Name: Christine Patton
Job title: Executive Director of Creative Services
Job duties: Leading the creative direction of the business school’s marketing collateral.
How long have you worked at GW: I am finishing my second week.
What’s best, so far, about working here: The people, the business school’s vision for the future and the long list of interesting projects.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: I am a classically trained cellist and also played and sang in an Irish band for 10 years. I can also recite the 50 states in alphabetical order in 20 seconds.
Where did you grow up: Cincinnati, Ohio; Ann Arbor and Holland, Mich.; and West Hartford, Conn.
Family: I have an incredibly close, but small, immediate family (father, mother, sister) and a huge extended family that includes 30 aunts and uncles and too many cousins to keep track of. As for my own “offspring,” I have a three-year-old cockapoo (not to be confused with a cockatoo) named Thomas.
Any hobbies?: Right now, I am working on getting my cello chops back into shape. I also love creative projects of any kind – painting, collage, design – and learning new technologies.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: Many things! Seeing live music (classical, indie, and folk music are my favorites), spending time with friends and family, taking spontaneous trips, riding my bike and going to the gym, playing fetch with my dog in the dog park, reading, and going to museums and galleries I’ve never been to before.
Favorite vacation spots: I love to scuba dive, so places with beautiful reefs are high on my list – Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia, and Ambergris Caye in Belize. I am also crazy about Spain, Ireland and Lucca in Italy. But there are so many places left to see…
A favorite book: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A favorite movie: Once and Out of Africa. It is a tie.
A favorite food: Salmon (healthy) and ice cream (not-so-healthy).
E-mail: patton@gwu.edu
Phone: (202) 994-7870
Posted by GWSB on May 15, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Senior Secretary to the Dean.
Job duties: My main job is to manage Dean Guthrie’s schedule.
How long have you worked at GW: I started in August as a graduate assistant so I’ve been here about 9 months but, just a few weeks ago, I became a full-time staff member.
What’s best, so far, about working here: I’m a student in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development studying Higher Education Administration. It’s been very interesting to see the concepts and ideas we discuss in class come to life at work.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: On my high school cross-country team, my nickname was “Rhino.” I got it because I would bob my head up and down while running − like a charging rhinoceros. My teammates would even point their finger upward from their nose like a rhino horn.
Where did you grow up:
Tim Ryan
I’m from Chelmsford, Mass., about half an hour north of Boston and a few minutes from the New Hampshire border. I do not have a Boston accent.
Family: Most of my family is in Massachusetts, and my grandparents and most of my aunts and uncles have lived in my hometown for a very long time. My older brother, Mike, is a CPA one town over. I’m the only one down here in DC, but I hope that my relatives can come and visit soon.
Any hobbies? I love to follow baseball. Now that the season is in full swing, I check in on my Red Sox and the rest of the teams every day.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: A lot of my friends from college live in DC or Northern Virginia, so I like to keep in touch with them and enjoy food and drink at our favorite Arlington spots. (And on Thursdays, I’m part of a kickball team that plays on the National Mall; I play first base because I’m terrible at catching pop flies.)
Favorite vacation spots: One of my favorite places in the world is the Lakes Region of New Hampshire − right in the middle of the state. There’s fun stuff to do there in every season.
A favorite book: Anything by Chuck Klosterman. I’m currently reading Chad Harbach’s “The Art of Fielding,” which combines two of my favorite things: baseball and a university.
A favorite movie: I like “Empire Records” − a cult classic, mid-`90s teen movie − and the dystopian, post-apocalyptic “Children of Men.”
A favorite food: Does Diet Coke count? I’m a picky eater but you can’t go wrong with a nice pasta dish with a little fresh tomato sauce and meatballs or sausage.
E-mail: timryan@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-7852
Posted by GWSB on May 1, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Employer Relations Assistant in the F. David Fowler Career Center.
Job duties: Overseeing on-campus recruiting days and employer information sessions and coordinating Center events, including the Spring 2012 Networking + Speaker Series.
How long have you worked at GW: Only a couple of months; I started in January 2012.
What’s best, so far, about working here: To start, there’s something so vibrant and invigorating about a university campus: I love the frequent reminders of our students’ successes and their curiosity and steadfast ambition. Plus, the entire Center team is incredibly hard-working and dedicated to student success.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: I was a total high school theater geek and sang in a college a cappella group.
Where did you grow up: Denver, Colorado. I’m a Rocky Mountain girl at heart.
Family: My lovely parents are still holding down the fort in Colorado, and my older sister Allison is a playwright in London. My twin sister, Betsy Smith, is a GWSB alum and former executive coordinator in Undergraduate Programs who is currently working at LivingSocial. She’s the absolute best!
Any hobbies? I enjoy photography and graphic-design projects, thrift shopping, playing the ukulele and “Smithster” lifestyle blogging.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: I believe in always “living like a tourist” and DC is the perfect city to rediscover every weekend. I love to support the local theatre scene, explore museums and visit restaurants in new neighborhoods.
Favorite vacation spots: I’m quite the wander-luster. From cross-country road trips, to studying in Europe, to volunteering in Africa, I’m definitely not a homebody. Most recently, I felt fortunate to spend a year abroad working and traveling around Australia and Thailand.
A favorite book: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers.
A favorite movie: The Princess Bride.
A favorite food: Any type of doughnut; I have the biggest sweet tooth.
Sara Smith
E-mail: sarasmith@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-5936
Posted by GWSB on April 17, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Name: Jason Smith
Job title: Assistant Director of MBA Admissions and Operations.
Job duties: Manage the admissions application process for all the MBA programs.
How long have you worked at GW: A little over a month.
What’s best, so far, about working here: The opportunity to work with a fantastic team that’s dedicated to helping people pursue their educational goals.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: Spent a summer (a long time ago) racing motorcycles.
Where did you grow up: Boston.
Family: Married with a 7 year old daughter.
Any hobbies? Listening to jazz music and playing basketball.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: Anything that involves family and friends.
Favorite vacation spots: Jamaica for the cuisine and Martha’s Vineyard for the relaxed family atmosphere.
A favorite book: Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown.
Favorite movie: “The Usual Suspects;” “The Bourne Identity.”
A favorite food: I’m from Boston … lobster!
E-mail: jmsmith1@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-7710
Jason Smith
Posted by GWSB on April 3, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Graduate Career Consultant at the F. David Fowler Career Center.
Job duties: Provide career guidance and coaching to GMBA students seeking a career in the consulting industry.
How long have you worked at GW: 3.5 months
What’s best, so far, about working here: Everyone is very team-oriented, mission-driven and supportive of one another and the students.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: I enjoy scuba diving but I don’t like to swim!
Where did you grow up: Maryland and Virginia.
Family: Married to my wonderful husband, Paul. We have two great children, Nathan (11) and Lauren (5).
Any hobbies? Traveling, eating, cooking, Zumba.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: Spending time with my family, going out with friends.
Favorite vacation spots: Hawaii, San Francisco, London, Disney World!
A favorite book: My book tastes are all over the place; I recently enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and I loved the Harry Potter series.
A favorite movie: Any chick flick or romantic comedy (“Bridesmaids” is a recent favorite.)
A favorite food: Fried chicken.
E-mail: kellikolling@gwu.edu.
Phone: 202-994-6704
Kelli Kolling
Posted by GWSB on March 20, 2012 | Filed under: Career Center News,Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Web Strategy Manager.
Job duties: I am tasked with designing and writing software for the School’s website. I will be building interactive applications to encourage discussion of issues relevant to the School.
How long have you worked at GW: 18 days.
What’s best, so far, about working here: The opportunity to study and validate some of my opinions on the foundations of the economy and how politics and business intersect.
Where did you grow up: I was born and raised all over India. My father was a colonel in the Indian Army, so we moved around a lot.
Family: I live here with my wife, Sandy. My parents and extended family are in India.
Hobbies: If I could, I would spend all my waking hours reading and weightlifting.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend:I’m a candidate for a master’s degree in Soil and Water Science at the University of Florida, so I spend my time working on my thesis: building hydroelectric power plants in Central Asia.
Yash Singh
Favorite vacation spots: Karakorum mountains, Alps.
A favorite book: Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche; The Republic by Plato.
A favorite movie: “Gladiator;” “Alexander the Great.”
A favorite food: Milk
E-mail: yashkirat@email.gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-2071
Posted by GWSB on March 6, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: MBA admissions coordinator.
Job duties: I manage day-to-day operations for our professional and accelerated MBA programs. I develop plans for communicating with prospective MBA students and process international student visas.
How long have you worked at GW: Since November 2011.
What’s best, so far, about working here: Having the opportunity to work with a great group of people who are open to new ideas.
What’s something your co-workers do not know about you: I have been flamenco dancing in Spain!
Where did you grow up: New Bedford, Massachusetts. It is home to a large Portuguese community.
Family: My family lives in New Bedford.
What do you enjoy doing on the weekend: Explore parts of DC, Maryland and Virginia that I don’t normally get around to, such as Annapolis, Old Town, Alexandria and Baltimore, with my boyfriend and Mollie, my puggle.
Favorite vacation spots: Martha’s Vineyard – in the summer.
Patsy Torres works at GWSB in MBA admissions.
A favorite book: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
A favorite movie: “Love Actually.”
A favorite food: Shrimp Moçambique (a traditional Portuguese dish.)
E-mail: ptorres@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-1995
Posted by GWSB on February 21, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Financial literacy program assistant.
Job duties: Organizing regular financial literacy seminars hosted by GWSB.
Time at GW: Since September 2011.
Best part of working at GWSB: Working with the diverse faculty and students and being back in a learning environment after being in the working world for more than a decade.
What co-workers do not know about me:
Laura Piovesan
I published a poetry book that won a national award in Italy as best poetry book in 2007.
Family: My family lives in Treviso, Italy.
Favorite things to do on the weekend: Riding my bike to the seaside, flying my 14-foot kite and climbing. I also like to cook.
Favorite vacation spots: Sardinia, Italy.
Favorite book: One of my favorites is Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman.
E-mail:
piovesan@gwmail.gwu.edu
Posted by GWSB on February 7, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Job title: Associate Director of Media Relations
Job duties: It is my responsibility to develop an overarching external communications strategy with an emphasis on media relations, social networking and new media. I am the primary media contact for the School and arrange interviews and prepare faculty when necessary. Through collaboration with the deans, department heads and faculty, I identify key messages and core competencies to promote to the media to enhance the School’s public profile.
Time at GW: About two and a half months.
Best part of working at GWSB: Being part of something bigger than me. Working with smart, innovative people who are trying to promote positive change in how tomorrow’s leaders are prepared for the challenges ahead. And of course, my co-workers.
What co-workers do not know about me: Most things, since I am so new. Working to change that.
Family: They live in North Carolina, where I grew up.
Favorite things to do on the weekend: Ride, run, hike. Be outdoors.
Favorite vacation spots: Places with mountains. Colorado is special to me.
Favorite book: Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and The Durable Future by Bill McKibben.
E-mail: dcarnevale@gwmail.gwu.edu
Phone: 202.994.3674
Posted by GWSB on January 10, 2012 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Sheetal Singh
Name: Sheetal Singh
Job title: Assistant Professor
Job duties: Teaching “Entrepreneurship” and “Small Business Management” classes to undergraduates; research on individual characteristics of entrepreneurs and the impact of emotional intelligence, labor and conflict on organizational outcomes; and service. I serve in various roles to support the Academy of Management and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and review journals in my field.
Time at GW: four months
Best part of working at GWSB: Being in an environment where everyone is excited about making a positive impact.
What co-workers do not know about me: I love to paint and cook.
Family: My husband, Shalinder, and daughters Sanah and Sanjna.
Favorite things to do on the weekend: Spend time with family and friends, paint and meditate.
Favorite vacation spots: Kabini Wildlife Reserve, Karnataka, India
Favorite book: Illusions by Richard Bach, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
E-mail: sheetals@gwu.edu
Phone: 202-994-1562
Posted by GWSB on December 6, 2011 | Filed under: Getting to Know,GWSB News.
Name: Christine Patton
