proud product of Virginia’s public schools, holding a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a master’s from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a doctorate from Old Dominion University. 

Marvin Lewis, Assistant Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics

Marvin Lewis was named the Patriots' Assistant Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics on April 19. 2023. Lewis is Mason’s sixth athletics director.
 
The Germantown, Maryland native boasts 15 years of athletic administrative leadership with various impressive NCAA Division I institutions. Lewis assumed senior leadership roles at Georgia Tech, University of Maryland, Georgia State, and most recently at Brown University as the school's assistant vice president for athletics and recreation/chief operating officer.
 
During his tenure at Brown, Lewis led a brand and visual identity refresh, launched new fan engagement initiatives and premium amenities, developed a divisional strategic plan, and implemented a long-term financial model that elevates the baseline student-athlete experience. As a member of the executive leadership team, Lewis led the external relations team focused on revenue generation, fan engagement, strategic communications, and athletics and recreation storytelling. In addition, he oversaw the business and financial operations, facilities and events, human resources and talent development, and equipment operations. He served as sport administrator for several sports, including men's basketball.
 
Lewis is regarded as one of the nation's most respected up-and-comers in athletics administration, having been named to the College AD Next Up list in 2017 and the 2018-19 College Athletic Business Management Association (CABMA) Manager of the Year. He successfully completed the prestigious NCAA Pathway Program for aspiring athletics directors and conference commissioners in 2020.
 
He began his rise in athletics administration at Georgia State and later assumed leadership roles at both Georgia State and Maryland. He then spent nearly seven years at his alma mater Georgia Tech as the senior associate athletics director for administration and finance before leaving for Brown in July 2021.
 
Lewis was also instrumental in the University of Maryland's transition to the Big Ten Conference. Lewis chaired the Business and Travel Workgroup within the Big Ten Integration Committee, which analyzed the financial impact of the conference transition. He developed the comprehensive 12-year financial model for the Business and Finance Workgroup of the President's Commission on Big Ten Integration.
 
A former two-time captain of the Georgia Tech basketball team, Lewis graduated with honors from Georgia Tech in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in management before becoming a licensed CPA. He later earned a master's degree in taxation from Georgia State in 2008. Lewis led the Yellow Jackets to the 2004 national championship game.

Paul Liberty, Vice President, Government and Community Relations

Paul Liberty was appointed Vice President for Government and Community Relations in 2012, reporting directly to the President of George Mason University. He oversees a team working with federal, state and local governments as well as business and civic communities. He leads several major university-wide initiatives and is a member of the university's Executive Council and President's Council. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Liberty served as Interim Vice President for University Relations, responsible for managing community relations, creative services, events management, media and public relations, University information and web communications.

Before joining Mason, Mr. Liberty was an executive for two publicly traded companies and a merger and acquisition advisory firm overseeing internal and external communications, corporate affairs, investor relations, legislative affairs, marketing and public relations. In addition to his corporate activities, Mr. Liberty has worked in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government at the federal, state and local levels. During his time in public service, he worked on Capitol Hill, served in the White House and was chief of staff for a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. He also has managed policy and legislative functions for a large business trade association.

Mr. Liberty is a native to Northern Virginia and is active in a number of business, civic, and charitable organizations and was recognized by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors with its annual award for outstanding volunteer services and was selected as a distinguished alumni of the year by George Mason University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Mr. Liberty received his BA in English from George Mason University.

For more about the Office of Government and Community Relations, go here.

Mary Lucal, Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer

Mary Lucal, Ph.D., is the Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer at Mason. She works with all levels of the campus community to enhance the work environment for staff and faculty.

Mary believes that small adjustments can significantly improve individuals’ work lives and larger initiatives can have even more substantial impact. Most recently, she was the CHRO for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and before that, an HR Consultant at Harvard University. Mary is a frequent presenter and active member of CUPA HR, the national professional organization for higher ed human resource professionals, and was an Adjunct Assistant Professor for Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UTK.

Mary holds a B.A. from the College of Wooster, a B.S. from The Ohio State University, an M.S. from Lesley University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.

Andre Marshall, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Economic Impact

Andre W. Marshall is Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact at George Mason University and President of the George Mason Research Foundation. As the university’s senior research officer, Marshall provides overall leadership for the portfolio of research, innovation, and economic development activities.

Marshall joined George Mason University from the National Science Foundation, where he served as Program Director for the Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) and Innovation Corps (I-CorpsTM) programs. During his tenure at NSF, Marshall advanced NSF’s university-based tech translation and commercialization programs through national initiatives strengthening industry-university engagement and collaboration, new partnerships broadening participation in innovation and tech entrepreneurship, and program virtualization increasing accessibility to the highly regarded national I-Corps Teams program.

Prior to NSF, Marshall served on the faculty at the University of Maryland, College Park in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering where he founded the Fire Testing and Evaluation Center (FireTEC) and launched a tech startup based on patented technology stemming from his research and inspired by his participation in the NSF I-Corps program. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, FM Global, United Technologies Research Center, National Fire Protection Association, and various other institutions. 

Marshall is a faculty member in the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Volgenau School of Engineering. His research and teaching interests are centered around experimental characterization and computational evaluation of complex turbulent reacting flows and sprays. His work in this area was inspired by early propulsion research he performed while at Rolls-Royce Corp., which influenced his approach to fire suppression and most recently agricultural sprays. He is the recipient of the NSF Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering (PECASE) and the Philip Thomas Medal of Excellence. He has served as Associate Editor for the Fire Safety Journal and on the USPTO Working Group for the National Council for Expanding American Innovation (NCEAI).

Marshall began his college career at Georgia Tech receiving a B.M.E and M.S. in mechanical engineering in 1991 and 1992, respectively. In 1996, he completed his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Rene Stewart O'Neal, Vice President for Strategic Planning & Budgeting

Rene Stewart O’Neal joined the Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration’s leadership team at George Mason University as the Associate Vice President for Strategic Budgeting and Planning in August 2019. She is excited about the opportunity to promote a transparent, accountable and responsive financial management culture with evidence-based planning as a foundation for investment. 

Before coming to Mason, Rene was the Vice Provost for Budget and Finance at the George Washington University since 2013, where she was responsible for developing multi-year financial goals and budgetary strategies for the academic operations of the university, including all ten schools, ensuring alignment of academic financial goals with the financial goals and mission of the University. Rene served as a strategic partner in guiding the allocation of resources to support academic priorities and the university’s strategic plan.

Prior to joining GW, she was the Director of Planning and Assistant Director of the Office of Planning & Budgets at Michigan State University for ten years. A career higher education finance professional, she has held senior administrative positions in finance, budgeting, treasury, academic planning and operations at Wellesley College, the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and Michigan State University. Her particular areas of expertise are higher education finance and analysis, budgeting and strategic planning, strategy and change management, institutional effectiveness and inclusive excellence. She holds AB and Master of Public Policy degrees from Harvard University.

Professional organizations and affiliations include the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO); Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers (EACUBO); Society for College and University Planning (SCUP); People to People Ambassador Program; Phi Kappa Phi (Academic National Honor Society). Rene was a 2009-10 American Council on Education fellow at New York University with a fellowship focus on strategic global engagement for universities and sustainable financial models for higher education. 

Rene resides in Alexandria, VA, with her husband and teenage son.

Rose Pascarell, Vice President, University Life

Rose Pascarell is Vice President for University Life at George Mason University. She has held several leadership positions in the University as Associate Vice President for University Life, Associate Dean for Campus Life and Associate Director of the Women's Studies Research and Resource Center. Ms. Pascarell's leadership work in University Life has focused on increasing student engagement and academic success, and the building of just communities.

Ms. Pascarell has worked on campus climate and multicultural/diversity issues for the last fifteen years. Her teaching and workshops focus on race, class, gender, sexuality, and the formation of just community through the examination of difference.

Ms. Pascarell earned a BA in Sociology, Criminology, and Conflict Analysis at the State University of New York at Albany. Her MA in Sociology is from George Mason University.

For more about University Life, go here.​

Melissa Perry, Dean, College of Public Health*

Dr. Perry is the Dean of the College of Public Health at George Mason University. Trained as an epidemiologist in public health, she is internationally respected for her work as a scientist, educator, and academic leader. Dr. Perry’s research in occupational and environmental epidemiology has been well-funded by both federal agencies and foundations.

Dr. Perry completed a one-year sabbatical in Albania as a Fellow in the Fulbright International Education Program for Global Scholars from 2021 - 2022. Among a large number of other appointments and honors in support of academic organizations and professional societies, she is a Past-President and Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, Chair of the Research Committee of the Health Effects Institute, Co-Chair of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Emerging Science, and recently completed a term as the Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the Center for Environmental Health’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Prior to coming to Mason, Dr. Perry served as a Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the Milken School of Public Health at George Washington University from 2011 – 2022. She also held faculty appointments in the Department of Epidemiology and Statistics at the Milken School of Public Health, as well as in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In addition, she previously served as the Interim Associate Dean for Research at the Milken School of Public Health. Prior to joining the faculty and leadership at George Washington University, Dr. Perry was a member of the faculty at the Harvard School of Public Health (1999 – 2011) as well as the Medical College of Wisconsin (1995 – 1999).

She has published more than 150 frequently cited manuscripts, technical reports, book chapters, commentaries and book reviews and has presented at over 25 American universities and in over 17 countries. She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health where she received both her MHS and ScD degrees. She was awarded a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Vermont where she was recognized as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa organization. She is currently a candidate for an MBA degree at George Mason University.

Kenneth Walsh, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President

Ken Walsh currently serves as interim Provost and Executive Vice President of George Mason University. Prior to this position, he served as Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff in the President’s Office, a position he accepted in 2020.

Before coming to Mason, Dr. Walsh served as Senior Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. In this capacity, he was responsible for the entire scope of planning, operations, and resource management for the School. He directed financial operations and oversaw IT support, human resources management, and capital asset management. Building on his experience in the industry and at many levels in higher education, he marshaled the skill and dedication of the staff to fuel the excellence of the faculty and students.

From 2002 to 2018, Dr. Walsh served in a number of roles at San Diego State University. Here he founded the J.R. Filanc Construction Engineering and Management program and later served as chair of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. He also served as the founding Dean for SDSU-Georgia. This innovative program was funded through the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Government of Georgia to provide US-accredited science and engineering degrees in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he lived and worked for four years.

He started his academic career in the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University, after several years in consulting engineering practice in the Phoenix area. Ken holds BSE, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University. With over $30 million in research activity, his research interests lie in production systems design in a construction setting, He has published over 100 papers in journals and conferences and served as editor of conferences sponsored by the International Group for Lean Construction and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Ken is married, with 3 grown children, the youngest a student at Arizona State leaving the cats as the only remaining denizens of the nest. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, travel, and international films.

Julie A. Zobel, Associate Vice President for Safety, Emergency and Enterprise Risk Management

Dr. Zobel is currently the Associate Vice President for Safety, Emergency, & Enterprise Risk Management overseeing the functional areas of enterprise and operational risk management, emergency management, environmental compliance, fire safety, laboratory safety, occupational safety, as well as employee health and well-being. 

Julie began working in the area of safety and compliance for Mason in 2000 as the university Biological Safety Officer, Chemical Hygiene Officer, and Assistant Radiation Safety Officer. She was quickly promoted through the ranks with additional risk-related responsibilities being added to her portfolio, as recently as 2020 with the onset of the COVID pandemic.

Over the past 20 years, Julie established four core programs for the university: Environmental Health and Safety, Emergency Management, Enterprise Risk Management, and Employee Health and Well-Being. She developed and stabilized these new programs by coaching and leading staff through a series of organizational changes while integrating these programs with existing elements within the larger university structure; work that required extensive operational experience, understanding of regulatory compliance, and organizational savvy.

Dr. Zobel earned dual Bachelor's degrees in Hazardous Materials/Environmental Management and Civil Engineering from the University of Findlay and the University of Akron, respectively. She earned a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Environmental Engineering from the University of Akron where her thesis project focused on investigating a consortium of bacteria for their ability to degrade total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. In addition, she earned her doctorate in Biodefense from George Mason University and her doctoral research and dissertation addressed the role of naturally occurring Bacillus anthracis in biological incident preparedness and response.

*Dean Representative to the Executive Council