CHSS Staff and Administrative Faculty Advisory Council

Mission:

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Staff and Administrative Faculty Advisory Council’s mission is to serve as a representative body for staff and administrative or professional faculty within the college:  

  • to serve as a conduit through which their ideas and concerns are communicated to dean of the college and their administration;  
  • to promote and advocate for their unique needs;  
  • to represent their concerns with university-wide partners as necessary;
  • to act as a resource for promoting an enriching, engaging, collaborative, and supportive work environment for CHSS staff and administrative and professional faculty.

 
 
Goals:

Promoting open lines of communication between the college’s staff/administrative faculty and the Dean and their administration. 

  1. Gathering information through townhalls, annual surveys, and the like to identify and address critical, in-common issues affecting the college’s full-time classified staff, administrative faculty, part-time classified staff, and/or non-student wage employees and presenting it to the dean and their administration. 
  2. Collaborating with the dean and their administration in addressing the concerns of the staff/administrative faculty with appropriate university-level officials, when necessary.  
  3. Ensuring that a broad representation of staff across departments/programs/centers/administration as well as types of positions (student-facing, research, administrative roles, etc.) are actively involved in the work of the Council. 
  4. Collaborating with university-wide partners on larger advocacy initiatives. 

 

People:




Maria Carabelli, Co-chair
 Department of Communication: 

As a 20-year dedicated staff member and proud alum of the Department of Communication in CHSS, I believe I bring a unique perspective to the CHSS staff and admin faculty advisory council. Having had the experience of being a student, working with the students and working with the faculty and administration, I have the advantage of fostering connections that allow me to see different perspectives to any problem. With a commitment to communication and collaboration, I aspire to elevate the voices of the college’s staff and admin through insightful discussions. My hope with this committee is that those discussions address the needs and leverage resources for positive change that will enrich our community.

 

Sara Montiel, Co-chair
School of Integrative Studies:

I have been a part of the Mason community for 18 years, with the majority of my time spent in CHSS offices—5 years as Classified Staff in PSYC and 7 years in my current role as AP Faculty in School of Integrative Studies. Throughout my career, I have been committed to supporting students, advocating for staff (former Staff Senator, whoo!) and administrative faculty, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. I believe that classified staff and A/P faculty play a critical role in how we interface with faculty to support students and fulfill the university’s mission. As Co-Chair of the CHSS Classified Staff & A/P Faculty Advisory Council, I strive to ensure that staff and administrative faculty voices are heard, valued, and included in meaningful conversations about our college’s future. My hope is that this council continues to enhance communication, advocate for resources, and create a workplace that encourages both professional growth and a sense of community.



David Soorenko, Member
Undergraduate Academic Affairs:

I have been working at Mason in the Undergraduate Academic Affairs office since 2004. Prior to that that I was a full-time student and worked as a wage student in an academic department. My reason for being on this council is to try to preserve and enhance the employee experience in CHSS. Which is important to obtain and retain staff in this rapidly changing work environment we have all been experiencing. I believe open and clear communication on all levels of the college is integral to this, so I hope that this council can help facilitate that communication. 

 

Anthony DeMaio, Member
Finance and HR:

I have been at Mason for six years and have spent the last year and a half in my current role as a post-award research administrator for CHSS. I am consistently impressed with this college’s commitment to improving the experience of its classified staff, A/P faculty, and wage employees, and am happy to serve on the Advisory Council to help guide those improvements. I’ve served on Staff Senate for the past three years and have seen the power that advocacy can have; I’m excited to bring that experience to the more focused discussion of the specific experience of CHSS employees.





Jen Barnard, Member
Department of Modern and Classical Languages:

In 2025, I am currently serving in my 21st year as the office manager of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages. I believe in the importance of amplifying the voices of staff and admin faculty within CHSS, and would like to continue building on the good work that the council has done so far. It is important to me that the perspectives of staff and administrative faculty are represented and that we have a platform to express our concerns and ideas effectively. As a long serving staff member, I have a broad and historical understanding of many of the challenges we face, and I am a strong advocate for our needs.

Trang Ngo, Member
Department of English:

During my two years at Mason, I was able to see our university and department through two different lenses: as a student and as a staff member. As we live in an ever-changing environment, I believe that it is important to bring different voices to the table in order to improve the experience of our CHSS classified staff, A/P faculty, and wage employees. Therefore, I intend to use the knowledge and experience I have gained during my time here to further the discussion. I believe that everyone has a right to voice their concerns and needs. 


Rafaella Silva, Member
Department of English:

In my 2 years at Mason, so much has changed and grown. As we navigate these changes and levels of growth, I believe it is imperative that we continue to be transparent to facilitate open communication between all areas of CHSS to not only bring positive change but change that is also in connection with CHSS values. As a recent master’s alum, previous part-time worker, and current classified staff member, I plan to use the experiences of all three positions to navigate each individual and common need and find ways to create bridges with all areas of Mason in mind. My ultimate goal is to ensure that staff and A/P faculty have a voice and are heard.



Jacelyn Tyson, Ex Officio
Finance and HR:

I came to Mason in 2013. Since then I have had the privilege of being a classified staff member, A/P faculty member, student, and an alum. Each of those roles has brought me great joy and provided opportunities for personal and professional growth. As an ex officio member of the CHSS Staff and Administrative/Professional Faculty Advisory Council, I intend to utilize the knowledge and insights gained from my current and previous roles to further enhance the employee experience for CHSS classified staff, A/P faculty, and wage employees. CHSS has demonstrated its commitment to this work, and I am excited to partner with the college in this important endeavor.